Planning a trip on your own can be stressful and costly. Between airfare, hotels, ground transportation, food... things can add up quick! Here's a list of 5 tips to help you stretch the budget for your next vacation without losing any luxe.
1. Take advantage of red-eye flights.
This will allow you save on flights (red eyes are generally less expensive) and will also save on at least one night of hotel fees. Even if you spend a little extra dough on premium economy to help catch some z’s, sleeping on the airplane and flying out later in the evening, or landing at your destination in the morning can save you anywhere from $200-$1,000.
2. Check in with the hotel directly regarding best room rates.
As amazing as a lot of the sites that search multiple websites with the push of one button can be, a lot of hotels now offer to beat competitor pricing. If you know which hotel you want, find the best deal online, and reach out to the hotel directly. Let them know the dates, the rates, and where you found the deal. A lot of hotels will not only match the rate, but they’ll throw on an additional discount or add some perks to the reservation. Champagne at check in? Free breakfast? Free parking? Can't hurt to ask!
3. Reach out to contacts at your memberships & group associations.
AAA, credit cards, work unions, Costco… So many places to find great deals where we wouldn’t normally think to look! AAA isn’t only for your car. They offer great travel deals year round, and also offer packaged deals taking some of the stress from planning away. Costco also offers some amazing travel deals! If you have a credit card, check with your card company! Many of them offer discount services, or at the very least, find out which of your card(s) provide no-free international transactions.
4. Utilize hotel policies that make arriving & leaving more flexible.
This goes hand in hand with tip1 and will help you save money on at least one night of hotel fess. If you arrive prior to the usual check in time, you can ask for an early check in at arrival. If that’s not possible, leave your bags with the front desk and start touring your new city! If you’re taking a late flight out of a city, some hotels allow for a later check out, or you can request access to a courtesy room so you can leave your bags at the front desk, hang by the pool, and use the courtesy room to shower and freshen up before your fight.
5. Hit up Happy Hours.
You’re on vacation and can eat (or drink) whenever you want! Lots of fancy establishments that would normally cost $100+ per person have amazing happy hours cutting your meal costs in at least half. When you don’t have to worry if you can make it to the bar on time after work, you can use that energy thinking abut which speciality cocktail you’ll be ordering with your tuna tartar.
Need a list of must sees for your next trip? Want some guidance with what to pack? Let us know what info you need! Feel free to email us at aloha@rainbohe.com
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