A 30-day Northwest road trip for two people for a daily average cost $150.00? Is it possible? Well, we're going to try and, if you like, we'll let you know how it works out. Here's our plan for our husband/wife team:

Drive L.A. - Vegas - St. George, - Park City, - Hood River, Sequim, Portland, Ashland, Mendocino, Sacramento - Mammoth - L.A.

Play golf at least 5 times (public courses)

Rent bikes at least 5 times

Hike cool places at least 12 times

Spend $25.00 a day for food by combining prudently priced (and healthy) restaurant meals with self-cooked meals.

Stay 12 nights with an interesting amalgam of friends, family and travel organization members (like Couchsurfer or Servas).

Stay 18 nights (in 2 to 4 night increments) in rental condos or cabins at highly negotiated rates. Current research for Park City and Sequim show that in November 2008 we can anticipate self-negotiated 1 bedroom units w/kitchens for $59.00 to $79.00. November and the economy seem to mean lots of vacancies for rental condo owners.

As in previous travel we will keep good expense records in order to compare our $106 per day for 2 months in Buenos Aires (’07) and our $130 per day for 1 month in San Miguel, Mexico in early 08.

Wish us luck!

Ciao - MBN

Posted By Mary Beth Nelson on October 2, 2008, 11:56 PM

We like to stay at hotels that offer a kitchenette and outdoor grills. We bring food from home and cook it ourselves. Local restuarants may lose some of our dollars but, we still get to travel and sight see.

Posted By steve d on October 3, 2008, 8:03 AM

Mary Beth,
Good luck!! Your trip sounds like it'll be fantastic!

Posted By Blog Editor on October 3, 2008, 9:35 AM

Goodness, I didn't realize people were allowed to copy and paste ad copy into the comments here. How did an infomercial on Deland, Florida make it past the gatekeepers?

In any case, I save money by choosing destinations where I don't need to rent a car: Miami and Washington D.C. were two recent examples.

Also, become an expert on Priceline. Sites like betterbidding.com can help you bullseye your bids.

Posted By Victor on October 3, 2008, 4:31 PM

Here's a variety of the tips I use to try to keep our (family-of-four) travel costs down:
1. Search for airfares well before you want to travel (i.e. 6+ months) and watch the fares regularly. Fares on the same route change over time. The trick is to buy your seats at or near the low point. Tools like www.farecast.com can help with this.
2. Book hotels with breakfast included. It's amazing how long a kid can go with a good breakfast. Reduces total food costs.
3. Travel to places off-season: e.g. a ski resort in the summer (you can hike and bike), or the caribbean in the mid summer when it's hot. I've done both of these. Yes, it's risky, but the deals on flights and accommodation are usually excellent.

I've got more tips here.

Posted By wandermom on October 3, 2008, 9:10 PM

Here's 10 tips I just thought of:

1. I collect lots of Starwood points by opening and using my Starwood Amex credit card for both business and personal purchases. I keep track of all bonuses offered and every other way to earn extra points (like applying for a credit card for my husband, then merging the accounts after getting the bonus). I reserve the Sheraton brand hotels for the cash & points awards, which allow you to pay $45 or $60 a night along with a minimum of points, like 3,000. I stayed in nice hotels in four countries in Europe this way, and often got upgrades. I don't care if the hotels are a bit out of the center of things (mostly they're not) if the transportation in to the city is less than half an hour. Usually these are cheaper anyway.

2. I eat two meals a day when traveling. We make coffee in the room or tea (I bring my own tea bags, just in case) and we get a bagel or croissant in the morning, and then stop for a lunch that costs around $20 for two--usually a salad or sandwich. In Europe, I bring the UV light rod that kills bacteria (from a camping store) to treat water in different countries, and then we just bring our own bottles of water everywhere. If a hotel has an ice machine, I make iced tea in the room with my tea bags. For dinner we find somewhere cheap by looking on various websites or by bringing stuff into the room.

3. If we don't have our car, we always use public transportation, rarely taxis unless it is late at night.

4. We check if the museums have a free day--very often they do.

5. Occasionally, if the airport is not far from the city, we will stay there for the cheap rates and choose the ones with a free shuttle.

5. On Crete, we stayed in a fabulous little village on the hidden east coast area in a lovely small resort. We went at the end of the season and paid $400 for a week by buying it on the website www.skyauction.com and making sure it would be suitable by checking reviews, etc.

6. My daughter has used www.couchsurfing.com to connect with a number of places to stay for free. This tends to be something that young people would be more comfortable with!

7. There are also internet boards in Europe that offer rides to different cities for just the cost of sharing gas. My daughter also met some new friends this way and did not have to pay for more expensive train tickets.

8. One way I collect airline points is by eating out in mostly just restaurants from the Rewards Network. Most airlines participate in this. It is easy to do since I live in a big city where there are many choices, but, also, while on the road in the US, I find out which ones are participating and eat there to collect the points and I always sign up for all the bonuses.

9. Sometimes, while visiting a city in the US, I will look on Restaurant.com and buy a certificate, but only if I have a 60% off coupon, which I get in my email pretty regularly when I signed up with them.

10. Or, I will look for a 1000 point reservation on www.opentable.com. After 5000 points, you get a $50 gift certificate, so they are easy to accumulate.

Posted By Lisa Siverman on October 4, 2008, 12:36 AM

I am a single female- 37 years old. And end up traveling alone. To save money I book a hostel or overnight train.The cost of a couchette with a train pass is @30 at most vs hotels $65-100. There are some very nice hostels in Europe that are the same as a budget hotel, clean, safe and accept any age. They have lockers, free internet service, tour information and laundrymat. I search and book on www.hostelworld.com or www.hostels.com And often they have private single rooms if you prefer not to share a dorm. Read the other traveler's reviews and you can see if the photos-description match the real hostel. Since I spend the day sightseeing and walk a lot I splurge on lunch at a restaurant and retire to my room andgrab a quick bite for dinner. I find it is not cheaper to "picnic" and buy food at a market for 1 person. It is cheaper to go to a restaurant. I check out free museum days, or cheaper late entries. Combo cards that seem expensive for metro/museums end up saving you money. When I was in Amsterdam in 2004 I purchased the I-Amsterdam card valid for 3 days. It included trams, most of the sights and museums, canal cruise,etc. When I totaled the cost of the card @$50 euros vs the cost of the sights I would have spend well over $120 without the card. Also the campania arte card in Naples-southern italy for the metro and pompeii and other sites is a cost saver. I also save money by cutting my vacations short a few days and condense my sightseeing. It seems faster paced but cutting one day or more could mean I saved $100 or more per day. Good planning is a timesaver. I also save on toiletries by stocking up at home throughout the year-I have a running stock of free samples and travel size products. I search free sample websites for free items and my local dollar store has some great name brand items on travel goods,etc. I found a name brand mp3 case for $1, travel towels, ziploc bags and space saver bags(they run from $10 to $19) all for $1. The inventory changes so I stop by every 1-2 weeks and stock up when I see something I may need.

