5 Travel Saving Hacks That Might Cost You More

There are numerous travel saving tips out there.  From finding a lower fare if you can be flexible with your flight times to signing up for credit cards that earn you points you can use to book your hotel stay to taking advantage of package deals.  But sometimes these travel saving hacks can cost you more instead of saving you time and money.

Years ago, I was so excited to find a cheap fare to travel to New York.  This was the time when budget fares started.  I was glad I read the fine print because only then did I realize that the flight I was about to book was one that the airline offered as “bare-bones” that could end up costing me more at the end of the day.  With this fare, I would have to pay an extra $100 to have a carry-on bag and had to pay to pick a seat. While I know that we no longer get free airline food, the complementary beverage now comes with a price.   Sometimes you think you’re saving money when traveling but sometimes it can cost you more in the long run.

Here are some other budget travel traps that you might want to carefully consider or avoid altogether.

Travel Rewards Credit Cards

Have you ever seen those offers to sign up for a credit card to earn a tempting sign –up bonus of points?  This can be very attractive especially when you have a vacation coming up where you can use these points.  But these cards can end up costing you more than save if you’re not careful.  Credit card companies count on the fact that once they approve you for the credit card that you will use the card and overspend ending up paying more in interests than what you will be saving by getting a free flight when using the points.

All Inclusive Resorts

Last year my husband and I went to Mexico for the first time.  We booked our stay at an all-inclusive resort.  We made sure we read the fine print and know exactly what is included and what we’re getting.  We had a great time.

When booking an all-inclusive hotel, read the fine print to make sure that it’s not actually a money drainer.  Some all-inclusive resorts boast unlimited drinks and access to all their restaurants— but upon arrival you’ll learn that most of the restaurants are really not all-inclusive as it requires reservations, extra money and are only open two days a week!  It may be all you can drink bit the liquor they give you is low quality and some of these resorts charge you for ordering good quality wine or imported beer.

However, if you’re into all-inclusive style vacations, there are still good deals out there.  You just have to do your homework and legwork to make sure that you’re getting what is being promised.  Do your research, check the resorts’ website, ask a travel agent’s help and ask lots of questions.

Setting Price Alerts

Have you noticed ads about Las Vegas popping up after you search for flights to Las Vegas?  Have you signed up for price alerts only to find out that this may be the biggest mistake you’ve done?  I’ve signed up to get alerts for flights to destinations we plan to go to but quickly learned that although price alerts appear to help us track the price movements on airfares, they also provide intel to the airlines.  I’ve noticed after my initial search that the prices go up the next time I log in to check the fares again.  The best way to search for airfares and get a good deal on your ticket is to search in private or in incognito mode in your browser.  By doing this, no search history will be attached to your request providing you with the lowest available fare every time you search.

Package Deals

Are you familiar with CityPass?  Some cities have CityPass that provides admission to museums and attractions in the city you’re visiting.  A lot of tourists take advantage of this.  An adult CityPass is not cheap.  It is about $126.  It can be a good deal if the attractions you are interested in are included in the fee.  However, in bigger cities, there may be many other attractions that you may want to see that are not included. 

Be careful not to be overly excited by package deals and end up purchasing more than you realistically have time for.  You’ll find yourself rushing to activities, end up overpaying for the number of attractions you actually get to see and limiting yourself to a set itinerary.  Buying package deals will only save you money if you get to see all the things that the deal covers and includes.  Otherwise, you should stick to booking your activities a la carte.

Overseas Car Rentals

You may be tempted to rent a car while traveling overseas when you see how extremely reasonable the prices are.  There are a few other things you need to consider in addition to the price.  Will they take your insurance or will you end up paying more to be sure you’re insured?  Ask a lot of questions ahead of time and know what the real cost is.  At the end of the day, taking advantage of public transportation may be your best savings bet.

I am not saying that you can’t travel on a budget.  Traveling on a budget is absolutely possible.  You just need to always shop around, do your research and always read the fine print.