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How to Stretch Your Travel Budget

You want to take a trip but are concerned that the cost will ruin your budget. Don't worry, with a little planning, you can certainly make memorable moments while traveling on a budget.

Tips for Traveling on a Budget
When traveling on a budget, you should go it alone and avoid the travel company tour groups. With these tour groups, you pay for sights you would normally skip and extras you would normally avoid. Do the research yourself, get out the maps and develop your own unforgettable journey.

Also, consider traveling in fours, because it is often more convenient and economical. For example, you could share a rental car, hotel/motel room and taxis. However, don't settle for rooms in bad surroundings. Spend the extra money for rooms in good locations.

Transportation is another big way to slash costs on a travel budget. Driving rather than flying will normally save you big money. But if you chose flying, be flexible with your dates. Leaving a day or two early can sometimes save you lots of money.

Going on a cruise or spending time at an all-inclusive resort can also help your travel budget. On these types of trips, everything from food to drinks to entertainment is included, so you will know how much you are going to spend before you even pack your suitcase.

Items to Avoid When Traveling on a Budget
Here are some pricey items you should avoid when traveling on a budget:

• airport food and drink
• bus tour packages
• commercial photos
• horse-drawn carriage rides
• hotel/motel calls
• room service
• souvenirs.

Items to Splurge on When Traveling on a Budget
You might want to spend your money on the following things when traveling on a budget:

• a digital camera
• a first-class ticket, if you have air miles and a long flight
• a good hotel/motel room with a balcony and great scenery
• at least one dinner and a good bottle of wine at a top-notch restaurant
• comfortable but stylish walking shoes.

Off-Season Budget Travel
Traveling out of season, frankly, saves you money. Flying during the peak season will cost you about double or triple the price of an off-season ticket. Hotels and hostels also raise prices during peak season. During off-season, however, air prices and hotel/motel rooms are discounted. Plus, you won't have to worry about crowds.

There is good debate about whether you should book your airline ticket far in advance or last minute. Some airlines allow you to save money by booking late, while others charge you big money for holding off.

Also, consider staying in hostels rather than hotels/motels, because they are much less expensive. However, it is important to really do your research when choosing a hostel.

Overall, planning ahead and researching are the keys to saving money with your travel budget.

Finding Inexpensive Air Fares
So driving isn't an option for you? What can you do to make sure that your travel budget stays on track? Here are eight suggestions:

• Avoid weekend flights: Flying on weekdays may save you big money. However, if you need to depart on a weekend, it may be cheaper to fly on a Saturday than a Sunday.
  
  
• Book right away: If you see a good fare, secure it right away, even if the sale doesn't end for a while. There is no guarantee that the price will remain the same throughout the entire sale.
  
  
• Check out sales: Look for special airline sales to avoid paying regular price. The Internet is an excellent place to begin your search.
  
  
• Off-peak flights: You can usually fly cheaper on a Tuesday or Wednesday. A Wednesday-to-Wednesday trip will probably cost you much less than a Sunday-to-Sunday journey. Late night or early morning flights may also lower the cost.
  
  Cheaper flights are also available during off-season, normally mid-January to March and October to mid-December (except for the days around Thanksgiving). Obviously, flights during holiday times are expensive.
  
  
• Plan ahead: Although there may be last-minute bargains, it is generally cheaper to shop early for tickets. Purchasing your ticket 21 days in advance will probably save you big money over the last-minute purchase.
  
  
• Small airports: If you live in a large city, check out the rates at a small airport. sometimes, these airports will offer cheaper fares. 
  
  
• Round-trip tickets: Even if you need only a one-way ticket, check out the cost of a round-trip ticket. Sometimes, round-trip tickets may actually be cheaper if you purchase them in advance.
  
  
• Special discounts: You might receive a discount if you are a senior citizen, student, in the military, etc.