Pay Less for Travel?

Everybody loves to pay less and get more!  In an effort to do exactly that my husband and I alternate our more expensive vacations with less costly ones.  It works well for us-we are in charge of our itinerary and can adjust as necessary.  While everyone’s taste differs here are examples that we use to lower  costs:

Hotels – Sometimes an expensive hotel is just what we want.  Their numerous services and luxuries make us feel pampered and recharged.  But there are  times we plan to be outside of the hotel exploring.  This is especially true when visiting a location for the first time. If it is too far to walk, we take an excursion.  If you spend your time outside  there is no need for the amenities offered by expensive hotels – all you really need is a safe and clean place to sleep.  

Meals – Not everyone eats a large breakfast  but for those who do it is a necessity.  When I worked as a travel agent, a free hotel breakfast was one of the most requested services my clients wanted..  When it is lunch time try a pre-made lunch or visit one of the small, local restaurants.  At the end of the day splurge on a more expensive dinner – you earned it!

Rental Cars – Renting a car is second nature to many of us. It always sounds like a good idea and we forget the drawbacks.  If you plan on a great deal of exploration, walking usually works better.  You do not have to worry about directions and driving.  In addition, some places are not at all amenable to driving -I’m talking about you NYC, southern California and Italy.  Many hotels, especially in large cities, have no parking available.

If you lower your expenses on some items you can give yourself permission to  spend more on others – how does Business Class sound?