You can seriously over pay for travel if you aren’t careful. If you want to travel, use these four money saving tips to your advantage. You might just save 50 per cent or more on your next trip.

PLAN AHEAD

The reason airlines love business travelers are that they travel on short notice. Even if you can’t plan many weeks in advance, take full advantage of the time you can plan ahead. Check with airlines, hotels, car rentals agencies and more to find out when the optimum time is to book their services.

USE THE WEB

The web allows us to do what is perhaps the most money saving activity us all---comparison-shopping.

Take full advantage of travel specific Internet sites, which give away tons of useful information. Make a simple spreadsheet sorted by category as you shop online.

When you find a great price on a car rental, hide-away cabin in the woods or dorect flight, add that information to your spreadsheet. Soon you will have compiled a powerful database of savings!!!!

JOIN THE CLUB

In last few years some very interesting specialtyclubs have formed for the sole purpose of helping you save money when you travel. Sponsored by hotels, car rental companies and more who understand how competitive the market is.

Membership in these clubs often consists of buying coupon book of savings. These clubs are often the salvation for the traveler who can’t plan ahead since their deep discounts don’t rely on advanced bookings.

ASK AROUND

Here is the oldest saving trick in the book. Ask an experienced traveler what they do when they travel.

People who travel often love to share ‘insider secrets’ with their friends who travel less often. It makes them feel good to help a friend and might just open up a dep discount you might have otherwise overlooked.

Health tips for travel

• Most germs spread by contact. How ever you travel, wherever you go, wash your hand frequently and carry moist towellettes—for times when soap and water are not available.
• Before the travel consult with your doctor about preventive prescription drugs for illness conditions you are susceptible to.
• Reduce holiday stress. Stress decreases immunity, making one more susceptible to disease. At the minimum, avoid caffeine and other stimulants, which increase heart rate and can heighten feelings of stress.
• When traveling in cramped cabins or on long flights, avoid Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) which can cause blood clots in the legs, by walking around, stretching your legs and flexing your ankles in an up and down motion about once every hour and a half.
• On flights keep prescriptions in their original pharmacy labeled containers to avoid questions at customs and pack them in your carry on bag to ensure that they are easily accessible and secure.
• When traveling by air with babies, equalize their ear pressure during takeoffs and landings by giving infants a pacifier or baby bottle to suck on. Older children and adults can alleviate ear pressure by chewing gum.
• Be prepared with affordable, emergency medical kits, particularly when traveling to locales where even basic medical care can be iffy.

How to save money on Trips

• Bottled water is a necessity but can be expensive and pain to purchase during trips. Carry a water purifier that can be attached to almost any sink faucet.
• Make the habit of eating more during lunch, instead of dinner, when traveling. Surveys show that lunch menus are far cheaper and it’s a lot better for you figure!! A lot of hotels serve breakfast on the house. If so, it will take care of your lunch outside.
• Whatever you do, try to resist the temptation of ordering room service. It’s heavily overpriced, and could cause a deep whole in your travel budget. Instead, ask the hotel front desk for a list of local restaurants that deliver. You will get to taste some great local food and save a few bucks too!!!
• Never ever use your hotel room phone for long distance calls. Hotels charge exorbitantly. Instead, try to find a pay phone and use your calling card, or alternatively, purchase a calling card. It will spare you tons of cash.