Posted By Melissa Woods on October 4, 2008, 10:20 AM

To find a cheap travel the first thing you have to do, is to find a cheap flight ticket, hotel etc.
A new and cutting edge technology has emerged on the web that saves the consumer time and money when booking flight tickets, hotels etc. We are talking about meta-search engines that scan the web across hundreds of travel websites simultaneously to within seconds give an overview of the cheapest flights. This means that hours of searching can be replaced with one search on one site with an even better result!
What the meta-search engines do is a mash up of the best offers on the web, which they have found and systemized. The principle is the same as the one behind Google’s search engine and just like Google these new flight search engines’ popularity grow by the minute worldwide.
My favorite websites: Momondo, Mobissimo, Kayak. These are not travel agencies and they don’t sell tickets, but show you where to buy at the best prices and link you to the supplier - free of charge.
Note: Remember to search several of these search engines to make sure that you find the best fare!

Posted By Morten Andersen on October 6, 2008, 9:15 AM

$150 a day???? Wow, I don't even spend that much in Paris in a day - with hotel, food and transportation. If I stay for a month, and include my airfare from Denver, then I approach the $150 mark. It sounds like a wonderful trip - have fun.

Posted By Pamm on October 6, 2008, 1:11 PM

When traveling in the USA and wanting a great massage..don't use the hotel referrals where they may get a kick back, instead use the website www.amtamassage.org look under the find a massage therapist and put in the area you are looking for...you can choose the type of massage and even see the years of experience the therapist has and many of the therapists will come to you or have offices close by and prices tend to be a little more reasonable....
from Brenda Schuck
2nd VP AMTA Pa Chapter

Posted By Brenda Schuck on October 6, 2008, 1:18 PM

When looking for airline tickets, I check three or four airports to compare fares. Then I look at the cost to drive 100 or 200 miles, maybe spend the night going or coming, parking, etc. to the cost of the ticket from our hometown so I can tell if it would be worth it to travel to another city and fly out of there.

If we find a flight from another city that is the most cost effective, I check parking on the internet to see what the cost will be while we are gone. If the parking fees will be fairly expensive, I check into what a one way car rental will be. We have rented a car going and coming on a trip. Drive to the airport and return the car, go on the trip and upon return get another car and drive home. Sometimes this can be cheaper than driving our car and paying for parking while we are gone.

We also look for motels, hotels, etc. close to airports we fly out of where we can spend the night before we leave or after we get back that will let us leave our car there for the few days or week for free. Many will do that for free and others may charge a minimal parking rate that makes it a lot less expensive to park the car than at airports or commercial parking lots.

I continually search for good deals on airline flights and vacation packages by subscribing to several travel newsletters that are sent by email each month, week or more often. The really good deals are usually picked up by two or more of the newsletters so I don't miss out on a great airline fare or a vacation package.

Posted By Rex on October 6, 2008, 3:15 PM

My husband and I like to find homes to rent during our vacations. They tend to be less expensive than hotels and offer a chance to live like a local. You even save this way by being able to make a meal or two at your home away from home. You save even more if you go in with another couple. We're currently planning a trip with some friends, and with a vacation rental, the cost will turn out to be about $65 a night per couple. To find these place I just google "vacation rental" and the town we're visiting. There are loads of sites to research the best place for you.
House swapping is also the way to go. My husband and I don't live in the most appealing neighborhood in our town, so unfortunately we're not swappers. But we are lucky to be able to tag along with friends who are. A free place to stay -- can't get any cheaper than that!
Camping is another way to save. My husband and I have made trips to Santa Barbara where we have camped at nearby El Capitan. We explore the town or the nearby wine region by day, and head back to the campsite for the evening. We get two travel experiences in one trip.
I also subscribe to buying souvenirs at local grocery stores, esp. when the local items are food-related, like spices from Louisiana, or syrups from the northeast.

Posted By amy on October 6, 2008, 4:12 PM

Own a Prius - A comfy inflatable air mattress fits nicely in the back after the seat is folded down. You can leave the engine on all night for heat or cooling, but the engine turns off and on automatically, running only when the battery needs recharging which is rarely. And there is plenty of power for a laptop or anything else electrical.

Posted By Sherry on October 6, 2008, 6:56 PM

We were in Venice, Italy this summer and hated to pay at least thirty euros for a bellini at Harry's Bar where they were invented. So we bought two cold bottles of Bellini at a convenience store and sat on the curb outside of Harry's and had just as much fun!

Posted By linda vitale on October 6, 2008, 7:41 PM

Invest time before you go researching your destination. A well planned day saves you time, effort, and unexpected expenses (e.g., taxi ride across town to the Louvre before it closes). Consider buying day passes in big cities for museums and attractions - Paris Museum Pass, iAmsterdam, etc. If you're doing heavy duty sightseeing, they usually save you money (and get you clean bathroom visits). Read blogs, boards, and the like to get hints on cheap/free things to do, cheap modes of transport, etc. Look for off-the-beaten track activities that usually don't cost much, if anything. For example, I attended a great organ concert in Westminster Abbey for about 5 pounds, and it was performed by the current organist for the church - amazing!!

Posted By Cara on October 6, 2008, 11:29 PM

I'm writing to make you aware of the leader in "Fair airfare," Lessno.com. The company leverages the advanced technology of EZ search to bring lowest possible air fare prices to its site. The patented search technology of EZ search makes finding these airfares fast and simple and saves our customers time and money.

Recently, the company announced a petition to members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives encouraging transparency in advertised airfare pricing. The goal of the petition is to change the laws in the U.S. so that airfares advertised include all pricing and fees.

