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Thinking About Canceling Your Trip to Hawaii?

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canceling your trip to hawaii
Hawaii had ranked among this year’s top summer vacation destinations — until the Kilauea volcano erupted on May 3. Hotel bookings have declined 50 percent on the Big Island since then.

While the volcano continues to spew lava on the ground and toxic gases into the air — the latter appears to be making people squeamish about traveling to all of Hawaii.

In case you’ve already booked a trip to Hawaii that you want to cancel, you may want to think twice about that decision.

As Hawaii.com has said in response to these developments, “There’s a misconception that the Big Island and Hawaii as a whole is dangerous to visit due to recent volcanic activity. As a result, many local businesses that depend on travelers to the island are suffering unnecessary economic loss. The truth is majority of the island, including the airports and resort areas, are unaffected and could use your support.”

Not Canceling Your Trip to Hawaii

Unless you bought travel insurance, you might lose money if you cancel airline tickets that are specifically nonrefundable.

Even with travel insurance, you typically have to provide documentation of a reasonable cause for canceling a trip — it usually has to be illness, bereavement, work conflicts or even jury duty.

Although you could probably find a psychiatrist to write a letter declaring that you have a phobia about the volcanic situation, that might only get you a credit rather than a full refund of airfare or other travel tickets.

When You Can Cancel

If you just bought the ticket, you do have 24 hours to cancel, according to U.S. Department of Transportation rules.

Those who booked their flight through an aggregator travel site like Orbitz or Expedia will want to consult the company about their policies for cancellations — including whether they want you to go through the airlines, hotels, and car rental companies to try to cancel.

Airlines tend to follow what travel insurance providers do with respect to cancellations and refunds.

Hotels and car rental companies might refund your deposit of you cancel more than 48 hours ahead of time, but this varies — so don’t assume you’ll get your money back.

If all else fails, consider this a lesson to buy travel insurance the next time you book any kind of trip.

Bargains Galore

Since demand for trips to Hawaii has fallen precipitously this summer, local tourism entities have had to lower their prices considerably.

You might be able to save money on a trip to Hawaii even if you book at the last minute — although the fares depend on how much demand there is from your point of origin.

That said, check out Costco Travel, Expedia and Hawaii.com for deals on travel packages to the islands.

The New Normal?

Although Hawaii’s volcanic activity has a lot of attention right now, it’s not as unusual as you might think.

Apparently, about 20 volcanoes actively erupt on any giving day, according to Janine Krippner, a volcanologist and postdoctoral researcher at Concord University. Like she told MarketWatch, this is normal — this is what our planet does.”

Readers, does the volcanic situation in Hawaii concern you — enough to make you change plans to travel there (if you had them)? What kinds of experiences have you had with canceling or rescheduling travel bookings?

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Are Discount Airlines Putting Our Safety at Risk?

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<img src=" Are Discount Airlines Putting Our Safety at Risk.jpg" alt”wingofaplaninthesky">

Are discount airlines putting our safety at risk? They sometimes resort to extreme measures in order to cut prices, and that could come with repercussions.

The appeal of discount airlines becomes apparent when you consider that the  average cost of a domestic flight is $347.33, according to the most recent tally by the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Supposedly, no airline is inherently safer than any other: Any carrier operating in the U.S. has to comply with safety standards upheld by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Despite all of the FAA’s efforts to make airlines comply with these safety standards, there’ve been enough incidents to suggest that discount airlines can be a risky choice.

Death on Southwest Airlines

One of the leading discount airlines regularly makes headlines for safety incidents: Southwest Airlines just had an in-air fatality that effectively put an end to the U.S.’ longest stretch of avoiding such deaths.

On April 17, a Southwest Airlines engine exploded in mid-air, sending shrapnel through a window and killing a passenger as a result, according to Bloomberg News.

Another passenger had been partially sucked out the broken window; everyone on board the plan experienced what The New York Times described as “20 minutes of terror” until the plane made an emergency landing.

Long History of Problems

And that incident is just one of many scary examples involving Southwest Airlines, which has long had a history of “maintenance problems.”

