1. Leverage Your Time - Hire a Travel Advisor

Did you know that Americans spend 8.7 BILLION minutes of travel planning and booking per year? Yeah, we said billion…mind blowing, right? On an individual basis, once your trip is booked, you will spend nearly twenty-three hours of time researching during the six weeks leading up to travel. Based on today’s average hourly income, that means the time you spend planning travel costs you over six hundred dollars! Do you have that extra time and money? We understand that time is money! Not only do travel advisors save you time but in addition to that, they work with a multitude of suppliers and tour operators that offer travel professionals the best rates on hotels and package pricing. As a bonus, advisors can often score extra perks and upgrades for clients that they wouldn’t be able to get on their own. Complimentary wine or room upgrade anyone? Yes, Please!

2. Choose Quality Over Quantity

Do you have your heart set on spending a week at a specific destination you’ve been dreaming of but find out it won’t fit your budget?  We recommend shortening your stay by a few nights so that you can experience the property that will provide the best experience and value. Instead of sacrificing your vacation by dropping from a five star resort to a four star resort for a week long stay, consider staying five nights instead. You will still receive the vacation of your dreams and return home after six days in paradise ready to plan for the next year. Many people choose to sacrifice their expectations in order to lengthen their vacation stay but often they are disappointed with their entire week long experience. We can’t make every property fit any budget but when it only requires a small adjustment in trip duration, it’s worth it!

3. Plan Your Trip Early

The early bird does get the worm in the travel industry!  If we could make this title even more bold than it is we would! You will pay a premium price for a last minute vacation. If you can book your trip six months or even a year in advance, you will save money. Like any other product for sale, hotel rooms and flight prices are a product of supply and demand. (Let us give you an insider’s secret…shhh….don’t tell anyone but…the majority of people are last minute planners.) If you are planning early, there will be plenty of supply and little demand. Because flight schedules aren’t released as far in advance as hotels and resort availability, most people will wait until they can book flights to book the “land portion” of their trip. Don’t be most people! Book your resort as soon as you know your dates of travel.

4. Take Group Tours Instead Of Private

We always recommend private tours when the budget allows because you receive an unparalleled personalized experience. However, if the private tours tip the budget scale see if the same experience is also offered in a group setting at a lower rate.  A group tour is better than no tour at all and if it means you can still stay at that five star resort, we think it’s worth it!

5. Be Flexible On Your Dates

Are you wanting to plan a trip when your kids are out of school? Any time your kids (or someone else’s kids) are out of school is peak (AKA expensive) travel season. If you can be flexible with your travel dates, try and travel when the kids are in school. This is referred to as “shoulder season” in the travel industry.  Consider traveling in late April or early May right before kids get out of school or Sept/October once the kids are back in school after Labor day.  Surprisingly early November and early December also bring some great deals. In addition to better pricing on resorts and flights, you will also experience lower crowds and often milder weather depending on your destination.  

In summary, we think it’s important to know when to splurge and how to save. It can truly make or break your experience and your budget! We’d love to hear your travel trips for stretching your travel budget. Feel free to share your experiences in the comments below.