Vacations are wonderful. Getting away and relaxing with friends and family or just alone can rejuvenate your love for life. Here are a couple of tips to remember when trying to keep the vacation budget down.

1. Compare low-cost carriers with major carriers that fly to your destination. Remember, the best fares may not be out of the airport closest to you.

2. You may save by including a Saturday evening stay-over or by purchasing the ticket at least 14 days in advance. Ask which days of the week and times of the day have the lowest fare.

3. Even if you are using a travel agent, check airline and Internet travel sites, and look for special deals. If you call, always ask for the lowest fare to your destination.

Popular Airline Sites:

Southwest Airlines (Usually The Cheapest)
Northwest Airlines
US Airways
American Airlines
Delta Air Lines
Continental Airlines

Airfare Price Comparison Sites:

CheapTickets
Orbitz
Kayak

Happy Travels!

Filed under : Budget Vacations

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Experiencing the sights and sounds of Disney World is a dream come true for kids and adults alike. But the costs to travel there are the first obstacle you have to overcome to still have a chance of enjoying a frugal Disney World vacation. You don’t have to let your plans to save money get sidelined, though. Use these 3 ideas to save money on traveling to Disney World by following the tips below.

1) Go during the off season

Prices drop considerably in the fall. You can save 50% or more on flights, and the villas and vacation homes in Orlando can be rented for a much cheaper cost.

You can sign up with newsletters and look in newspapers for frugal Disney World flight discounts and deals. But don’t fly during the weekends if you have to pay surcharges.

And you might want to think about skipping the flight food and bring your own instead — you’ll probably like what you have better anyway.

2) Make airport parking plans ahead of time

You’ll want to book airport parking for your car before your travel date, because paying for it on that date will be more expensive.

Check to see if your airport hotel offers holiday parking with a pre-flight deal for you to stay the night before too, if you wish to do so.

Your car insurance or roadside assistance service may help with your frugal Disney World travel plans and have special offers on airport parking that you can take advantage of.

If you’re taking a cab or minivan, book that ahead of time as well. And don’t forget to negotiate a deal for you to be picked up when you come back.

3) Get a car rental discount

To aid in your frugal Disney World travels, you can look for discounts in several places if you plan on renting a car during your stay in Orlando. Look for corporate discounts from companies. Also ask about discounts for major national organization, credit card program or frequent flyer program members.

Some car rental agencies have affiliations with hotels too, and you may be able to get a discounted room if you can’t get a decreased rate on your car. If you use the car rental agency a lot, they may give you discounts and free upgrades too.

If you want to try saving on car insurance, look to see if your car insurance agency will cover the car rental fees before paying the car rental agency’s insurance.

Also make sure to reserve you car at the weekly rate: the daily or hourly rates are higher. And return the car on time to avoid additional fees.

And, if you can, avoid renting your car at the airport: you don’t want to damage your frugal Disney World plan by paying surcharges when you can avoid them by renting in town instead.

Filed under : Budget Vacations

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