In 2015, the airline grounded one fifth of its planes upon learning of the imminence of FAA safety inspections. The airline had let its own such checks lapse and needed to catch up on them.

The prior year, the FAA had imposed a $12 million civil penalty against the airline for continuing to fly planes that the FAA had said were not airworthy and needed repairs.

Allegiant Airlines Dubbed “Most Dangerous”

An investigation by 60 Minutes led the show to call Allegiant Airlines the “most dangerous” carrier in the world.

Although the Las Vegas-based carrier is incredibly profitable, FAA records and interviews suggest bigger issues loom for the company.

In the summer of 2015, Allegiant had five mid-air breakdowns in a single day. The airline has also had a large number of cabin pressure losses, emergency descents, unscheduled landings and aborted takeoffs.

Older Planes

Many of Allegiant’s planes are older, and many are second-hand aircraft from foreign carriers. While buying used keeps costs low, it could increase the number of malfunctions and mechanical incidents.

Ultimately, Allegiant’s record is highly questionable, particularly since it is a smaller airline.

The carrier only gets around 14 million passengers a year, a far cry from larger airlines like Delta or American Airlines.

Stranded by Sun Country Airlines

In April 2018, hundreds of Sun Country passengers were stranded in Mexico after their flight to Minnesota was canceled.

The original flight was nixed due to a storm along the route. While weather-related delays aren’t uncommon, that wasn’t the core source of the problem.

The carrier had ended its season in Mexico, preventing the stuck passengers from booking another flight with Sun Country.

That canceled flight to Minnesota was the last one of the year, so their customers couldn’t secure another plane.

Little Help for Stranded Passengers

Sun Country refused to send another aircraft to get the passengers, stating the airline would have to cancel other flights to make it happen.

Instead, all of the passengers had to find another way home, paying for costly return tickets with other carriers.

While Sun Country did reimburse the passengers, they had to pay for their return flights up front.

Out of Pocket Expenses

One family spent nearly $2,000 getting a flight back into the country. A travel service even stepped in to help passengers find a way home.

Ultimately, the discount airline abandoned its passengers in a foreign country, offering nothing more than a refund on the return tickets to compensate for the inconvenience.

While this isn’t a situation that is necessarily physically risky, it was a serious financial burden. Plus, it shows just how far a discount airline may be willing to go to keep costs low.

Safer Bets: JetBlue and Frontier

That said, not all discount airlines have had the kinds of problems that Sun Country, Allegiant Air and Southwest have.

JetBlue Airlines ranks as the safest discount airline — and has made at least one top-10 safety ranking across all types of carriers. It has yet to tally even a single serious injury from any accident since forming in 2000.

Similarly, Frontier Airlines has top ratings for safety and hasn’t had a major accident since it opened for business in 1996.

Should You Use Discount Airlines?

As with any airline, it’s wise to do your research: Find out what you are forgoing in exchange for a low price and also look into whether the carrier has a reasonable reputation.

If you discover red flags, like those above, it may be worth spending more money to make sure you’ll get to and from your destination with ease.

What’s your opinion of discount airlines compared to full-service carriers? Tell us about it in the comments section beneath this post.

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58 Resources for Digital Nomads To Make Money While Traveling the World

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Digital nomads can earn a living while traveling

If you are self employed, an independent contractor, or work for a company with an entirely virtual workforce, you might be able to travel the world while you work. Some call this lifestyle being a digital nomad, due to the fact that internet access enables these people to simultaneously travel and earn a living.

It’s gotten easier than ever to do this thanks to explosion in resources that cater to this lifestyle — namely, travel companies that specifically cater to people who want to work on the go; job portals that cater to freelancers and roving temp workers; payment and insurance apps that are geared toward digital nomads; and online communities where working travelers can find one another and learn about the aforementioned other resources.

If you’re open to learning more about how to earn a living while traveling, read on for a list of the aforementioned resources, starting with a section on sites for finding temporary work around the globe. Then there’s a section of travel companies and communities for those who want to work on the go. Finally, the last section offers up a couple of insurance providers that have coverage suited for digital nomads.

Work Anywhere

A growing number of industries have jobs that can be done while you travel around the globe — the possibilities range from odd jobs to temporary assignments to longer-term telecommuting work. Listings of all of these opportunities appear on the following websites.

