Most of us like to travel but few of us want to spend more money than necessary.
If you're always on the lookout for a bargain, take a look at these tips to help you save money on airfare, airport parking, rental cars and hotel rooms.
Rewards Programs Particularly if you are a frequent traveler, there's a whole lot of reasons why you should join every rewards program available.
These programs are meant to incentivize you to use the same hotel, airport parking facility, airline and rental car company over and over again; by doing so, you save a lot of money through rewards.
There's really no downside to signing up for a frequent flier program, hotel points program, or starting an account with a rental car agency and airport parking facility.
You're going to travel anyway, so why not get points that add up to a free flight or night? Hotels points programs are generally very well-received.
At the very least, a few stays at your favorite midscale or upscale hotel, such as a Hyatt or Marriott brand, will gain you an upgrade to the club lounge.
At the very most, you'll qualify for a free night - or several.
The same holds true for airport parking providers who are likely to give you VIP perks or a free day when you've accumulated just a few points.
Some rewards programs, especially frequent flier programs, have gotten a bad rap lately because it's difficult to satisfy all the requirements to get your free incentive.
Don't let that discourage you.
Take care in selecting an airline or other service provider that offers the best program, particularly one of which you can and will take advantage.
One thing to beware of - not using the points before they expire.
No rewards are worthwhile if you never get to use them so stay on top of how much you've earned and the deadline for using those points.
Credit Cards Along with those reward programs you sign up for, make sure you pay for your airfare, hotel, or entertainment using the right credit card.
There are plenty of providers that allow you to earn extra points toward your reward goal every time you use a card imprinted with their name, including Disney, British Airways and Hilton.
This is a great way to offset some of the costs of your family vacation.
You and your spouse may want to get a couple different credit cards so you're earning more than one type of reward.
The only caution is being sure that you're not charged any extra or annual fees.
Besides, you should never use a debit card for travel purchases.
Travel service providers usually place a hold on your card for $100 or more, which ties up your cash.
It's best to use a credit card to pay for your hotel room and airline.
Rental Cars Before you sign up with a rental car rewards program, do some comparison shopping to see which company offers the best rates overall.
There are some sites, such as Autoslash.
com, that monitor the rates at several major rental car companies and will rebook your reservations if a lower rate is offered.
You can save up to $100 or more by doing your homework when it comes to rental car bookings.
Save even more money by not opting for the insurance you'll be pushed to buy.
More than likely, your existing car insurance policy will cover the rental.
If you don't have a policy, American Express offers a Premium Car Rental Protection plan for less than $25.
Don't travel less, just travel smarter by saving money on your airline, airport parking, hotel room and rental car.
If you're always on the lookout for a bargain, take a look at these tips to help you save money on airfare, airport parking, rental cars and hotel rooms.
Rewards Programs Particularly if you are a frequent traveler, there's a whole lot of reasons why you should join every rewards program available.
These programs are meant to incentivize you to use the same hotel, airport parking facility, airline and rental car company over and over again; by doing so, you save a lot of money through rewards.
There's really no downside to signing up for a frequent flier program, hotel points program, or starting an account with a rental car agency and airport parking facility.
You're going to travel anyway, so why not get points that add up to a free flight or night? Hotels points programs are generally very well-received.
At the very least, a few stays at your favorite midscale or upscale hotel, such as a Hyatt or Marriott brand, will gain you an upgrade to the club lounge.
At the very most, you'll qualify for a free night - or several.
The same holds true for airport parking providers who are likely to give you VIP perks or a free day when you've accumulated just a few points.
Some rewards programs, especially frequent flier programs, have gotten a bad rap lately because it's difficult to satisfy all the requirements to get your free incentive.
Don't let that discourage you.
Take care in selecting an airline or other service provider that offers the best program, particularly one of which you can and will take advantage.
One thing to beware of - not using the points before they expire.
No rewards are worthwhile if you never get to use them so stay on top of how much you've earned and the deadline for using those points.
Credit Cards Along with those reward programs you sign up for, make sure you pay for your airfare, hotel, or entertainment using the right credit card.
There are plenty of providers that allow you to earn extra points toward your reward goal every time you use a card imprinted with their name, including Disney, British Airways and Hilton.
This is a great way to offset some of the costs of your family vacation.
You and your spouse may want to get a couple different credit cards so you're earning more than one type of reward.
The only caution is being sure that you're not charged any extra or annual fees.
Besides, you should never use a debit card for travel purchases.
Travel service providers usually place a hold on your card for $100 or more, which ties up your cash.
It's best to use a credit card to pay for your hotel room and airline.
Rental Cars Before you sign up with a rental car rewards program, do some comparison shopping to see which company offers the best rates overall.
There are some sites, such as Autoslash.
com, that monitor the rates at several major rental car companies and will rebook your reservations if a lower rate is offered.
You can save up to $100 or more by doing your homework when it comes to rental car bookings.
Save even more money by not opting for the insurance you'll be pushed to buy.
More than likely, your existing car insurance policy will cover the rental.
If you don't have a policy, American Express offers a Premium Car Rental Protection plan for less than $25.
Don't travel less, just travel smarter by saving money on your airline, airport parking, hotel room and rental car.
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