I recently had the chance to travel to New York City to attend a national blogging conference. Now, I rarely travel – unless you count my 5 minute drive down the road to hit my local Target store. And somehow, I imagine that probably doesn’t count.
Of course, being penny pincher, I did what I could to save money. Here are a few travel tips that are quick and easy to help you save on your next travel excursion:
Excess Baggage. Several airlines now charge for checked bags. Some, will charge outlandish fees if the weight of the bag exceeds 50 lbs. Some people have chosen to pay shipping charges to mail items to their destination. You can even stop by a shipping store and mail your travel purchases home, which can be cheaper than paying baggage fees.
I actually squeaked by paying extra fees on my return trip home. The conference sponsors provide more swag than you could shake a stick at. Of course, being a money saver, I wanted to bring it all home so that my family could use it. I carefully packed my items into my suitcase hoping that I would not incur additional fees. Somehow, my large suitcase tipped the scales at 49 lbs….saving me a lot of cash.
You can purchase luggage scales at many stores so you can weigh your bags at home before you get to the airport and lay down an extra $100 just to have your clothes come with you on your trip.
Save on Dining Out. Before you head out to your favorite city, take a look around the hotel where you will be staying for restaurants. Then, head over to Restaurant.com and purchase your certificates for pennies on the dollar.
Try to find a hotel that offers a complimentary breakfast. Eat your breakfast later in the day and you can delay your lunch and then end up with a small snack for dinner time – which again can save you money.
You can also check with your hotel about having a small refrigerator in your room. Some will charge a nominal fee, but others will give this to you free of charge. Stop by a local supermarket and pick up the makings for sandwiches and take picnic lunches with you when you head out.
Events and Venues. Many cities have travel sites set up for visitors to know what to do in their city. Some of these provide coupons for you to save on your next visit to select venues. In fact, a little known secret is that you don’t have to be a tourist to use these. Kansas Citians should check out 2-for-1 Specials: Visit KC to find coupons for discounts to several locations all around the city.
In addition to checking out the city’s website, head on over to the site where you will spend your time. If you are heading to the arch in St. Louis, search for their site to see if you can find discount admission tickets. It can also be helpful to plan your vacation far enough in advance to sign up for newsletters, as these can also contain coupons.
Utilize rewards sites to pay for airline tickets. Have you ever heard of Swagbucks? This is a site that pays you for completing simple, every day tasks such as searches, no-obligation offers, surveys and even more! You simply accrue your points and can redeem them for great prizes such as airline rewards cards. This can be a GREAT way to offset the cost of your trip.
Just by being smart and planning ahead, you can save your hard earned dollars and still have a GREAT time away from home. After all, juts because you aren’t at home, doesn’t mean you can’t save money!