Planning your vacation? Try these last-minute tricks to save money
What's the story
Although we would never advise you to delay your travel plans until the last minute, sometimes you just can't help it. There can be many issues with planning your journey at the last moment. These include high prices and low availability. But if you are one of those procrastinators (!), here are five tips to help you save some money.
#1
Be open to different destinations
When you push your travel plans to the last minute, you no longer enjoy the luxury of picking destinations that would fall under your budget. So, if a bit of spontaneity and unpredictability don't trouble you - be open to different travel destinations. Look out for deals and head to the place from where the best flight and hotel deals pop up. Simple!
#2
Be flexible with your flights
At the last minute, you can't have everything you desire. Unfortunate but manageable. So, ditch luxury airlines, and look for a budget airline - you might not get VIP treatment, but you'll get the job done, that too on a lesser budget. Also, be flexible with your flight day and timings. This is so because some days and timings attract lesser crowd than others.
#3
See a travel agent
You may or may not like them, but if need to sort your travel plans, go and see a travel agent. They are the best in the business, so try using their resources. They'll give out the best last-minute travel advice and might even get you some of the hottest hidden deals out there. Plus, you can score some much-needed connections for your destination.
#4
Look at combo deals
Combo deals that offer both airfare and hotel accommodation at discounted prices are the real deal, if you are making your bookings at the final moment. These come at miraculously cheaper rates than booking these services separately. Not only that, they will save a lot of hassle, which you probably won't have time for when you are already late for packing.
#5
Contact hotels directly
Sometimes, reaching out to hotels directly is a better idea than booking online. This will help you score better deals that aren't even mentioned online. Furthermore, when you deal personally, you can check a plethora of other facilities such as late check out times, which can obviously never be found online. If you're staying at an Airbnb, try negotiating with your host. Enjoy!