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20 Money Saving Hacks For Your Next Vacation

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Money saving hacks for vacation

Julie Provost

When you start to plan your next vacation, you may be looking for ways to save money. Traveling expenses can add up, but if you can find ways to save money, you will be able to keep your costs lower than they would otherwise be.

Here are 20 money saving hacks for your next vacation:

Shop Around For Your Flights

Southwest has a military discount; other airlines can sometimes offer them too. Make sure to shop around for your flights. You don’t want to book the first one you see and want to make sure you can get the best deal possible.

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Save on Breakfast

When you are booking a hotel, think about breakfast. Going out for breakfast every morning can add up, especially if you are traveling with a family. Staying at a place with your own kitchen or finding a hotel with a free breakfast can save you up to $30-40 a day.

Use Miles

If you have any airline miles, use them to book tickets. They can cut down on the cost of your flight, even by just a little bit.

Check Your Airport Options

See if you can fly into more than one airport, then compare the costs. Go with the best deal. If you are not stuck with having to fly into just one place, you will have a better chance of finding a good deal on flights.

Say Yes to Being Bumped

Sometimes airlines overbook and ask for volunteers to be bumped. When this happens they can pay you a fee and refund the cost of your ticket. If you are flexible enough, this can be a good plan. It might not be an option for families with small children but can be a good way to earn money and save on your flights if you don’t mind changing your flight times at the last minute.

Use The Same Hotel Chain

Many hotel chains have rewards programs with special perks for those that stay there. Try to stick with the same hotel chains wherever you go to earn those perks and use them on your next trip.

RELATED: Hotels with Military Discounts

Use AirBNB

AirBNBs are everywhere these days and could be a way to save some money during your stay. You also might get more of a cultural experience by staying in one.

Look At All-inclusive Options

If you are going somewhere with all-inclusive options, you can look into those to see how they compare to paying for each part of your trip individually. Paying for everything all together can make for a better-priced trip.

Make a Budget For Every Meal

Make a budget for every meal you will have to buy. And then plan to stick to that budget. Going out to eat adds up quickly and knowing what your budget is will help you only spend what you want to spend each day. Research what types of restaurants are available where you are going and about how much they cost to help you plan.

Use Public Transportation

If you don’t need to rent a car, don’t. That can be a pricey part of your trip and if you can utilize public transportation or plan to walk where you need to go, you can save a lot of money that way. This won’t work for every location but research to see if you have to have a car where you are going.

Skip car rental insurance

If you do need to rent a car, skip the extra insurance they want to sell you. Most likely your regular insurance will cover you in an accident.

Look For Free Tours

See if there are any free tours or exhibits in the cities you are visiting. You will be able to see some amazing places without paying any extra.

Carry Water and Snacks

Carrying your own water and snacks will go a long way toward saving you money. Those purchases are never cheap and always add up. You could save $20-30 a day by doing so, even more with a bigger family. Make sure to double check on rules if you are going to certain places or amusement parks that could have limits on what food you can bring in yourself.

Look for Military Discounts

Disneyland and Disney World have a fantastic military discount, other amusement parks have discounts too. You might have to buy those tickets ahead of time at your local MWR Travel Office but doing so will save you potentially hundreds of dollars on tickets.

RELATED: Military Discounts

Use Credit Cards With Points

If you do plan to use credit cards for your trip, make sure they have a rewards program. You can earn points towards gift cards, going out to eat, or even earn cash back.

Ask Friends For Advice

If you know anyone that lives where you are going to visit, has lived there or has visited there in the past, ask them about where to go and what to do. They will know some of the best-kept secrets and these can save you money.

Use Flexible Dates

If you don’t have to go on vacation on a specific date, see what changing your dates does for hotels, flights, and even car rentals. Play around with when you want to go and see what gives you the best price.

Use Flight Alerts

You can sign up for flight alerts and will be emailed when prices change. If you have enough time before you need to book your tickets, that can help you find the best price. AirHint is a great place to sign up for these types of alerts.

Use Free Wi-Fi

If you don’t have unlimited data, make sure you are aware of where you can find free WiFi on your trip. A lot of places have free WiFi these days and you want to take advantage of it and save your data if you can.  Just be sure that you’re using a safe wi-fi network.

Bring Empty Water Bottles for the Airport

While you are not allowed to bring drinks through security, you can bring empty water bottles. You will want to do this vs buying them at the post-security stores. They are more expensive and there should be drinking fountains where you can fill up your water bottles after you go through security.

There are many ways to save a bit of money even while traveling. Take these hacks and use what works for you and your family.

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About the author

Julie Provost

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Julie Provost is a freelance writer, and blogger. She lives in Tennessee with her National Guard husband and three boys.

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