HOW TO FIND “A REALLY GOOD DEAL”
by Susan Melony, ©2019
(Apr. 2, 2019) — Taking trips for leisure is a way to unwind, relax and take care of your mental or physical health. Vacationing is also a great way to reconnect with your spouse, children and family, and studies have shown just the prospect of an upcoming vacation can help reduce stress and improve your sense of well-being.
With all that being said, while there are plenty of perks, travel can be very expensive. There’s the cost of airfare or gas if you’re driving, accommodations, attraction tickets and food, just to name a few of the things you’re going to be paying for.
One way to save money is to purchase a package and bundle several things altogether. For example, if you were going to Williamsburg, Virginia, a vacation package may include lodging, tickets to Colonial Williamsburg, and discounted tickets to Busch Gardens.
So what should you know about choosing vacation packages and saving money in the process?
Look for Flexibility
One of the programs people tend to have with vacation packages is that they lock you into a lot of things. For example, you might not have a ton of flexibility in what you do, or you might have to stay at certain places and if they don’t meet your needs, it can make for a challenging trip.
Luckily, there are ways to get the discounts that come with packages but get flexibility as well. Look for flexibility as you compare packages. For example, many package companies will offer a choice of dozens of different places to stay, and you can choose what works for you, but still enjoy discounted prices.
Time It Based on Pricing
If you’re going to be flying to your destination, this can quickly eat up a big chunk of your travel budget. You want to do research and in the early days of planning, try and be flexible with when you’re willing to travel and maybe even where. You can then play around with different dates and locations and find the cheapest options.
Beyond that, know when flights tend to be most expensive to book versus when they’re cheaper. For example, anywhere from 0 to 13 days before a plane takes off is when booking is going to be the most expensive. The cheapest times to book are usually anywhere from 21 to 112 days before you’re going to be traveling.
The best general rule of thumb for booking any vacation is either do it very far in advance or perhaps last minute if you’re willing to be adventurous and possibly find deals (although you’re not likely to find last-minute deals on airfare).
Tour vs. Package
When you’re researching travel options and plans, there are tours, and there are packages, which are two separate concepts. A tour is typically group travel, and you’ll have almost everything included in the price, and much of the trip will be dominated by a set itinerary. You will have a schedule for sightseeing and meals, and your land transportation within your destination will likely be included in a tour as well.
Then, a package is for independent travelers. A package will usually combine two or more of your travel services, such as accommodations, attraction tickets, and car rental. Other than the combination pricing, you will find a lot of flexibility with most packages.
If you’re booking a tour or package, make sure you read the fine print, so you know what’s included and what’s excluded.
Travel with Someone
If you’re traveling with your family, you’re probably going to see more value from vacation packages, because most are priced for two or more people. If you’re not traveling with family, you might want to consider it or see if you have a friend or a few friends that want to come along because you’re likely to pay less overall.
A lot of packages will charge less if you’re traveling with three or four people as an example, so do the math and see if this is the case with the package you’re considering.
Finally, when you’re looking at packages, you do want to make sure it’s really a good deal. Just because something is marketed as a good deal doesn’t necessarily mean it is. You should break apart the components of the package you’re considering and price them out on your own. Then add it all up and see if the package is cheaper than the total would be otherwise to ensure that it’s worth your time and money to search for packages.
Susan is a writer, blogger, marketer, and entrepreneur based in Kansas City.