7 Ways To Save On Your Next Vacation

We’re all looking for ways to save money and cut back on spending these days, but sometimes you need to get away from everyday stress, work and chores and take some time to relax in the sun (or on the slopes if that’s your thing).

Fortunately, this is a great time to travel. Thanks to the current economic situation, you can find great deals on everything from air travel to hotels to cruises to home rentals, both here in the US and worldwide.

Here are 7 ways to get even more out of your travel budget:

1. Take advantage of the strong dollar. Western Europe, which was out of the question last year, is a great bargain this summer, especially the UK, Turkey and Iceland. Sign up for newsletters and alerts from exchange rate sites to stay up to date on current rates.

2. Use your frequent flier miles. Anytime you fly on a new airline, sign up for their frequent flier program, and do it before booking your first flight. Often, you’ll get double miles or other perks the first time you fly. Sign up even if you think you’ll never fly on that particular airline again - they may be partners with another airline you fly more frequently, or you might be able to transfer the miles. The same goes for hotel “frequent guest” programs - don’t miss the chance to get points whenever you can. If you use a credit card at all, consider getting one that gives you miles or points for each dollar spent.

3. Rent a villa or condo, especially if you travel with a group. It will cost less than a hotel room would, you’ll have more spacious accommodations and the chance to live like a local for a short while. Save even more by eating a few meals at home - imagine having your morning coffee and hot croissants (from the local bakery) on your balcony overlooking the Paris skyline. Not bad. Look for last minute deals and special offers that will bring the price down even further.

4. Stay up to date with the latest deals and discounts. Sign up for newsletters from travel sites, airlines, home rental companies, chambers of commerce, travel magazines, online auction sites, etc. to make sure you hear about new deals as soon as they are announced. You don’t want to miss deals like JetBlue’s recent one-day sale where they offered tickets from San Francisco to New York for $14, or Last Minute Travel’s $1/night hotel rooms.

5. Travel auctions are another great way to vacation for less. Sites such as Luxury Link list new offers all the time and with a bit of luck and smart bidding, you can save tons on stays in luxury villas and resorts with all kinds of amenities included (meals, staff, chef, massages, etc.). I recently read a review by an auction winner who ended up paying just over $2,000 for a week at a well-known luxury villa in the Caribbean with all staff and a private chef. The regular price for a week at that property is around $10,000, so that was quite a bargain.

6. Travel during shoulder season (the time between high and low season). The weather will still be nice, but the crowds are much thinner, the prices lower, and the local population less overwhelmed by tourists. In Europe, spring and fall are great times to go, or if you’re going to one of the major cities (like London, Paris or Madrid for example), try August, when the local population has taken off for their seaside vacations. If cold weather doesn’t bother you, take a trip to Europe in the winter when the air fares are at their lowest. The large cities take on a whole different look with a snow cover, and if you go before the holidays, the festive atmosphere is everywhere. In the Caribbean, late spring to early summer and early fall to mid-December are the best times to find good deals.

7. Call home for free. If you bring your laptop (or iPhone), make sure to download Skype and ask your friends and family to do the same. It is a free service (as long as you call Skype to Skype; a Skype to landline or cell phone call does come with a charge), and all you have to do is download the software, set it up, get a headset or USB phone, connect to the Internet, and you’re good to go. You can talk to friends all over the globe this way - and it’s totally free.