1. Affilorama

Sign up for affiliate marketing opportunities that you can do from anywhere in the world.

2. AG Careers

Find farm-related gigs on every continent of the world.

3. All Cruise Jobs

Like the name suggests, this site lists job opportunities on cruise ships around the globe.

4. Au Pair Finder

Get a gig working for a family in just about any part of the world.

5. Cambly

Teach English as a second language to students located around the world using a mobile app; no experience is necessary and the pay is about $10.20 per hour.

6. Caterer Global

Find catering gigs at resorts in exotic locations.

7. CoolWorks

This site lists a variety of gigs at tourist lodges and resorts around the world.

8. Crewbay

Post a profile on this site and you might get hired to join the crew of a ship.

9. Cruise Ship Jobs

Find work on cruise ships and get paid to see the world.

10. Dive Zone

Find jobs related to scuba diving around the globe.

11. Diverbo

This outfit helps you find overseas jobs and volunteering gigs.

12. Englishunt

Teach English as a second language to Korean students online, for about $10 an hour; you can do this work from anywhere in the world.

13. ESL Cafe

Find gigs teaching English as a second language around the world.

14. Fiverr

List your services for hire, set your own prices, and you’re on your way to finding work on this site. Note, however, that abundant competition in many fields may require you to start out with lower rates until you get customer reviews to prop you up.

15. FlexJobs

This job listing site focuses on freelancing, temporary assignments and telecommuting gigs around the world.

16. Freelancer.com

Find freelancing gigs anywhere in the world and in just about any field.

17. Global Work and Travel

This outfit helps you find volunteer or work arrangements in foreign countries, including working for families as an au pair.

Digital nomad earn a living anywhere you can

18. Help Exchange

Work in exchange for free room and board — and sometimes extra cash. Look on the Help Exchange website to find listings of farms, ranches, hostels and even ships that trade accommodations for a few hours of your time per day.

19. Hostel Travel Jobs

Find jobs at hostels around the world including work exchange arrangements, where you can get a free stay in exchange for putting in a few hours a day.

20. Hotel Career

Apply for opportunities in hotels around the world using this site.

21. Hotel Jobs

Find work in hotels around the world on this directory.

22. Italki

This language instruction site lets you set your own pay rate and your own schedule. You can work anywhere in the world and choose from 100 different languages to teach.

23. Jobs and Work Abroad Programs

This site jobs around the world in such fields as teaching, nursing, marketing and engineering.

24. LodgeWorks

This site lists seasonal jobs at resorts and tourist lodges around the globe.

25. Patreon

While you travel the world, you can crowdfund your creations by getting people to subscribe to your content on a monthly basis

26. Payoneer

This company positions itself as a low-to-no-cost alternative to PayPal, saving you up to 71 percent on cross-currency transactions. Signing up on this site enables you to do business with a wider assortment of counterparties on sites like AirBnB, Fiverr, Upwork and Wish.

27. Picking Jobs

Find seasonal harvest jobs around the world, including picking fruits and vegetables

28. ResortJobs

This site lists gigs at ski and snowboard resorts, camps, national parks, cruise ships, restaurants and hotels.

29. Rev.com

Check out this site for freelance gigs in audio and video transcription and translation.

30. Roadie

Monetize any road trip by delivering packages along the way for courier services.

31. SeasonalWorkerz

Find listings of seasonal jobs all over the world, including hospitality, tourism, and agriculture.

32. Season Workers

Find jobs at different resorts for a season at a time.

33. Simplilearn

Share your skills with students around the world and get paid for your teaching ability.

34. Surf Instructor Jobs

Find opportunities teaching surfing tourists in all sorts of fun locations.

35. Thumbtack

Peddle your services no matter where in the U.S. you’re traveling; this site requires you to buy credits to bid on possible gigs, but you get a few credits for free when you start.

36. Tutor ABC

Teach English as a second language online to students who are based in Asia; the pay is about $20 per hour.

37. UpWork

Formerly known as Elance (and oDesk), this site lists freelance gigs in just about every field that you can perform in a telecommuting capacity.

