Travel can be fun, even when you are traveling for business purposes. One thing that makes your travel miserable is having to pay too much money. Read on to find out how you can minimize your travel expenses and still get where you want to go.
Secure travel arrangements in advance to help maintain your budget. While there are many ways to spend money when traveling, they are virtually all less expensive the sooner you buy them. If you don’t shop at the last minute, you can extend your travel much more.
It is a good idea to register with a site that watches travel prices. This is a feature that many websites provide. It lets you pick a destination and automatically watches the prices for you. If airfare or hotel rates drop by the amount you select, the site will email you to alert you of the change. You will not have to worry about checking the rates daily.
There are always ways that your pet can head off on vacation with you. Pet-friendly vacations are becoming popular, with many accommodations offering special deals for “pet parents.” These may include care for your pets. Find out where you can take your pets and feel free to do so.
Hotel Staff
Hotel staff like room service staff and the bell hop are paid meager salaries and tips are very much appreciated. An appropriate tip is considered $1 for each piece of luggage you have, and $2-$5 per day for the housekeeping service. Tipping will show your appreciation for their work, and will help you maintain a good relationship with hotel staff.
Use hotel ice for having filtered water for your coffee in the morning. Instead of tap water, put ice in your bucket the night before so it has time to melt. You can use it to make coffee.
Cash your checks in advance as they may not be accepted. Traveler’s checks are generally accepted at most places, but they are a hassle. You might get short-changed when you use them, thus it pays to be smart about it and get your hands on the actual currency before you use them.
Take a break every few hours when driving with small children. Breaks will let you stretch and use the bathroom. Kids can get some fresh air, too. Your trip will be a little longer when you do this, but it will actually reduce stress, which makes the delay worth it.
When you travel across time zones, jet lag becomes an issue. This is something that is very hard to avoid. Also, try and sleep as much as you can during your flight.
Policy Prior
If you are renting a car, review your auto insurance policy prior to leaving on vacation. These rental car agents know how to sell extra insurance to you, but the issue is that you might not need it. Some of these policies will be a ripoff for what you require. Read your policy prior to leaving home; it might save you money overall.
Find the service stops on your journey while driving. If you need service while taking a road trip, it can be hard to find. Try to plan a route that offers sufficient service stations along the way. You can then retain a list of contact numbers on your person so that you can handle these situations more easily if anything happens.
If you are not a deep sleeper, you may want some earplugs. Hotel walls are not that great for sleeping. Good earplugs will keep you from hearing the noise that could keep you up at night.
Photocopy all your essential documents before leaving. You want to be sure to have your copies of important documents in another location. You may want to give a loved one a set in case yours gets stolen or lost.
Contact cases can be used for more than just holding contact lenses, and are wonderful to have on a trip. They are great for packing small amounts of lotions or hair gel.
If you’re going to a tropical location, you might want to consider purchasing travel insurance that covers search and rescue. You’ll be happy you have it if you are stuck far from civilization and need rescuing.
Exchange the bulk of your money for foreign currency after you reach your destination. If you know that where you’re going won’t let you exchange your money for the local currency before you land, make sure to bring exchange it before you go.
When your dogs are traveling with you, make sure to brush them well before letting them in your car. This helps to cut down on how much hair will blow around the car. Also be sure to include all necessities for your dog like bowls, leashes and clean up materials.
Use these types of cables to connect your computer to the T.V. in your hotel room. This will enable you to enjoy streaming videos or movies, rather than buying expensive movies on the hotels pay per view service.
By utilizing these tips and traveling smart, many annoyances can be smoothed from you journey. If you can save money on all the incidences of travel, you might enjoy the trip more.