Budget Travel Webpage

Travelling is cheap these days especially when hotels, tour agents and airlines are cutting costs to make ends meet in the face of a frail economy. Hotels offer big discounts to attract travellers. So how to find great hotel deals?

Check out hotel booking sites online. They offer good deals of up to 60%. The money you save by getting a good deal can be spent on other areas of your travel like food, airfare or entertainment. Bear in mind that different prices are offered for different dates or time of the year. For example, the prices of rooms will be marked up during public holidays that fall on weekdays. Here will be a great difference in the prices offered for rooms at different times of the year and for different weekends so grab the best deals and be flexible with travel dates. Prices are higher from Friday to Saturday so it will be best to book rooms starting from the beginning of the week. Compare prices carefully among the various booking sites. Some sites offer prices including GST and some don’t. Think carefully before you commit to charge the cost to your credit card and make sure you know the total cost inclusive of GST and service charges. Some sites also carry a booking or handling fee to sue them. Do also take note that some hotel rates do not come with breakfast. Weigh the pros and cons before you make a decision.

Another choice in hotel deals is to check the hotel’s website. Often times, they will have a special rate or offer a last minute hotel room if they do not have many reservations. Some hotels offer early booking prices while some offer special weekend package prices.

A few other things to think about in hotel deals are when and where you go. If you want the best deal, don’t stay really close to major attractions or in the heart of the city. A few minutes’ of travelling time can save you a lot of money. Also, if you have the choice, don’t travel over the weekend. As mentioned earlier, rates are much higher on Fridays and Saturdays than they are on any other day of the week. Lastly, make reservations and book ahead. If you just show up, you are likely to pay additional fees then if you make the reservations even a few days ahead of time.

Spend some time in looking for a good hotel deal. Many booking sites offer great deals to entice you to come back or advertise via word-of-mouth. Don’t jump at one deal. Look for several and take note of what the deals include or exclude.

Going on a trip needs preparation regardless of the length. You should find out the places you are going to visit, the climate at the time of visit and the things required for your trip. You can source out information from the internet as well as from guide books such as The Lonely Planet and Frommer’s Travel Guides from the local library. I find it really useful to read about the place first as you will have a better idea of its history, setting and layout. Prior to my trip to the Golden Triangle in North India I did a lot of research on the Taj Mahal and on the Rajput’s palace in Jaipur from guide books. Having read in detail about the places I was about to explore had given me a deeper insight of the place and gave me an idea of the different sections of the buildings and what the surrounds had to offer. 

Do a checklist of the things you require to do such as make two copies of your passport, change money at the money changer, book a ticket, apply for a tourist visa etc and things you require to pack such as phone cables, medication, sunscreen lotion etc.

Check the validity of your before you leave and the required visa for the country you will be visiting. It costs three times more to apply for one at the airport than doing it online. Give yourself at least two weeks before the date of your departure to apply online for a visa.  

While traveling you should carry a true copy of your passport and a photocopied version, air ticket or train ticket, driving license, medical prescription, first aid kit and a credit or debit card. One more copy of your passport should be kept at your home so that in case you lose the original passport and its copy, your family member will fax immediately. Before leaving make sure you have a copy of your e-ticket. Check out your flight time and airport as well as terminal. 

Check out the cost of local transportation, taxis and buses. Most importantly, check your balance in your credit or debit card before you leave and check whether you can withdraw your cash with your ATM card in the country you will be visiting, in an emergency. Carry your required and general vaccination or medication for safety. Do advance hotel booking to avoid seasonal rush in your destination place.

Always remember to leave some space in your bag so that you can carry extra things which you purchase. It’s also a good idea to pack a thinner and lighter storage bag for light purchases. Pack the clothes you require - sweater, rain jacket, swimsuit, night wear, cotton dresses (if you are going to a place in summer), medication and comfortable pair of slippers. Bring a plastic water bottle so that you can refill the water using boiled hotel water at the place of visit.

To capture all your sweet memories carry a small pocket digital camera. Charge your phone and battery for your camera prior to the trip and ensure that you pack your chargers.

If you plan your trip properly, the chances of you forgetting to do or bring the essentials are kept to a minimal. Don’t spend unnecessarily on disposable underwear or expensive sunscreen lotion. Use your discretion and try to keep spending at a minimum to save your dollars.   

Are you planning a family vacation? It may seem difficult to plan one that will please everyone in the entire family because every individual family member has his or her own unique interests and preferences. With careful planning and selection however, family vacation planning can prove quite successful and offer every family member a truly incredible vacationing experience!

Before selecting any accommodation, sit down with the family to discuss what everyone desires in a vacation. Even children should be included in the conversation; children will be made to feel that their opinions are important and that, they too, have a voice in the family. The family can select what types of recreational pursuits they want included in the vacation being selected such as  swimming or beach volleyball, and they can also come up with original ways for saving money.