38. Workamper

This site lists work opportunities surrounding RV campgrounds.

39.  WWOOF

This acronym stands for Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms, as the site enables you to find gigs on organic farms around the globe.

40. Udemy

Sign up on Udemy to teach classes anywhere in the world and get paid for them.

41. VIPkid

Get paid up to $22 an hour teaching English as a second language to an online classroom; although the site says you can choose your own hours, the selection might be dictated by where the clients reside.

42. Virtual Vocations

Apply for all kinds of telecommuting jobs on this site — and also access online training on what else but how to telecommute better.

43. YaCrew

Search from among 684 jobs on yachts or post your resume for consideration by one of these floating employers.

44. Yoga Travel Jobs

Find yoga instruction opportunities at spas around the world.

Digital nomads can earn a living while traveling and save money tooTravel, Lodging and Community

Sign up for tours with other digital nomads and have an instant community; or book your own arrangements using a la carte services.

45. AirBnB

This directory of short-term subletting opportunities — also known as home-sharing — has become the go-to for finding cheap accommodations anywhere in the world. You can use this site both to monetize your home while you travel — assuming you have a friend who can help you accommodate the short-term subletters in your home — and to find places to stay while you travel.

46. Bootsnall

Purchase multi-stop international flights on this site; create a traveler profile; and check out the community section to meet other digital nomads.

47. Couchsurfing.com

Here you can meet people in other parts of the world with a view toward crashing on each other’s couches without having to pay for accommodations. A premium version of this site costs $60 and verifies your identity to make you more trustworthy to others; this in turn enables you to make more meaningful connections on the site.

48. Floatplan

Somewhat akin to the yachting world’s version of home-sharing, this site lets you plan and join sailing adventures.

49. Groupon

The travel section on this discounts site includes deals on accommodations in different parts of the world.

50. Home Exchange

Trade places to stay with people in over 150 different countries; as of this writing, the site features about 65,000 different homes.

51. Hostel World

This site provides a directory of 36,000 youth hostels — with over 10 million verified reviews — in 170 different countries around the world.

52. MindMyHouse

Find house-sitting gigs around the world, so you save money on accommodations.

53. Nomador

Score free lodging in far-flung locales by doing a bit of pet-sitting for people who are away on holiday.

54. Remote Year

This startup may give you a case of sticker shock compared to other options until you compare it with the equivalent amount of time in big city apartment rent — plus expenses and touring. Pay $27,000 for a year of travel, about half that much for six months, and a quarter of the original amount for three months.

55. Trusted Housesitters

This site actually charges an annual membership fee of $119, which entitles you to find pet-sitting and house-sitting arrangements around the world.

56. WifiTribe

Like the name suggests, this travel arrangement comes with a bit of community, and the prices are much more modest than Remote Year. Pay a one-time membership fee of $300 — of which $100 gets credited toward any travel you book — and then pay $800 to $1,800 per month you travel, depending on how often you want to travel during a year and whether you want a private or shared room.

Digital nomads can earn a living while traveling and here's the deal with insurance

Global Insurance Plans

Nothing spoils a trip like accidents — so make sure you’re covered for all possibilities before you set off to be a digital nomad. Look into insurance plans that work in the parts of the world you’re heading to, while covering things that could arise while you travel — from unanticipated cancellations to loss of luggage and healthcare. Below are a couple of options that combine all of these types of coverage.

57. World Nomads Insurance

This company sells travel and health insurance that you can use in over 130 countries. Plans include up to $10,000 in coverage for unexpected cancellation of your trip; up to $100,000 for emergency medical and dental; up to $100,000 for evacuation and repatriation to your home country; and up to $3,000 for lost or stolen luggage and equipment.

58. Travel Insurance

This site lest you get competing quotes from multiple travel insurance providers — about a dozen of them are on there — so you can pick the plan that best suits your needs.

Are Digital Nomads Mainstream?

The fact that so many different resources have come about for digital nomads suggests that the practice of working and traveling at the same time has become practically mainstream.

The abundance of home-share and house-sitting exchanges in particular make it easier than ever for people to get moving without having to make many compromises. And the ample choices for work and community also make things easier than ever.

