1. Skip the travel sizes.
I used to always head to the store to prepare for a trip. This means buying travel sized shampoo, conditioner, body wash, tooth paste, deodorant, make up remover, sunscreen, face wash, moisturizer, Q-tips and more (whew the list goes on). I never really stopped to think that all of those minis add up to some major cash. Let’s say it’s $2 for each of the items I listed, that’s $20. Not to mention, I have a basket full of half empty travel sized amenities sitting in my bathroom closet from previous trips. My tip for you is to use up all those half empty bottles first if you have them. Then go ahead and buy the refillable travel sized containers. I’ve also started taking some of my full sized products like my toothpaste and deodorant. They really don’t take up that much more space in my suitcase. Most hotels also provide you with shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion which you could take advantage of.
2. Do some research.
I read tons and tons of articles about when the best time to book your airlines ticket is (I believe the consensus was Tuesdays). Now, I’m not particularly sure if this is true because I’ve never tried it, but what I have done is kept a close eye on my preferred booking sites. If there’s a particular date that I’m interested in traveling, I’ll set up alerts to be notified when the price drops. Some sites also let you browse a calendar to view when the cheaper dates are.
3. Plan in advance.
Have a particular destination in mind? Try checking if they have bundle packages that go on sale before peak season. For instance, if you want to go to a snow destination, they may have steep discounts on hotels or lift tickets in the area if you book in the early summer. You may have to book your reservations in May for travel next January, but you’ll most likely get a better price than trying to book that same trip in November.
4. Strategic packing.
If you’ll be doing some shopping, back an extra duffle bag in your suitcase. This will save you from having to purchase another suitcase to bring everything back in. I’ve also heard that some folks choose to mail their purchases back home.
5. Use rewards.
There are lots of debit and credit cards out there that give you rewards or points. Check if the card you’re using has points on them or rewards that you can redeem. With the HFS Rewards Visa® Credit Card, you can earn uChoose Rewards which can be redeemed for travel (hotel or airfare) or even cash back! Having your hotel paid for with points will save you some big dollars that you can save or spend on other fun things to do on your trip.
Safe travels!