If you are fed up with hidden travel fees, then we hope you will support Lessno.com.

Thank you,
Staci

Posted By Staci Bender on October 7, 2008, 1:35 PM

I find www.mobissimo.com gives a bigger choice, more information, and better prices than lessno.com.

for hotels in Germany, try the hotel finder on the BAHN.DE site. it is oriented toward the train traveler

Posted By omar on October 8, 2008, 12:51 PM

Easy! Travel in the off season!

Posted By Jessica on October 9, 2008, 11:04 AM

Couchsurfing.com - stay for free, and meet great locals.

Check out the weekly local newspapers (like Red Eye or the Reader in Chicago, the Stranger in Seattle, etc, Time Out Magazine, and websites like going.com and yelp.com (or just hit google) for free events and happy hour deals. This month alone I am attending two free wine tastings, a free cocktail and appetizer party, a food shop trunk show with tons of free food, (at which I won a free cooking class)a free yoga class, a free art show, complimentary cocktail hour, and a chocolate shop party that included tons of free sweets and champagne.

Bring nuts and granola bars from home for a free light lunch or snack on the go.

For travel on the east coast and midwest, check Megabus - by booking far advance I have gotten 2 round trip tickets for 50 cents once, and for $1 another time.

Sign up for every travel alert you can - with sites like Travelzoo and with individual airlines. Spirit Airlines always has last minute deals for mid-week travel. Last week I could have (if I had any time off letf!) bought two round trip tickets from Chicago to Fort Lauderdale for mid-week in November for under $100 with taxes!

In Chicago seek out BYO restaurants where you can bring your own bottle of wine to enjoy with dinner for no fee, or a small corkage fee of around $2. Eat at a low priced restuarant and share an appetizer and entree, and you could have a great meal for under $20. Or stay in an apartment and cook your own food.

Don't discount hostels because you don't want to stay in a dorm- many have private rooms with en-suite bathrooms.

Posted By Katie on October 9, 2008, 12:33 PM

You're not going to believe this, but I'm leaving in 5 days for Antarctica which will be my 6th continent for free in the past year and a half. All expense paid travel each time, this one is going to be a 3 week cruise on National Geographic Endeavor.

I do it by winning online video contests, and there's a lot more fun detail. In fact, I think I could probably write a whole article about it if you like, or talk to someone and do a full length interview. To see a full listing of all the contests I've won, click the "contests" tab on my website. Some are for money, but most are for travel and travel related stuff. Happy to answer questions anytime, just get in touch by email.

Posted By Joel Levinson on October 9, 2008, 12:34 PM

If you visit Scotland and want to see some castles, it is worth getting a Historic Scotland "Explorer Pass".

You can get a ticket for different durations of stay that allow you to visit attractions on a certain number of days for any given period. It sounds complicated but their website explains the system:
www.historicscotland.gov.uk/index/places/explorer.htm.

A 5 day Adult ticket would cost £20, but you only need to visit Edinburgh castle and Stirling castle and you would have recouped the cost of the ticket.

A lot of the Historic Scotland properties are ruins and, though interesting to visit, you would probably feel a bit over charged for some of them. Hence it is good to have an Explorer Pass which lets you feel that any properties after Edinburgh & Stirling Castle are effectively free.

I hope that helps someone!

Mike

Posted By Secret Scotland Tours on October 9, 2008, 1:00 PM

For a recent road trip, my husband and I brought our bikes and booked hotels within riding distance (1-2 miles) of the hot spots - for us, several microbreweries in lower Michigan. No taxi fares, long walks back to the hotel, or - perish the thought - DUIs for us! Whether we stayed at a motel (first floor room, please), or nicer hotel, we just rolled our bikes right past the front desk and into our hotel room.

Posted By Lou Ann on October 9, 2008, 1:01 PM

The web sites that book you a non-cancelable hotel room and immediately charge your credit card prior to even telling you the name of the hotel can SAVE YOU A FORTUNE!!! These sites include PRICELINE and HOTWIRE. It takes a leap of faith to do this and the uncertainty is intimidating at first, but if you can conquer the fear the savings are nothing short of amazing. There are also sites that help you determine which hotel you will get in advance. There is a definite learning curve but if you are a real deal-seeker it's all well-worth the effort required, and like everything else it's much easier as you gain experience.

Posted By Bob on October 9, 2008, 1:13 PM

When I was in Venice last year, I stayed in an off the beaten path bed and breakfast. My first savings was the off season rate. My second savings was the breakfast provided with the room, and my third savings was the extra couple of croissants and wedges of delicious cheese that left the breakfast room with me to become a picnic lunch as I wandered about sightseeing. I stocked my in-room refrigerator with groceries from the local market, providing inexpensive options for dinner as well, either eaten in my room looking out over the canal, or sitting on a bench by the water, watching the gondolas and the sunset.

Posted By hoboannie on October 9, 2008, 1:20 PM

How about setting up a blog to see how many travelers are canceling or modifying their travel plans because of the economy? I for one am very curious to see how many of my fellow travelers are feeling the pinch.
Thanks

Posted By Bob Perry on October 9, 2008, 1:22 PM

My boyfriend and I decided to visit Berlin a week from departure NJ end of Aug. Knowing the weak dollar, we were looking for a low cost and comfortable place to stay. We found an apartment in Berlin surprisingly clean, comfortable, safe and cheap. For 65 Euro per night, we got a big living room, bedroom, bath and full kitchen. Extra 25 Euro per staying for cleaning fees. We highly recommended it. We even took some pictures of this apartment(unfortunately we can't upload them). The down side is we had to walk 4 blocks to the train station then transfer once to the city center. If you book earlier, you might get one in the city center. Here is the website: www.oh-holidays.com. Check it out. You will be surprised.
Keep traveling

Posted By Jackie Miao on October 9, 2008, 1:24 PM

Oct. along the Rhine- Rudesheim, Germany 3 bottles of wine $10 US. This really good wine!
Vienna, Austria take the underground (U) and buy the senior ticket (for us silver travelers)
Save time and money in Germany and Austria go to a butcher's shop and get a sandwich. The bread is good and fresh. You pick out the lunchmeat and the amount. This is great when you are in a crowded tourist area such as Rothenburg and have limited time and euros.

