Vacation Booking Mistakes
Summer is now in full swing, which means many Florida families are looking forward to a relaxing vacation at a destination far from home. We all know habits can be hard to break, and you may not realize it, but you probably have habits when it comes to booking travel that could be costing you money. To help you avoid losing money during your summer travels, we’ve created a list of the top travel booking mistakes many people make.
Why To Consider Applying For A Personal Loan
Before we get started with the top 8 mistakes many people make, we want to provide you with a bit of advice that could save you a lot of money on your vacation. Before you decide to pay for all of your vacation-related expenses with a high-rate credit card, consider applying for a personal loan. Applying for a personal loan makes even more sense if you will not be able to pay off your credit card balances within a couple of months. Personal loan interest rates today are typically lower than credit card interest rates. This means you will be able to pay off your vacation faster, and pay less in interest. We will get more into this in a later section.
Top 8 Vacation Booking Mistakes That Could Be Costing You Money
- Not Clearing Your Cookies
In our digital world, the majority of people usually start online when looking for vacation-related accommodations. However, did you know that your search engine history could actually be costing you money? Cookies are what websites use to identify you as you browse the Internet. Have you ever noticed ads for products you have shown interest for in the past on websites completely unrelated to that product? Those are cookies at work.
Many experts agree that airlines and booking sites use cookies to display potentially more expensive airfare prices on routes that you have searched for often. If you have checked prices for a particular fare many times, the booking site will assume you really want these fares, and believes you are willing to pay more than the average consumer to get them. Crazy, right? In order to try to get the best prices possible, and avoid any tracking, make sure you clear your cookies before you search for airfare and even hotel accommodations. - Not Using The Right Browser
Most of us use popular browsers like Firefox, Chrome, Safari, or Internet Explorer to book our flights and other travel accommodations, but according to experts,
doing so could result in losing money. When it comes to booking a flight specifically, using the correct browser is essential to ensuring you get the best price possible.We’re going to let you in on a little secret. It’s called ITA Matrix. This free powerful software, which has been rebuilt on Google technology, is the same software behind popular booking sites such as Orbitz and Kayak, and is even the same software travel agents use. ITX matrix is the most flexible flight search engine on the Internet. It takes into account many factors, and helps you find the perfect flight for you, at the best price. Best of all, ITA Matrix can save you a lot of time by giving you the information you need in one search, as compared to multiple searches on other booking sites. Here’s some additional information on ITA Matrix. - Flying Into An Expensive Airport
It is a known fact that some airports are simply more expensive to fly into and out of than others. If you choose to fly into a more expensive airport, you are choosing to spend more on your airline ticket than necessary. Before you choose a flight, make sure there are no other nearby airports that would be cheaper to fly in and out of. This could save you a considerable amount of money per person. - Booking A Flight On An Expensive Day
Just like there are certain airports that are cheaper to fly out of, there are also certain days of the week that are more expensive to fly on. According to experts, traveling on a Friday or Sunday will result in a bigger hit to your bank account than flying during any other day of the week. Usually, flights leaving on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Saturday are the cheapest. - Buying Your Tickets Too Early Or Too Late
According to research conducted by CheapAir, the best time to book a domestic flight is 8 weeks prior to your trip. Booking 8 weeks in advance will provide you with the best prices available. Sometime airlines will run specials on last-minute fares, but those are rare, and you should not rely on these last-minute sales as a guaranteed way to save on your airfare and travel accommodations. - Not Being Flexible
Being flexible in terms of when you travel is essential in receiving the best prices possible. Ideally, you want to start researching travel accommodations, including airfare, hotel, and car rentals a few months ahead of your desired departure. If you are flexible with your travel dates before you start shopping, it provides you with a great opportunity to find the best possible deals. - Skipping The Coupons
In most instances, the hotel or flight price you see online is not the price you will have to pay. There are many online coupons and promo codes you can use before booking your travel accommodations. Simply conduct a Google search for promo codes related to your travel, and you may uncover a way to save a ton of money on your vacation. - Racking Up Credit Card Debt
It may be tempting to pay for all of your travel-related expenses with a credit card, but if you do not plan to pay off your balance quickly, you could be losing a lot of money to interest charges. If your vacation will not be repayable within a month or two, highly consider applying for a personal loan to help fund your vacation. Personal loan interest rates today are typically lower than credit card interest rates, which results in less interest paid on your vacation. This could save you a ton of money in the long run. Consider applying for a personal loan at Launch CU. We offer low personal loan rates, flexible personal loan terms, and payments you can afford.