Readers, have you contemplated the digital nomad lifestyle — or practiced it at any point in time? And have you worked with any of the resources mentioned here? Please tell us about your experiences in the comments section beneath this post.

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Looking for more great travel advice? Give these articles a try:

If you enjoy reading our blog posts and would like to try your hand at blogging, we have good news for you; you can do exactly that on Saving Advice. Just click here to get started.

 

5 Great Getaway Ideas for Memorial Day Weekend

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<img src="greatgetawayideasformemorialday.jpg" alt="American Flags at a Cemetery">

About one in ten Americans are traveling at least 50 miles from home over the Memorial Day weekend, according to AAA estimates.

In case you’re still mulling where to go during the last weekend of May, here are some great getaway ideas.

Washington, DC

The nation’s capital is one of the best places to be during Memorial Day Weekend. The annual parade on the holiday itself brims with pomp and circumstance, and Arlington Cemetery becomes a sight to behold.

If you want to recognize the occasion, consider making a stop by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The changing of the guard is something everyone should witness. The beautiful execution of the transition from one guard to another is remarkable — just knowing that someone is watching over the site of a soldier 24/7 makes this a particularly special event.

There’s also a free Memorial Day concert at the Capitol Building.

The Rolling Thunder Run to the Wall motorcycle rally in honor of also occurs around Memorial Day, providing recognition for the service members who were unaccounted for after the Vietnam War.

You can round out your trip with a visit to the Smithsonian Institution’s museums where you can explore the history of the country.

Nantucket, Massachusetts

If you want to experience New England charm first hand, head to Nantucket this Memorial Day weekend. The area features quaint architecture, stunning golf courses, boutique shopping, and breathtaking natural beaches.

The city puts on an outstanding parade and service recognizing those that have sacrificed for their country. That means you can fully appreciate the holiday while enjoying the town.

Palm Springs, California

Want to have an incredibly unique experience? Head out to Palm Springs to witness the Palm Springs Air Museum’s Annual Memorial Day Flower Drop.

Some 3,000 red and white carnations float through the skies, thanks to some help from a B-25 bomber. The display is in dedication to the servicemen and women who keep the country safe.

The museum also puts on an air fair showcasing some of the nation’s most recognizable aircraft. Plus, there’s food, a beer garden, and much more.

Savannah, Georgia

If you want to experience the best of what the South has to offer, head to Savannah. The picturesque city is in full bloom, making the commemoration especially beautiful.

The Savannah Children’s Museum also hosts Bug Fest on the Saturday before Memorial Day. Kids can learn about a variety of insects while taking part in craft making and other activities.

Mackinac Island, Michigan

Every year, a Memorial Day observation takes place at Fort Mackinac Cemetery, ensuring that the holiday is properly recognized. A variety of local venues offer nightly entertainment and afternoon music, creating a fun environment to kick back and relax.

The town itself is quaint, making it perfect for relaxing day or nighttime strolls. You can also take carriage ride tours or shop at the various art galleries and boutiques.

All of the above cities are great for a Memorial Day weekend getaway, offering a range of activities the whole family can enjoy.

Readers, what kind of plans are you making for Memorial Day weekend?

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Looking for more great travel advice? Give these articles a try:

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Will a Timeshare Save You Money on Future Vacations?

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Will a Timeshare Save you money
In short, yes. A timeshare can save you a lot of money on future vacations, but only if purchased on the secondary resale market for the right reasons. It’s easy to make a life-long mistake when buying a timeshare, so you really must be careful before signing on the dotted line.

If you’re unfamiliar with the term “timeshare,” it is simply shared ownership of a vacation program or product. Timeshares have evolved over the years and can now refer to many different types of vacation ownership. A deeded interest in a resort points with a resort developer such as Marriott, Hilton, Westin etc. or something else entirely.

A timeshare resale is a timeshare that is purchased or rented on the secondary for sale by owner resale market. These timeshares can be had for up to 50% less than the same timeshare sold directly to a resort developer. If you’re going to buy a timeshare, it makes absolutely no sense to ever buy it through a resort developer directly. Always buy resale.