Posted By Mindy on October 9, 2008, 1:39 PM

I just came back from Italy- where the exchange rate for the dollar was SO bad that I got 330 Euros for $600, basically doubling all the prices! And then our bank in the USA collapsed, locking my ATM card! The best tip I can give is to change money at a bank- NOT in the airport or train station where the rates are much lower- and TELL them, as I had to do, that your bank has collapsed, locking your ATM card, and this $50 is all you have left... I had to do just that, and was given a Much better exchange rate than the one posted: 30 Euros instead of 20 for my last $50. This enabled me to get to the airport and eat, too!
My other tip is a GREAT budget Pensione in Siena: Tre Donzelle, Via delle Donzelle 5, Tel: 0577.280358, right in the historic center just a block from the central Piazza della Campo! (The Tourist Office on Piazza della Campo was VERY helpful). The rate for a single (I had a double bed) was only 38 Euro/night! My top-floor room was spartan but clean, & I had the classic Tuscan window view of yellow ocher-washed walls, ancient brick & stone, green shutters and terra cotta roof tiles! The toilet/shower down the hall was spotlessly clean, and the staff was charming and helpful. And the lovely Tuscan restaurant one building over will give you a discount if they know you are staying at the Tre Donzelle.

Posted By Elisse on October 9, 2008, 1:42 PM

Since groceries are so much higher priced in the BVI, for bareboat charters my husband & I pack our clothes together in one carryon suitcase, and take a rolling cooler as our other carryon suitcase. In the cooler bag, we fill it with packages of tuna, peanut butter, cereal bars, canned potato chips, etc., so we have very few things to buy when we get down there. Plus, then we have a cooler to take ashore with our own food and drinks when we make a beach trip! (We also make pitchers of our favorite adult beverages on board as well, and put them in empty water bottles, rather than paying $5-6 per drink ashore!)

Posted By Julie on October 9, 2008, 1:42 PM

I travel alot, so turn the iron on and lean it against the wall and heat up last nights pizza, fit's perfectly....still hungry don't forget you can make soup, rice etc in the coffee pot, the possibilities are endless.....more on the coffee pot, butter your bagel or can do dry and put on the burner and weight it down with the pot with water in it make sure the bottom is dry....when traveling by car, stop at welcome centers to get the hotel coupon book and save quite a bit on your room...happy traveling to ya'

Posted By Stephanie on October 9, 2008, 1:59 PM

I hate to say it, but if you have the time, do the time share presentations. We took a trip to Puerto Vallarta as a "bonus vacation" from a time share presentation in Florida. We got 3 nights hotel free (though we stayed in Yelapa another 5 nights); we did a time share the next morning and got free breakfast, plus 2 free tickets to a full-day excursion at Las Caletas ($89/each). Then, walking through the lobby of the hotel, we were asked if we wanted to do another time share presentation the next morning, in which they were giving us 1,500 pesos in return. We agreed, as it was in another area we'd not seen (Playa Destiladeras - the northern side of the Bay). We were driven up there and back, again had a large, delicious breakfast, (again, endured the time share) and then were invited to stay at the resort for the remainder of the afternoon. The place was beautiful, quiet, and the beach was empty! We were served food & drinks on the beach and enjoyed our "payment" for the sales pitch! All in all, a great "free" way to spend a day at a much nicer place than we were staying in PV!!

Posted By Julie on October 9, 2008, 2:07 PM

My family (me, wife, two kids, 15 and 12) went to Italy (Rome, Florence, Venice) from the SF Bay Area for two weeks right after Christmas last year and spent under $10,000, total, for everything, airfare, food, lodging, museums, souvenirs, trains between cities the works.

Shopping the airfare is obvious. Buy early, and keep an eye out for possible changes.

But there are two main keys to saving money, and I'm talking thousands...lodging and food.

Number one, is: Stay in an apartment. Even if traveling alone, or as a couple, it's simply much, much cheaper and a much better value than any hotel or B & B you're going to find in Italy. I looked. For many, many hours. It's no contest. For a family possibly needing two hotel rooms the savings increases by an order of magnitude.

It's very easy to do. Just Google "Apartments in _____(name of City) and you'll get dozens of sites and several hundred listings. The earlier you do this before your trip, the better your selection is going to be. You can find reasonable apartment accommodations on the same block as 4 and 5 star hotels for 20% of the price, or less. I'll never stay in a hotel in Europe again for any reason. It simply isn't necessary.

Second is food. Live like a European. Shop at the market, and do your own cooking in your apartment. Most apartments come stocked with staples so you can get through the first couple of days without buying hardly ANY food. Save the restaurants for a splurge...you'll appreciate them all the more! When on the go in Italy, grab street food, pizza, sandwiches, etc...as long as you DON'T SIT DOWN in the place you buy them, you'll save a ton. And once more, when you DO sit down for that nice restaurant meal (which we did once per city) you'll appreciate it completely!

Despite the fact that we walked everywhere within the cities, I still GAINED weight on my Italy trip, I ate so well! Didn't feel like I scrimped at all.

Hope this helps.

Posted By Mike on October 9, 2008, 2:44 PM

Most people know you can save money when traveling by auto if you bring a cooler. Be creative, and never buy any ice. Stock it from home at first, then motels as you travel. Even nature provides ice. I've used snow, glaciers, and even hail to fill my cooler, all during July. Having a cool soft drink as you drive, or adult drink at the end of the day is wonderful.

Posted By Michael on October 9, 2008, 2:59 PM

If you travel with family, look into cabins at state parks or RVs at travel parks. Some RV parks have onsite trailers to rent by the night or week. Some even have separate bedrooms and you can cook and snack out your own kitchen. Cheap or free entertainment at parks can include canoes, horseback riding, put-put golf, and movies.
Also, eat out lunch at when you can ofter get the same food at much lower prices. If you have a nice lunch, you can have fruit, crackers, and cheeses for your evening meal.

Posted By Char on October 9, 2008, 3:16 PM

I've used www.vrbo.com to find affordable, especially in offseason, lodging. I've rented a studio in Edisto Beach SC, for example, for $175//week in winter.

Posted By Jane B. on October 9, 2008, 3:49 PM

From the airport in Toronto Canada, you can travel to any place on the subway line for the price of one token. You take a bus from the airport that connects to the subway. The taxi fare is around 50.00dollars. The subway token is under 3.00dollars and less if you are a senior. The subway takes you downtown , to the railroad station and many other locations.

