Money-saving Tips....

I think it is important to take a break and share some of the tips we often use to help us afford all of these travel expenses. Even by taking advantage of some of them, you may be surprised by how affordable your trips can be.
#1-Open a travel credit card- We put most purchases (from groceries to major purchases) on a Southwest Airlines card. Southwest is the airline we fly most often and we usually earn 2-3 flights per year.
#2-Travel mid week or at least be flexible with your dates- Most hotels offer better rates on weeknight stays than Friday and Saturday nights. You may also save if you are willing to travel a day earlier or later than you had planned. I recently saved $90 per flight by switching our flights from Saturday to Sunday.
#3- Book a room with a kitchen- We save so much money by eating breakfast in our room and having snacks available. We pack snacks in our suitcase or add them to the grocery list. When we arrive at our destination, we stop at the grocery store to stock up on water bottles, fresh fruit, bread/bagels and anything else we might need. It is so nice to have a refrigerator stocked with fresh options. Not to mention- it is a lot healthier, too!
#4- Take advantage of Timeshare tour offers- Many timeshare hotels offer great deals if you are willing to sit through a 90 minute presentation. We have stayed at some of the nicest Marriott hotels for $199 for 3 nights. We have also been given restaurant gift cards and free vouchers for some great activities.
#5-Book travel as a package deal- You can often get better rates if you book airfare, hotel and rental car together. Price them separately to compare.
#6- Shop around- I often pick a destination and then price compare on several websites. I check travel sites such as Travelocity.com and Hotels.com as well as hotel and airline home sites.