Vacation Planning: The Frugal Way
Vacations can be fun but they can also cause a lot of stress. How am I going to afford a vacation? Where should I stay? Where should I get a plane ticket? This article will address those questions and show you how to have an affordable quality vacation on a frugal budget.When planning a vacation, first always shop around. If possible, plan as far ahead as possible. There are many good places to look for vacations. Travel agents do a good job of planning your vacation. They can plan your hotel, plane tickets, sight seeing events, and if you need one, a rental car. The downside with using a travel agent is the fact that you pay more for their services than if you done it yourself.
Another way to plan your vacation is to call airlines and hotels directly to book your vacation. This way gives you the most flexibility but also cost the most. The airlines charge more when buying direct and they increase their prices the closer you are to the travel date. Hotels charge more on weekends, holidays, and summers and they do not offer many discounts if you call them directly. Normal common sense would think you would get a better deal by cutting out the middle man but this is not the case when booking a vacation. This method is the least favorite way to use if you are frugal and looking for a bargain.
Still another way to plan you vacation is through the Internet. This is the total do it yourself method of vacation planning. You can search hotels, airlines, events, and car rentals for the area you are planning to visit. This can be fun and if you are lucky, you can find a real frugal deal. The Internet puts the world at your fingertips However, if you are not careful, you can end up paying more than you would have by just using a travel agent.
The final method I will discuss for planning your vacation is a combination of the travel agent and the Internet. This method is using an online discount vacation broker. There are many of these sites and more are being added each year. One of the oldest and my personal favorite is Priceline. This is the one my families uses for almost all of our vacation needs. Priceline offers frugal living at its finest. Priceline offers discount airplane tickets, discount hotel rooms, discount car rentals, and discount cruises. If you have some flexibility in your time schedule, you can name your own prices on hotel and plane tickets for discount at 50% or more off retail prices. Priceline also offers the convenience of full travel agents by designing vacation packages to meet your needs.
For the frugal minded people like all of us, Priceline is a one stop shopping site for all you vacation needs. If you just want to get away for a weekend drive, name your own price for the hotel room and you can save up to 60% off retail price. Want just the plane ticket? Name your own price and you can save tons of money off other discount sites. If you need a full vacation package, they allow you to pick your hotel, plane tickets, and rental car and you can add on airport pick-up and sightseeing tickets to make a well rounded well planned out complete vacation.
Frugal living is good living so be sure to use your frugal skills when planning your next vacation. Being a cheapskate can get you further when you use Priceline to plan all of your getaway needs. Have fun and enjoy your frugal vacation by taking the stress out of planning your vacation.