Posted By penny n. on October 9, 2008, 4:22 PM

Alot of great suggestions so far...some kind of strange though!

VRBO.com is great for finding inexpensive places to stay, gotta love Priceline too!

I've also done the timeshare presentation in exchange for a cheap stay. It can be annoying but worth it to sit through a presentation.

Hostels are great as well and last minute travel deals are also great ways to find a good bargain.

Posted By Sarah on October 9, 2008, 4:55 PM

When cruising on Carnival, don't waste your money on a $48.00 adult soda card. Carnival allows you to bring a reasonable amount of bottled water and soft beverages onboard. Carnival also offers free juice (unsweetened iced tea, lemonade, fruit punch and filtered water) 24 hours a day in the buffet area. So bring a large insulated cup with a top for free drinks.

Posted By Kenneth on October 9, 2008, 5:43 PM

When attempting to find the lowest hotel prices online, get a price from the major online travel agencies and then call the hotel directly and inquire about the price. Most often they will honor the online site prices, except for the auction or bidding sites (Priceline, Hotwire, etc.. Being a member of AAA, CAA, AARP or having a coupon from the Entertainment Value Book helps also.

Posted By Kenneth on October 9, 2008, 5:46 PM

I'm wondering how Americans traveling in France deal with some banking (and other) changes there. For years I've traveled with cash (US$)in a money belt and change them for euros in France. The easiest place to change cash is in post offices. Last month (Sept.) I was running low on cash the last couple of days and tried using each of my credit cards in banks and post offices, to no avail-including my Bank of America Visa card. Credit cards in France now have a kind of logo on them called a "puce" (spelling?) and without it you're out of luck anywhere including an ATM. My credit cards always worked for purchases, restaurants and hotels,though.
I always carry a few checks from my US bank which is a real long shot but I have French friends who used to be able to help me out on occasion. No longer. Paper checks don't exist any more in France. I was there one year ago and cash was much easier to find. Short of opening a bank account or carrying gobs of cash, what do all the tourists there do? Years ago, I might add, when travelers cheques were common, I had problems cashing those in France, too.

This year, for example, I traveled in New Zealand, Australia and other countries and had no trouble at all changing US$.

Another problem in France was making phone calls. I have land lines and/or cell phones but not in France and I buy phone cards in the countries where I need them. This year in France I had problems. I went back to the post office where I bought the card. It turns out there were two errors in the instructions for using the card which surprised me. Correct verbal instructions were given me which did work. Almost all the coin phones have been phased out.
Another difficulty is that I don't travel with anything that would enable me to send an internet message. In some countries, though, computers are everywhere and shops are open at all hours. In France, shops are closed Monday mornings, close from 12-2 on work days, open later and close earlier than in the US. (Here I'm speaking about smallish towns and villages.)
I love traveling in France, but wonder how others
have resolved these difficulties.

Posted By Carolyn on October 9, 2008, 5:59 PM

Whenever I am going somewhere, I always do research first on the internet. I do not like to travel on a strict itinerary, but I try to think of a few places I know I'll want to go to, and how I'm going to travel to those places. By having this planned out ahead of time, I can research the cheapest way to do everything. For example, when I was in Boston a couple of years ago, I saved a lot by discovering that if I purchased the weekly subway pass for locals instead of the visitor pass I could save a lot of money. Also, I discovered that most of the museums/attractions I wanted to go to were offered together in a discount package that saved me a ton too. If you do a little research you can find the less known deals, and then you won't be surprised when you get there too!

Posted By Taylor on October 9, 2008, 6:13 PM

When traveling in Europe always remember to bring along a "Swiss Army" type knife in your checked luggage along with a collapsable cooler.

We shop at the bakeries and conditories in the morning to get fresh rolls, pretzels, cakes, cold cuts, cheeses and drinks to carry us thru the day. The cost to have lunch this way is minimal and encourages having a "picnic" at a scenic vista.

We have enjoyed such leisurely lunches along the banks of the Rhine, The Neckar and often on ridges of mountain peaks.

Europeans highly value the ambiance of a meal and having such "picnics" helps you to remember to slow down and enjoy where you are.

Posted By hb on October 9, 2008, 6:43 PM

When you plan a vacation in the US, buy a Entertainment Book for the area or city you will be visiting. You will find two for one discount coupons on dining and percentage discounts on activities and services. When you are done with your vacation you can make someone's day by passing on the book to them so they can enjoy the discounts that you didn't use.

Posted By Mario San Diego on October 10, 2008, 12:33 AM

A few tips for traveling in Orlando - first, if you are not renting a car and you can get accommodations with a microwave, either stop by your local grocery store before you go and buy prepared, packaged foods from the counter (fresher and better than frozen foods) - we get meatloaf, baked mac & cheese, pasta with chicken, etc. Then freeze them and pack in a cooler that you either check or carry on. Keep them in the cooler refilling ice from icemaker in the hotel (or the refrigerator, if you have a kitchen). These make great meals when you are too tired to cook or go out. If you have a car, bring or buy (styrofoam) a large cooler and stock up at the local grocery with milk, cereal, bagels, cream cheese, lunch meats, disposable utensils, etc. (or if you don't have a car but will splurge a bit for a car service from the airport rather than a taxi, they will stop at a Publix for this purpose and you will more than make up the difference). If possible, do not stay on the Disney property. We saved a lot of money by stopping at a local strip mall on our way home from the parks and getting take out from local restaurants (Mexican, pizza, pasta, etc.) to eat back in our room rather than being stuck on the property with overpriced restaurants.

Posted By Jennifer on October 10, 2008, 10:30 AM

Subsribe to every airline's and cruise line's hot fare announcements. Also, join every travel website you can find. It only takes minutes to scan the good fares.

I flew round trip from FL to NY for $39 and I will be flying from FL to Vegas for $59 for two! My friend took a two week European cruise for $799!

Act quickly! They go fast.

Posted By Dottie Landau on October 10, 2008, 10:54 AM

A great way to save money on food is to check out their happy hour menu. Sometimes they'll offer a smaller portion of their specialty dishes for a fraction of the cost. You might have to eat a little earlier (around 4pm-7pm) and at the bar, but more opportunities to mingle with locals.