The Right Reasons to Buy a Timeshare

Timeshares can help you save money on future vacations if you typically travel with your family or larger groups. This is because most timeshares feature private bedrooms and kitchens within the one unit. It’s usually cheaper for a group for 4, 5, 6 or more to stay in one spacious unit than to book two separate rooms. The kitchen can also help everyone save money on dining out costs.

Timeshares can also be a good value if you like to get the family together each year for a family reunion at the same resort. You could buy a deeded interest timeshare on the resale market for a few hundred dollars and then you’d just need to pay the $500 – $800 per year in maintenance fees to stay there once per year.

The cost of a timeshare can increase when you constantly need to exchange it for a different location through an exchange service like RCI or II. These services allow you to exchange your timeshare week for a different timeshare in a different location, but require a fee to use.  

The Wrong Reasons to Buy a Timeshare

Never buy a timeshare thinking it’s going to increase in value over time. It won’t. Some timeshare products such as the Disney Vacation Club retain their value better than other timeshare products, but it’s extremely rare for a timeshare to increase in value over time.

The misconception that a timeshare will increase in value comes from the deed that is included with some timeshare products. Just because a timeshare has a deed does not mean it is real estate. Timeshare is a product of vacation time. It allows you to vacation in luxury for one or two weeks per year at a discounted price, but that’s where the benefits stop.

Don’t buy a timeshare thinking it will allow you to vacation for free or next to nothing. After you buy a timeshare you’ll need to continue to pay maintenance fees every year until you sell it or give it away. Figure out how much these maintenance fees will be before you buy and compare them to the cost of a similar hotel room. If you can book a 2-bedroom hotel room in the same resort for less than what you’d pay in yearly maintenance fees for an identical timeshare at that resort, why buy a timeshare there?

Lastly, don’t buy a timeshare unless you can commit to vacationing once per year. If you’re in poor health or have an unpredictable work schedule, you’d probably be better off not buying a timeshare.  If you’ve already purchased a timeshare and need help selling it, Newton Group Transfers can help you out today. Call them at 1-888-549-4154 now!

How to Travel Cheap

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How to Travel Cheap
Approximately 45 percent of Americans take a vacation during the summertime. The most popular destinations include the beach, resorts, national parks and amusement parks. Some will be heading down to Florida while others will escape to the wilderness. Whatever your vacation plans may be, you will want to be sure you are making the right decisions are far as your cash is concerned.

Should you drive? Should you fly? Is there a cheaper hotel in the area? Wherever you’re able to cut cost during vacation is a huge plus. While you’re trying to decided if there are any areas where you can trim your vacation plans, you may want to consider some of the points below to see if you can save even more and travel for cheap. Booking last minute vacations can be extremely therapeutic.

House-Sit or House-Swap

If you are looking to travel you could potentially swap houses with another person or family. There are websites that will allow you to register for a small fee and list your house available for a swap for an entire year. The length of time you will swap houses depends on the needs and wants of both parties. In addition to house swapping, if you are looking for a place to stay elsewhere, you may want to check Airbnb. Airbnb allows people to rent a room in their home or even their entire home out to others who are visiting the area. Oftentimes Airbnb is cheaper and you get more of a feel for the people who live in the area that way.

You can also consider house-sitting. You can check Mind My House for listings of people looking for someone to watch their home while they are away. If you are lucky you’ll get to go to a place like Miami and simply take care of someone’s home. This also means that you will actually get paid for traveling to the location in which you are house sitting. It is almost like getting paid to travel.

Look for Bargains for Travel

There are a plethora of travel websites that offer bundling deals as well as deals on flights, hotels, rental cars and everything else you could possibly need on your next vacation. One of the best places to check for travel deals is Groupon. The website/app has a section called “Groupon Getaways.” If you go to this section you can usually find amazing deals on packaged deals, hotels, flights and more.

If you are looking for a more competitive edge on pricing where your vacation is concerned, you may want to consider bidding on your vacation on Priceline. If this is something you are interested in, you can check BiddingforTravel for acceptable bids for your vacation getaway.

