I’m glad we did the bulk of our summer traveling at the beginning of the season because with the price of gas hovering dangerously close to $4 per gallon, the only adventure we can afford now is a campout in the backyard.
Exorbitant gas prices are not the only money trap associated with family travel. Hotel room sticker shock is another common problem frugal families face when planning a getaway. Fortunately, there are ways you can stretch your vacation dollar when booking a hotel room:
Timing is Key: Hotel rates fluctuate according to availability. For example, if a property is close to capacity, room prices are typically high. However, if it’s a slow time of year and there are a ton of rooms available, you can typically score significant savings on rooms. To get the best price, ask a reservations manager what days during your vacation window have the lowest occupancy and scoop up a room with the lowest rate.
Duggar Deal: Reality TV superstar Jim Bob Duggar claims that one of the ways his mega-large family has been able to travel extensively around the United States without going into debt is to take advantage of last-minute hotel deals. Duggar warns not to be fooled by the room price listed on a hotel’s website, as it is not always the lowest rate the hotel will offer. If a hotel has a lot of unoccupied rooms and it’s less than 48 hours before the date you plan to be in town, a manager will almost always be willing to reduce the rates further than what’s posted on the website. Bottom line: Do not be afraid to ask for a lower rate.
Loyalty Programs: These days’ hotels of differing categories (from luxury to budget) offer loyalty programs. By signing up you will be alerted to special deals that are not advertised to the general public. Some hotels offer special sales via Twitter and other social media outlets, so it pays to be plugged in when you are trying to snag a super cheap room.
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