Do a search online for the city's best happy hours!

Posted By Angelina on October 10, 2008, 11:47 AM

If you like to have a cocktail or two on a long flight, buy a couple of "airplane" size bottles of your beverage of choice at your local liquor store to take with you (remember, they'll have to fit in your quart-size ziplock bag). When you're done, keep the empty bottles and take them back home and refill with your own stash on all future trips.

Posted By Dave on October 10, 2008, 4:06 PM

We planned for many months to take a self-guided trip to Greece, selecting our itinerary and routes, but it wasn't until the last minute that we thought about the fees we'd be charged for using our ATM cards to get cash.

I was amazed to find that my traditional bank charged a hefty fee for each ATM transaction, plus a percentage of the amount withdrawn. A quick call to the local credit union branch & I was sold: they charged a $1 international transaction fee and NO percentage.

We saved a great deal of cash by quickly opening a free account, and were very grateful that the credit union officer expidited our new cards- again without a fee- so we could try them out in advance of our departure.

We did take advantage of ordering some Euros from our traditional bank so that we'd have pocket money when we landed in Greece- a bit of a fee, but worth the comfort factor of knowing we'd have money for our first meal & the train ticket into Athens. Turned out to be a good thing- the exchange desk was closed when we arrived.

Our other money saving discovery was comparing the rental car insurance coverage of our various cards in advance- that was a great exercise! All of our credit cards would have been accepted for payment, and we had used them in the States for good rental car coverage. However, a good conversation with the 800 number reps for one of our cards revealed that renting a car in Greece was completely excluded by name from the list of countries where we had coverage! But another one of our credit card companies explained that our ten day rental would be covered fully, and additionally they provided a toll free international call line for any emergencies or questions while there.

Happy to say our driving was problem free, but simply comparing the features of our cards in advance was one of the potentially best budget-saving discoveries of our trip!

Posted By Wendy Antonio on October 10, 2008, 6:25 PM

In London, the cheapest way to travel on the bus and tube is to obtain an Oyster card. It offers such a big discount, that even the multi-day pass cards can't beat it in most cases. It does require a deposit, but travelling even 1 day is worth it. Plus it makes you look more like a local!

Posted By Dusty Smith on October 11, 2008, 1:10 AM

First of all, look at charter flights. I can find non-stop flights for half price. Check surrounding airports also. Sometimes a little more drive might be worth the savings. Secondly, look for local hotels, not all inclusive, but perfectly adequate! We also rent condos from either VRBO.com or Homeaway.com. More space and often can locate a block or less from the beach! Thismight require a bit of investigation, but, it CAN be fun!

Posted By Georgia on October 11, 2008, 1:50 AM

I always take a cooler with us. If we are traveling by air and renting a car I buy a cheap cooler. It is much cheaper to buy soda, water and juice at a grocery store

and you have them when you want.

We often visit reccommended restaurants for lunch rather than dinner. The prices are less and the portions smaller which suits us just fine. We have enough difficulty sleeping without a huge, late evening meal! Also the view from some resturants is much better during daylignt hours. If we are not very hungry dinner might be microwave popcorn, cheese and crackers, or a deli sandwich or a yummy dessert,

Posted By nancy Wendt on October 11, 2008, 12:14 PM

Travel in January is a great time to travel. People are tired from Decembers holiday activities, so in January, hotels prices are lower and few tourists. I have been to San Francisco and Washington DC in January. It was a joy not to have to wait in long lines.

Posted By Heidi Kaufman on October 12, 2008, 10:13 AM

If going out of America, particularly to developing countries, buy a Lonely Planet, but use it as a guide, not a bible. For example, I like to go to an area that includes many hostels suggested by LP, but look for one not mentioned. They tend to be less expensive and just as good with a little searching. Also, read any sections they have about avoiding scams. In developing nations, consider volunteer opportunities. A week or two volunteering in the jungle can be every bit as fun as lounging in your hammock, and a fraction of the price. (Ecuador has several programs for less than $320 per month, including food and housing, that involve only about 4 hours of "work" a day, such as counting butterflies or doing gardening) Learn to say "no thank you" in the local language and use it firmly with sellers on the street. If you must eat in a heavily touristed area, ask for free stuff (drinks, deserts), and they'll probably give you some (it helps if you phrase it like "does this include a free...?). If you're not the haggling type, at least ask the price from two different sources (even within the same shop).
If you're planning a trip to Peru, Mexico, Korea, or Southeast Asia, leave me a comment at
www.zepher.shutterfly.com
and I can be a lot more specific with advice.

Posted By Zepher Potrafka on October 12, 2008, 10:54 AM

My blog, Less Than a Shoestring, has hundreds of posts on trimming the fat from your vacation budget without sacrificing the experience.

In order to get the most bang for your buck, it helps to look at each significant area of expenditure on a trip:

Plane Tickets
+ Join the e-mailing list (and frequent flier club, even if you collect all of your miles in another partner airline) of every airline you might be flying to get the latest news and offers delivered right to your e-mailbox.
+ Keep an eye on these offers to know about how much you should be paying for a ticket, and to recognize a good sale when you see one.
+ You can also subscribe to fare watchers on certain routes from the major meta search engines, which send you emails when your routes of interest drop below a certain price.
+ The more flexible you can be (days of the week, hours of the flights, layovers, airlines and even airports), the more likely you will find a "cheap" ticket.
+ To avoid baggage fees, hassle and theft, learn to travel with just a carry-on suitcase.

Accommodation
+ Save 100% of your accommodation budget by joining and using programs like Servas, Hospitality Club, or Couch Surfers (another great way to meet travelers even when you're stuck at home!).
+ Paid shared accommodation such as hostels or university dorms in summer are the next cheapest option. Another cheap option is camping.
+ Next cheapest are monasteries, B&Bs, or older hotels with separate WC/bath.
+ At this tipping point (as others have noted), you will get more for your money renting an apartment (or finding an aparthotel) than staying in a cheap hotel or motel. The quality is usually better, you get far more space, and the built-in kitchen, laundry and computer facilities save you money in other spending areas.

Ground Transportation
+ The truly broke walk everywhere. Wear comfortable shoes!
+ Take the bus: purchasing a day-/week-pass on local transportation is cheap and gives your feet a rest.
+ Renting a bicycle is another good, frugal option.
+ For overland journeys, watch the website of national train companies or international bus lines for advertised sales and known discounts (seniors, students, etc.).
+ Low-cost airlines can be a cheaper alternative to long or expensive overland journeys -- but pay attention to extra fees and additional transportation costs to/from airports.

