Gettin’ Carried Away

First, I’d like to say… HAPPY OCTOBER! My favorite month of the year has finally arrived. And while some people in Chicago don’t appreciate the windy weather or the dark, rainy days, I’m more than happy to embrace the crisp chill in the air and break out my collection of fleece jackets and blankets.

I know I’ve been MIA again for a short time, but it’s only because I’ve been working long hours and saving up lots of money for a future Eurotrip. But just because I’ve been away from the blogosphere, it doesn’t mean I haven’t been thinking about you and the  rest of the travel world. If anything, spending so much time at work got me thinking about how I could stretch my travel dollar. And now that I finally have some time to get back to the blog world, I’d love to share my thoughts with you.

Here are some of my best tips for stretching your travel dollar:

Try to book your travel dates for weekdays. Leave on a Thursday and come back Monday. Booking for mid-week travel is even better sometimes. Naturally, people are more likely to fly on the weekend to avoid taking vacation time away from work. I have found that Wednesday happens to be one of the least busiest days at the airport, especially in the morning.

Play with the search options. I’ll fly any airline that gives me the best deal. For a long time, that was American Airlines. I’ve flown AA to London several times now. After you plug in your destination and dates, the “Schedule” option has automatically been chosen for you. However, each time I search for a flight, I always choose the “Price & Schedule” option. This way, you’ll see all the prices for each flight that leaves (and returns) on the day you want. And sometimes, that Economy Super Saver price is amazingly low!

Forget the five-star rated. Luxury hotels and restaurants? Forget them! Staying in a hostel is certainly cheaper. Even if you’re not that adventurous, most hostels offer private rooms, too. Plus, there’s nothing like meeting fellow travelers and swapping stories and recommendations. Sometimes, I think that you may be paying more for the service when you’re dining and bedding at the regal, ritzy places.

Make every penny count. It’s fine to spend a little bit of extra cash while you’re on vacation. But only open your wallet for things you really enjoy. Love the sights? Hit all of the free attractions and only some of the ones that require paid admission. Some places ask for a small donation. Make sure to give something (nothing less than a dollar/euro/pound/etc). If you’re a total foodie, skip the shopping. If you’re a shopper, don’t buy anything you can’t fit in your bags. You do not want to pay to ship something home.