One the true pleasures in my life is traveling, especially outside the U.S. I am still young and I hope to do all of my foreign travel before I am old. This is simply because I do not think I will be able to handle the long flights and walking that is par-for-the-course when traveling to places like Europe. I am holding most of my U.S. travel for those older years when foreign travel might be out of the question (though I hope it never is).
Anyway, I have always prided my ability to find vacation values so I can go on trips for much less than many others would pay.
Travel packages can be attractive. These often include flight, hotel and transportation. If you search enough you can find combo vacation package deals that will save a lot of dough. However, most of the time I have to buy plane tickets, hotel, etc. separately to get the value I need.
Most of my travel is done off-season. Most say that might take the fun out of travel, but I enjoy Europe in February or early March. First, there are less tourists wherever you go and that means no lines, or at least much shorter ones. Plus it is easier to blend into the culture if you are not there in the high season. This time is also advantageous because prices for flight, hotels and more are discounted because it is the off-season.
Check into any group you belong to, any credit card you have or points cards that might offer some sort of discount you can take advantage of.
Fortunately, I have some friends in Europe and have had the chance to stay with them on many occasions. obviously, this is kind and generous of them and saves me a lot of money. However, the best parts are being close with your friends all the time and blending in with the culture and avoiding tourist traps. I feel like I have a real idea of what is a typical day in many places I have visited because of these friendships I have.
Vacation values rely on a lot of factors, but if you are willing to spend some time searching and doing homework you can find the deals to save you more money than you might think possible.