Food and Drink
+ As others have noted, to really save money, bring and make your own!
+ When you're hungry or thirsty, seek out a grocery store for regular-priced snacks and drinks. Markets are great for a couple pieces of fruit or some deli items to spice up a picnic lunch.
+ Travel with a reusable water bottle and small thermos.
+ Drink what the locals drink: beer in Bavaria, wine in Rome. It's cheaper and tastier.

Entertainment
+ Read the local newspaper's online edition to know what events are on (and free) while you're visiting. Also check the tourism bureau's website.
+ Always research which day of the week/month is the museum's free day and plan accordingly.
+ Attend the matinee performance on discount day at the theater or the movies.
+ Enjoy parks, hiking trails and other natural areas -- they're almost always free.

General Travel Stuff
+ Taking cash out of the ATM is the cheapest way to "exchange" money these days. Find out what your bank charges per transaction and your daily and weekly withdrawal limits and extract accordingly. Same goes for credit card transactions. If it seems expensive, then do as the wise reader above does and shop around!
+ Always buy and use a budget-oriented guidebook when traveling and planning. I'm partial to the Lonely Planet series myself. These will save you every penny you ever spend on them, while providing you with free maps, walking tours, historical information, valuable opinions on restaurants, lodgings, museums and tourist traps. Get many titles at incredibly low prices at overstock.com.
+ Please buy travel *medical* insurance. Outside of the U.S. and Canada, 100% coverage is very affordable. If, God forbid, something were to happen while you were traveling, it would be the best money you'd spent on your trip.

Posted By poetloverrebelspy on October 13, 2008, 9:07 AM

Disney Hotels for Less. You can get great deals on stays on Disney property by renting Disney Vacation Club points from owners. You can save a bundle (at least half, if you do your homework) on great rooms and suites at a number of different resorts. There are a number of message boards where DVC owners post points or actual stays available for rent. Because DVC is a timeshare, renters don't get daily maid service, but all other usual hotel services are included. One bedroom and larger suites include full kitchens, which can also be a great money saver. the resorts also have great pools and lots of kids activities which are free or inexpensive.

Posted By Chris on October 13, 2008, 12:04 PM

When traveling by air, I pack small containers of liquid that might leak tightly into a large mouth Rubbermaid 1L drinking bottle for which I also have an insulated carrier. After removing contents, that water bottle becomes my daily beverage container. I request a fill up with ice each morning at the hotel restaurant, and add either water or tea or juice which last for the entire day. I also carry or purchase fruit and cheese and trail mix which are my lunch. each day. (The cheese can be kept cool in the bottle carrier under the bottle of iced drink). A couple of paper napkins or paper towels, some small plastic baggies and a small sharp knife complete my picnic lunch supplies.

Posted By R. Van Jones on October 13, 2008, 1:33 PM

get a job with an airline. check e-bay for hotel room auctions. that's how i wound up in:
yiwu, china $12 a day executive level room at premier best western.
brno, czech republic $35 a day bw premier
umeo, sweden $35 a day bw premier
these 3 deals included breakfast and were hurricane relief for katrina.
this sat oct 18 $35 downtown marriott hotel philadelphia including breakfast.
the following week $40 a night prague including breakfast.
many more but have to go for now.
always try to travel 1st or business. some free, some small charges. join me in the best job in the world! airline work! 52 yrs and still loving it!
web

Posted By tom webber on October 13, 2008, 2:23 PM

Route 41...and Other Stories, the book, is a result of many road trips up and down route 41. You can read the book free at www.route41.org. All I ask is that you leave your comments (hopefully, they will be positive!) in the guestbook, as I am trying to get a publisher. The book is the result of numerous trips up and down the route, and what we found was that if you stay off the interstates, your trip may be slower, more interesting, and there are great ways to save money. For example, we bought at farmer's markets, made sandwiches, had picnics along the way, ate at local Mom and Pop restaurants (secret to a good local restaurant-is the parking lot jammed with locals?).

Posted By Lawrence Sarsoun on October 13, 2008, 3:14 PM

Most riverboat cruises charge several dollars for a soft drink onboard. If your itinerary stops in Budapest, look for the gallery market on the Pest side of the Rhine by the Freedom Bridge. This place is gorgeous with almost too beautiful to be real fruits and vegetables for sale. Wonderful displays of meats and bakery items are in booths on the first floor. So many varieties of paprika! Upstairs are handmade items and great views of this wonderful Victorian iron lattice architecture. Cokes-get them downstairs in the basement (where canal boats brought produce in years ago) grocery store at a great price. The bargain - cheaper soft drinks and a rich visual experience.

Posted By meagain on October 13, 2008, 3:31 PM

I highly endorse off-season, mid-week traveling. I've always planned my trips during these times and have yet to be disappointed. Seriously, prices are too good to pass up. I once paid $250 RT from NYC to London during December. It was actually warmer in London than it was in New York.

Supermarkets: great for food and souvenirs. I've taken to packing plastic forks & spoons for yogurts, ice cream, cakes etc.

Street food rules! It's local cuisine, food of the people, and often delicious and inexpensive. Just look for the lines of people, because if it's bad food or questionable, people will not be lining up to get more.

Look for city tourism passes. If you're a museum fan, they practically pay for themselves after about 2 museum visit. And most times, there are bonuses. I once bought the Paris City pass and went to almost all everything listed like the Rodin Museum, Versailles Palace, Musee d'Orsay, but what really made the pass purchase more than worth it was the fact that at Versailles, I was able (because of my pass) to get in almost immediately, skipping the very long line at front entrance. For big cities like London and Paris, a metro/underground pass lets you zip around the city and spares you the wasted time, getting change and figuring out fares.

One of the first things I check when planning a trip is the official tourism website. There's lots of good information.

Rather than sign up for every airlines' and hotels' specials e-mail, I check out travel sites like Travelzoo, Bestfares, etc. It's way better than having my inbox inundated with all those e-mails.

