Budget Travel Tips to Save Your Family Vacation this Year

(ARA) – Giving up your $3 cup of designer coffee in favor of making your morning joe at home may seem like a small sacrifice in light of the uncertain economy. But if you’re not yet ready to give up your vacation plans, you’re not alone.  Several surveys indicate many Americans still intend to take vacations in 2009 -- they’ll just be smarter about planning the trip and how they spend their money.

Online travel planning, in particular, is growing rapidly, largely due to the fast -- and often exclusive -- access to discounts and deals that hotels, airlines, rental car companies and other tourism groups offer through their Web sites. Online travel planning expert Tom Parsons, founder of Bestfares.com, offers a few simple tips on how families can make the most of their travel budget this year.

Look online for savings in three key areas of travel, Parsons advises – airfare, hotel rates and rental car costs.

Airfare

To find the best possible airfare online, don’t limit yourself to just one travel Web site. Compare fares on several sites, including the home pages of major carriers. Traveling during slower seasons and being flexible about your departure and return dates can help trim costs. Direct flights will likely continue to be more expensive during 2009, so consider flights with one or more stops, which are often cheaper than flying direct.

Dodge those extra fees that the airlines are adding on. Try to avoid checking a bag, especially if you’re taking a short trip of five days or less. Most airlines are now charging a fee for the first checked bag. Likewise, don’t waste your money buying food onboard. Buy your snacks or meal after you pass through security and take it on board. While airport food is rarely cheap, it’s still less costly -- and often better tasting -- than what you get on board the plane.

Rental Cars

The Internet is a great resource for comparison shopping for rental car rates. It can also be a tool to ease the rental process. Look for rental companies that offer services to help you avoid long wait times at rental counters, like the newly expanded Simply Wheelz program from Hertz.

The easy-to-use Web site www.SimplyWheelz.com allows you to choose among six types of cars and reserve one online for as little as $99 a week. When you arrive at the airport, you bypass the rental counter and go directly to a self-service kiosk. The kiosk scans a bar code from a printed online reservation or your driver’s license, allows you to add options like a GPS or child car seat, assigns you a vehicle and prints the rental agreement. You retrieve your agreement, go directly to your car and drive off the lot. SimplyWheelz is available at major destinations across the country.

Hotels

Online resources are a great way to compare hotel deals and find out about availability. But once you find a good rate, go the extra step and call the hotel directly to find out if they can do better. Often, they can.

Hotels across the country, from budget inns to five star properties, are offering discounted rates and other incentives to woo travelers. Be open to the idea of a budget hotel, since many are now offering perks like complimentary full breakfasts -- a deal which can save a family a lot of money. An extended-stay hotel might also be a good deal for your family vacation if your room or suite comes with a kitchenette where you can prepare meals and save your budget for attractions, rather than dining out.

Before you commit to a destination or a hotel, check with the area’s local tourist board to find out if any hotels or attractions in the area are offering special deals. Often, you’ll find news of such discounts and incentives right on the visitor bureau’s home page.

Courtesy of ARAcontent