The vacation planning family will want to consider what types of recreational pursuits are located on or near the accommodation before making any kind of reservations. Some hotels and resorts have on site recreations that are sure to please every individual in the family from tennis courts to swimming pools. If a hotel doesn’t have onsite activities for the family to enjoy, it is important for the vacation planner to consider what kinds of recreational offerings are in close proximity to the location.

The family can consider the following vacation types:

1) beach vacation

2) camping vacation

3) snow vacation

4) city sight-seeing vacation

5) theme park vacation

For all the above, do consider packing appropriate attire for the family as well as other relevant items such as spades and pail for sand-castle building, beah ball, tennis racquets, tent and sleeping bag. For some types of vacation such as snow vacation, special snow boots have to rented. Also consider the degree of safety and appropriacy of the activities for the children . For example skiing will not be appropriate for children below seven years old.

Traveling with the family can be incredibly fun and it gives the family time to bond with each other and enjoy each other’s company without the everyday pressures that families deal with routinely. It will be necessary however, to ensure that there are activities that are suitable for children and that the adults in the family also get a little downtime away from the youngsters. Thus, when looking to make reservations at any accommodation, it might be a good idea to see if the hotel or location offers any kinds of guided child activities such as pony riding or tennis or any sort of babysitting service. While children attend the child-guided activities or are left in the competent hands of a babysitting service, the adults can spend a little bit of time together alone. For example, some cruise lines have babysitting services in addition to clubs for children, dance and art lessons, and other instructional activities that children can partake in.

All inclusive vacationing packages are great for both couples and entire families. Many of the all inclusive vacation offers include accommodations, meals, guided tours, and recreational activities of all kinds. A couple or a family will want to carefully consider what is offered in an all inclusive vacation getaway or weekend getaway offer; if there are recreational activities that are not included in the package, the couple or the family can plan alternative activities to fit into the vacationing itinerary such as watching DVDs or building sand castles.

It is important to consider the preferences of everyone in the family. In this case some compromise and flexibility are necessary for a decision to be made. Research and planning are pre-requisites to a successful family vacation. Also the family must be prepared to face unexpected change in the programme if an activity at the holiday destinations cease to be conducted especially seasonal activities or due to technical glitches.   

In today’s frail economy, people would rather save than travel. On the flip side, tour agencies and airlines seduce potential travellers with travel deals to keep the business going. So travellers who take advantage of such deals are able to enjoy fabulous vacations at a fraction of the cost. If you want to travel on the cheap but you’re concerned about financing a vacation, you can still make things happen with some careful planning. Simply get creative and find some great ways to save on your vacation costs!

Make a list of your prerequisites such as land or sea travel, domestic or international, sightseeing or outdoor adventure type of holiday. Once you’ve determined your travel preferences, you can start planning a great vacation on a budget. Finding travel deals might even be easier than you think. In fact, many hotels are discounting rooms way lower than ever before in hopes of luring in some would-be travelers.

Here are some tips to help you save:

1. Go on vacation during off-peak times. The best periods to avoid is the public holiday period as well as Christmas and school holiday season.

2. Use a credit card with air miles or hotel stay rewards. If you spend all year long earning air miles or hotel dollars, you can offset your vacation costs with the rewards you reap from your credit card.

3. Arrange your trip so you can make your own meals. If you stay in a service apartment, motel or even a tent with a fire ring, you can cook some of your own meals to offset the cost of your vacation.

4. Share expenses with a friend or group of friends. If you plan a road trip where you can carpool or all stay together in the same hotel room, you and your friends can split the costs in many ways.

5. Take a more rugged trip, like camping, backpacking, or even a road trip. Save money by staying at hostels, cheap motels, or even under the stars in a tent.

6. If you’re seeking a tropical vacation, consider a cruise or an all-inclusive deal. A cruise offers the opportunity to see several wonderful destinations on the same vacation - totally more savings for your money.

7. Look for free and cheap things to do in addition to your planned itinerary.  Check out for brochures or magazines on the local places you will be exploring. Look out for local events or activities such as flea markets, coffee festivals, fruit-picking and street festivals. It is fun to check out local curio shops, museums and galleries.  

8. Book your flight online. Eliminate the middle man, the tour agent. You can save a lot by booking your flight yourself by taking advantage of the great deals. (Refer to my article on ‘Online Travel Booking Tips’)

It’s a good time to travel now that airlines and hotels are lowering their rates to lure travellers. So, plan your trip well and consider your options. Go with like-minded budget travelling friends or family members and make the most the most of your holidays. Don’t let the recession deter you from making your travel plans.