Volunteer and Travel

Obviously if you are seeking a relaxing vacation, volunteering isn’t the way to go. However, if you are simply looking to travel and see different parts of the country and the world, volunteering is a great way to do that. If you are looking to get involved in a volunteer program, some organizations cover everything up to your flight out. Most of the volunteer programs abroad deal with development, teaching English or crisis relief. You can also see different parts of the country by checking volunteer opportunities with your local Lions Club, Rotary Club or Optimist Club.

Don’t Pay For Things When You Travel

The biggest mistake people make when traveling both in and out of the country is paying for things that are free elsewhere. Don’t pay for breakfast when there is a hotel down the road that offers free continental breakfast. Don’t pay for WiFi when there’s practically free WiFi everywhere (and there’s probably a Starbucks close by). Although these things seem small, they can add up over the span of a week while you are on vacation. Be sure that you are 100 percent certain what you are paying for in the fees for the hotel or resort. Also do not forget to check into loyalty programs with the place you are staying. Sometimes these loyalty programs can offer further savings and perks for your trip.

Carpool or Hitchhike When You Travel

Okay – hitchhiking is not all that safe so we don’t recommend it. However, carpooling while you are on vacation is a great idea. Some hotels offer shuttle services to the more popular attractions in the area. You can also set up a carpool prior to your trip by using websites like hitchhikers.org. Although hitchhiking takes far less planning than carpooling, carpooling is the safer option. There are places throughout the world, like Cuba, where hitchhiking is simply a part of life though. Just be sure to keep your safety in mind when making the decision to hop in the car or not.

Be Flexible With Your Travel Plans to Save Money

If you can be flexible on your arrival and departure dates, you can save a ton of money. Oftentimes this is not an option for people because they have to get back home to return to work or other responsibilities at home. If you can swing some flexibility into your dates though, you can usually get plane tickets cheaper if you are willing to be a “standby” flight. You can also get cheaper hotels with some companies if you book last minute. Last Minute Hotels is a Travelocity-linked site that offers discounts for people booking their hotels within 48 hours of their stay.

If you aren’t set on a time of year for your trip, you can also shave a significant amount of money off your vacation by traveling during “down times.” For example, Disney World has a few weeks out of the year that are considered to be “dead weeks.” If you book during this time you will receive discounts and, an added bonus, there won’t be that many people crowding the parks.

Transport Vehicles

Some people are able to travel because of the type of work they have chosen. Some companies pay for their employees to travel while others have chosen the life of a travel journalist. However, even if you aren’t in either one of these lines of work, you may still be able to provide your services and be able to travel. You can do this by transporting vehicles. Some companies offer vehicle transfers. For instance, if you see a car on CarMax.com that you like it may not be in your area. Car Max will pay someone to transport the vehicle to the Car Max nearest you. You may also be able to transport vehicles privately. Sometimes when people relocate they need someone to drive their car behind the moving truck to their new location. This is a great way to make money as well as travel to new locations.

Look for a Travel Scholarship

Scholarships are not available to everyone but it is an option that is definitely worth checking into, especially if you are a student. Many colleges and universities have been aiming to make their students more well-rounded in international travel. You can receive scholarships to study abroad. While this is usually something available to students during their undergraduate years there are also a few options for adults seeking their graduate degree.

Enter Travel Contests

If you have some extra time, there are an immense amount of travel contests available. All you really have to do is Google “travel contests” and hundreds of pages of results will be returned. You may have to write something or submit a photo but you will receive cash or a free trip in return (worth it). Airlines, cruise lines, resorts, tourism boards and adventure travel companies also offer “prize” trips often. In fact, many people who gamble on cruises win free cruises that you can take within a few months. Many people aren’t able to take cruises every few months though so they often go unused. If you’re simply looking to travel, investing a little time and energy into travel contests may put you on track to traveling the world sooner than you thought.

Follow the Expert Travelers

This tip is one that many people should follow. If you are looking to travel the world but don’t have a ton of money to do so, follow travel experts. If they are making a living at traveling or traveling often they know where to get the best deals as well as the best places to go in whatever area you are visiting. A personal favorite travel blog is Nomadic Matt. There are many sites like Matt’s where you can simply sign up for email notifications about travel deals and tips.

How do you save money when traveling?

Photo: Flickr: Moyan Brenn