Posted By Lili on October 14, 2008, 5:08 PM

I MUST respond to "Dave," who suggested bringing liquor minis in your TSA ziplock-bag to save money on airline cocktails. Yes, by law you are allowed to carry on your own alcohol. But by LAW you must give it to the flight attendants. Federal law is that you CANNOT serve yourself alcohol on board an aircraft. Imagine what would/could/did happen when people do this....Please, DO NOT FOLLOW THIS 'ADVICE.'

Posted By toni vitanza on October 16, 2008, 7:41 PM

The best tip I could give is: Take snack foods and small boxes of cereal or instant oatmeal. I saved a small fortune on an 18 day trip to Australia. The average price of the meals around the tourist areas was $28 and the cheapest breakfast was $14 even for a continential. Try to have some of your snacks for at least one meal a day and you will save money and calories.

Posted By Linda on October 16, 2008, 8:58 PM

I find staying in vacation rentals to save me time and offer me spaciousness and more amenities. When seeking bargains, I turn to vacation rental sevice providers to see what they have to offer. Many times I will find that vacation rental homes offer better value for my dollar

Posted By TravelingInStilettos on October 17, 2008, 8:32 AM

Another option for low-cost housing is the Affordable Travel Club. It's a hospitality exchange for people over 40; we have hosted and been guests several times both in the US and abroad. The cost is around $20 per night for bed and breakfast - but even better than the low cost are the wonderful people we have met! It sounds a bit like couch-surfing, which has been recommended above, but works better for those of us who prefer a bed to a couch... Here's the website: http://www.affordabletravelclub.net/

Posted By Kathleen on October 21, 2008, 5:08 PM

About three years ago, my Mom & I wanted to get from Paris to London. Although intrigued by the Chunnel, the summer price was $200 per person, and well out of reach. We opted for the bus! $40 per person. Guess what? It went to the bus loading zone for the Chunnel train, and lo & behold, we went through the Chunnel anyway! The checkpoints took some time...the bus ride took some time...but Wow! what a savings.

Posted By auntbets on October 26, 2008, 4:24 PM

When your flight lands at night always arrange for a hotel with free pick up and free breakfast. This saves a lot of time and money even if the hotel is a three star or four star. You can also get a rental car from the hotel or in its area (many of the rental companies are near 'hotel row' and they will deliver). You save the %10 airport tax, long lines, and unused rental time while you sleep.

When returning do the same. It usually cuts off one day of the auto rental fee and the morning rush to your flight. There is less to go wrong and the hotels have buses leaving every twenty minutes.

I try to get a hotel that an airline uses to guarantee service for airport clientele

Pre planning is everything and part of the fun of traveling.

Posted By eric wesserling on October 27, 2008, 1:36 PM

To save time, expense and aggravation, I do lots of research before we travel. I get online and download coupons for local restaurants, attactions, ect. I map out where the visitor's center is and that is the first stop we make when we arrive. I've gotten 2 for 1 steak dinners and 25% off shopping coupons at the outlets by doing this. This allows us to maximize our allotted vacation dollars. A putting together a good plan builds our anticipation and excitement and makes for a smoother trip all together.

We also take snacks from home, refillable water bottles, and picnic supplies. Camping at state parks is also a fabulous way to save money. We meet the most wonderful people in campgrounds! Lots of campgrounds offer opportunities that you can get no where else...like camping on the beach for less than $50 a night; access to beautiful, unspoiled scenery; nature walks; educational lectures for free; free kids activities; bike trails; and the list goes on and on! Priceless memories!

Posted By Karen on October 27, 2008, 11:19 PM

My husband and I are retired, so have the flexibility but not the funds to travel as we'd like. We started house sitting 3 yrs ago, and are now away from home 8 months of the year - paying only our air / train expense. We've spent time in Canada, US, France, Wales, Scotland, Belgium, England, and Portugal with no accommodation cost.

We also use only public transportation or walk, both at home and traveling. We've had time to settle in and get to know a place, visit nearby towns, and make some great friends along the way.

Happy Travels to all.

Posted By Gypsy Grandmum on October 30, 2008, 4:00 PM

track fares for flights, cruises and hotels way ahead of time then you can clench them when the time is right. If the price is close, book through the primary company instead of a booking engine or 3rd party. When traveling abroad, show up to the hotel w/out a reservation, look at the room first and negotiate! Always make sure a taxi meter is ON!
Make sure your fancy resort is not so isolated that you have to spend big bucks to eat or go somewhere.

Posted By gin on October 30, 2008, 7:11 PM

We found a site, www.GetMoreVacations.com, that lets us book in Destin, Fl; the Outer Banks of NC or Alabama at vacation rental properties that give us free mini golf, go karts, water park tickets, deep sea fishing, golf, unlimited DVD rentals and more every single day that we stay there. These incentive programs made the difference for us this past summer in having a vacation or not going at all, because we wouldn't have been able to afford to do anything when we got to Destin. As it stood, my husband played golf three times (at a really nice course) and didn't pay a nickel. The kids went to Big Kahuna's and we got one free admission twice and then we all went on a dolphin cruise that we all loved! One admission on the cruise was complimentary. All in all, we saved about $400 on activities and that isn't counting the money we saved by not eating out every night by cooking in the kitchen of our rental. This is an awesome website and they are apparently branching out into the west and I look forward to when they get into a ski resort area!

Posted By Destin Goddess on November 10, 2008, 11:28 AM

When buying food to cook for yourself for one night, sometimes it is cheaper to hit the local pizza parlor instead. Especially if you are staying somewhere like a hostel where there are other people who just might want to join in and share the meal and cost. Also, if using public transportation, sometimes it is cheaper to buy a pass for longer than you are going to be in an area. When you leave, you can either sell it to someone else or pass along some free fare to a fellow traveller and make their day a little better!

Posted By Chad on November 12, 2008, 7:40 PM

Time share companies will offer great price trips to their condos in places like Cancun, Cabo San Lucas in hope of you purchasing a time share. You get to use their facility for 5 days or more with full kitchen, living room, bedroom, and great beach view for as low at $399 a week for the couple. All you pay is the airfare. They even pick you up at the airport. The payback is you must listen to a 90 minute presentation (that sometimes goes as long at 2 hours). We've had some great vacations this way, that we probably could not afford to go on our own.

Posted By Sofie B on November 13, 2008, 1:19 PM

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Posted By David Lee on January 29, 2009, 2:01 AM