Five Ways to be A Frugal Traveller by:Kerry Hook
As a frugal retiree, you may be looking for ways to travel within your budget
. These five tips will save you money and allow you to travel more with your limited budget.First, consider traveling during the off-season. I personally enjoy this the most because the crowds are greatly reduced. Lines at attractions will be shorter and you may even find that prices are reduced. Many high tourist areas jack the prices up during their peak tourist season in order to maximize their profits. Prices fall when tourism drops off. It's the old supply and demand principles of basic economics. Often they lower prices to draw consumers to their area during the off season. Expect lower prices on your hotels more than any other area.
A second way to save on accommodations is to look for alternatives to traditional hotels. Many people will consider hostels, but there are certainly other options open to you. There are a couple of good hostel review sites that you should use to investigate any hostel before you decide to go there. Hostels.com and Hostelsworld.com are two very good ones to use. Many universities rent out dorm rooms when students are out for summer to help raise revenue. These deals would typically be available from later May thru August or September depending upon the school. You can expect to pay anywhere from $25 per person/night to $110 depending upon where you are. You may also be able to get even better rates if you stay a full week so be sure to ask. Check also with convents and monasteries because they rent out rooms for low rates.
Look for last minute travel deals. One of the great things about being retired is the flexibility that you have. This certainly allows you to take advantage of last minute travel deals which working folk have to pass up. It will be much easier to get a great deal if you have fewer limitations or needs. For example, it's much harder to get a great deal if you are traveling with several other people or need particular dates. Find a travel agent that you can work with. They are often able to get many last minute deals that are not made available to the general public.
A fourth way to travel frugally is to maximize all your discounts. Don't overlook any air miles that you may have on your credit cards, or discounts from organizations such places as AAA, NRA or AARP. Review your credit card companies for any other travel deals they may offer as part of their reward programs.
Finally, always ask about senior discounts. For example, in the U.S., the National Parks service offers a discount program for seniors that are permanent residents or U.S. citizens. For just $10, you can purchase a discount card that will allow you to enter all parks along with three other adults. If you are traveling with your grand-children and they are under 16, they can enter for free. You will also get a lifetime discount of 50% on park user fees (e.g., camping, boat launching, swimming or tours fees).
By keeping these five tips in mind, you can really save on your travel and get out there more often. Happy traveling!!
About the author
Kerry Hook has a website just for The Frugal Retiree. Please visit: http://www.thefrugalretiree.com
for many more great articles and tips.
If you are interested in learning more about a great hobby for your retirement years, please check out: http://www.thefrugalretiree.com/justgenealogy.html