5 Cool Ways to Cut Travel Costs

Want to save on travel expenses without taking a lame vacation? With a little bit of legwork, find out how you can still have fun without breaking the bank.

Cheeps and Twitters
If you’ve been avoiding social media sites such as Twitter, you may want to think again. Many companies now use these networks to market to customers. Jet Blue, for example, “Cheeps” exclusive deals and last minute discounts on Tuesday mornings. Other companies using Twitter to advertise great deals include United Airlines, American Airlines, Travelocity, FareCompare.com, and many more.

Bucket Shop
Bucket Shops, such as Airbrokers International, offer deeply discounted international airfare. These companies buy blocks of tickets from the airlines, then resell them to individuals and travel agencies. Before buying from a Bucket Shop, verify that they are reputable.

Clear Cache
Who would have thought that clearing your internet browser records could save you money? Well, according to National Geographic Traveler, it can! Apparently, websites you surf and spend money at track your purchases and will actually charge you more based on your spending history. Clearing your cached sites in Internet Explorer is easy. Click on Tools, Internet Options, and select Delete Browsing History.

Go Rental
If you’re going to be vacationing for a week or more, consider renting a vacation home instead of staying in a hotel. In many places, you can rent a home at a weekly rate for less than you’d spend on hotels. Plus, you have the added bonus of being able to cook, which means you won’t be spending gobs of money on dining out.

Write It Off
Business travelers, don’t forget to take a tax write-off for allowable expenses. And keep those receipts in case you get audited.

Sources:
“57 Ways to Cut Vacation Costs”
via National Geographic Traveler

“10 Ways to Cut Your Travel Costs This Year”
via New York Times

Travel Apps for a Stress-Free Vacation

The following travel apps will help you plan, navigate, locate, and more, so your vacation is as easy and stress-free as possible.

WorldMate Live
With WorldMate Live, you can create an itinerary, look up a flight status, flight alerts, flight schedules, find hotels, get maps and directions, check the weather, check the time, view exchange rates, and more. WorldMate Live is available for all smartphones, including the Blackberry, iPhone and iPod Touch, Windows Mobile compatible devices, and certain Nokia models.

GPSed
Mark your favorite restaurant, retrace your way back to your hotel, find your position anywhere in the world, and more with this app—even if you're without network coverage. You can also add photos to your tracks, add text to your tracks, and share your tracks with other users.

GPSed is compatible with mobile devices equipped with internal GPS receivers, such as the iPhone 3G, the Blackberry Storm, Blackberry Bold, and Nokia N95. It is also compatible with mobile devices that have access to external GPS receivers via Bluetooth, and any GPS receivers, such as Garmin, TomTom, and others.

Around Me
With AroundMe, you can quickly find out information about your surroundings. Locate nearby restaurants, hotels, gas stations, supermarkets, hospitals, banks, and more, and AroundMe will show you a complete list by category within a certain distance of where you are.

AroundMe is available for free on iPhone and iPod Touch devices.

6 Easy Ways to Save on Vacation Expenses

• Book your airline ticket after midnight on Wednesday in the time zone where the airport's hub is located. This is the time when budget fares hit the market.

• Use alternative airports. Big city airports aren't always the cheapest. Compare surrounding areas.

• Check out "Driveaway Deals." Car companies often have too many cars in certain locations, so you can get great deals on renting these cars and driving them to different destinations.

• Skip car rental insurance. Your car insurance on your personal vehicle usually covers you driving a rental car. Check with your insurance company for details.

• Book hotel rooms with kitchenettes. That way, you don't have to eat all of your meals out.

• Negotiate. Many hotels, resorts, and other vacation destinations offer freebies, such as the 3rd night free. Work them. Ask for a better rate, an extra free day, and the like. You'll be surprised on the deals you can get!

How-to Combat Jet Lag

Drink plenty of water during the days before you leave, and during the flight itself.

Don't caffeinate, especially at night.

Get plenty of sleep the week before you leave.

Sleep on the plane, if you can. If you're sensitive to light, an eye shade will help. If sound is the problem, pack ear plugs.

Try to schedule your arrival during the afternoon or early evening, so you're not faced with an entire day of activity.

Exercise helps combat fatigue. Set an exercise schedule for the week's before you leave, if you don't have one already.

Relax, and try not to think about it too much!

Packing Shoes for Traveling

Shoes are bulky items to pack in luggage. They take up a lot of room, and they have a tendency to get crushed. Here's a few quick tips for packing shoes that will save room and protect your footwear.

• Roll your socks and stuff them into the toe of your packed shoes. This will help keep the shoe intact. It also saves space.

• Place your shoes on the bottom of your suitcase or along the sides, so they don't get your clothing dirty.

• Pack only neutral shoes that go with everything, so you're not taking one pair of shoes for every outfit.

• If you're traveling on a plane, wear a pair of shoes that you can take on and off easily, as you will have to remove them at the security checkpoint.