Budget Travel

Traveling is seen as a luxury that can be afforded only by some and necessitates saving over several months in order to get the holiday that you want. This does not have to be the case. With a bit of careful thought and a lot of planning, it really is possible to travel on a budget. Of course, traveling on a budget means different things to different people. Some would consider a budget holiday to involve backpacking and camping. This type of holiday can be done on a budget relatively easily; the real skill arises when you are trying to get a ‘luxury’ holiday for a budget price. The Travel Industry Association of America estimated that the average family spends over $2,200 a year on an extended vacation. This is an enormous amount. If you save just 10% of that amount, think how it will add up over the years. Interestingly, paying more does not necessarily guarantee you a better holiday. Whenever you are on vacation, you will probably be surrounded by other families, some of which have paid more than you for the vacation and others which have paid significantly less. This book is all about learning to be one of those who sits smugly by the others declaring the ‘cheap’ vacation that they have managed to secure. It’s easier than you think!

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 INTRODUCTION 5 1. PLANNING YOUR VACATION 6 1.1. When to Book 6 2. CHOOSING YOUR SEASON AND DESTINATION 8 2.1. Shoulder Season 8 2.2. Winter 9 2.3. Spring 9 2.4. Summer 10 2.5. Fall 10 3. HOTELS AT LAST MINUTE 11 4. BAGGING A CHEAP FLIGHT 13 5. BARGAIN PACKAGE HOLIDAYS 15 6. SPECIALIST BARGAINS 17 6.1. Round the World 18 6.2. Cruise Bargains 18 7. WHERE TO LOOK 20 7.1. Introduction 20 7.2. Auction sites 20 7.3. Travel Agent 21 7.4. Online Purchases 22 7.5. Consolidators 23 8. MONEY SAVING TIPS 24 8.1. Introduction 24 8.2. Clubs and Award Programs 24 Frequent Flyer Points 25 Hotel Award Programs 25 Combined Award Programs 25 9. SAVING MONEY WHEN YOU ARE AT YOUR DESTINATION 27 9.1. Restaurants 27 9.2. Car Rental 27 10. BUDGET TRAVEL WITH A FAMILY 29 10.1. Family Camps 29 10.2. Money Saving Booking Tips 29 10.3. Keeping a Lid on Spending Money 30 11. CONCLUSION 31 12. DISCLAIMER 32