Everyone wants to save money and still have a great time when traveling. One way to do this is to look for discounts in hidden and nontraditional areas. Where might you keep your eyes open for new deals? Here are six good places.
Social Media
Hotels and vacation clubs use social media for more than just exposure. Follow both hotel chains and individual lodging establishments on social media to catch flash deals and site-specific discounts.
Branded Cards
A branded credit card comes in handy for a variety of cost-saving tools. You may be able to save a standard percentage on food and lodging just by using the card. Many branded cards also offer perks that save money that would otherwise be spent on things like transportation or entertainment. And if you rack up points on a branded card, you can often get freebies.
Smaller Perks
The hotel rate isn't the only determiner of whether a particular room is a good deal. There are other ways to save money, such as by getting free amenities at the same price. If a room offers free wi-fi or breakfast, you potentially save plenty of money on meals and cellular charges. Other amenities to look for include free parking, free shuttles to area attractions, and airport transportation.
Club Discounts
If you are part of any club or organization, check out their hotel and travel partners to look for discounts. Memberships in large groups like AAA or AARP often have negotiated standard discounts of between 10% and 20% that you can access without any real effort.
Negotiating
Don't discount the idea of negotiating the price of your rooms. While there is a specific published price, managers do have leeway to make concessions in various ways when necessary. If you notice that there are lots of rooms still available or you had any trouble during the reservation or planning process, use this as your cue to ask for anything from an upgrade to free meals to a straight discount.
Check Your Bill
Always look carefully at your bill — both before and after your stay. Why? Many hotels and travel providers add in lesser fees on top of the room rate. This might include items listed as resort fees, parking fees, wireless charges, mini-bar charges, convenience fees, and others — few of which are advertised in advance. Always ask about any fee on your bill and dispute when feasible.
Which of these methods can you use to make your next trip less expensive? No matter what you do to save money in hidden ways, you'll be sure to save money to spend on fun things for your vacation.
Share28 August 2019
My name is Clara Banksman and this is a blog that I've written about hotels and lodging. In this blog you'll learn about the different kinds of lodging accommodations that are available and the benefits of each one. In addition to hotels, you'll read about staying in a motel, a hostel and a bed and breakfast. You can also learn about spending time at a vacation rental, a resort and a lodge. I do a lot of traveling and while I'm away from home, I like the experience of staying in different kinds of accommodations. Spending the night at various places also makes the trip more exciting for me. I hope that after you read my blog it will inspire you to book a stay at a place that you've never been before.
