Wyndham Wisdom

Cents + Sensibility Reader Tips

• Look for packages that include complimentary meals and/or transportation (shuttle service, etc.).
• Use AAA discount when you can.
• Check with your University/College alumni office usually they have special rates where other alumni work, etc.
• Eat at restaurants off the beaten path.
• Stay at a hotel with a kitchenette or rent a condo so you can prepare some meals there.
• Always ask for a better rate. You never know.
• Sightseeing, always shop around... may seem tedious but can sometimes be an advantage.
• Go to the local grocery store for water, soda and alcohol since beverages can add up over a week.
• Bring coupons with you to use at the store to buy items for breakfast, lunch and snacks to save money.
• Travel Wed. to Wed. or Thurs. to Thurs. -- play with the dates to find the lowest rates. It helps on the hotel and usually on the airfare as well, sometimes up to double the savings.
• Use your credit card points for car rentals or flights.
• Pack carefully to avoid a trip to the costly hotel gift shop to purchase toiletry essentials or worse, clothing.
• Order delivery from a local restaurant to save money.
• When feeding a family, use restaurant delivery and order fewer dinners than you have eaters - meals are always so large!
• Make the first stop on your trip a grocery store to buy fruit, nuts and other healthy snacks to avoid the unhealthy and costly items in the vending machines.
• Check with the chamber of commerce for local (and many times free) activities going on during your stay.
• Check with your HR department about coupons and reduced prices for employees. There are organizations that offer reduced prices for play productions (even in NYC), adventure parks, Historic Sites and so on.
• Use a cell phone instead of the hotel phone for long distance calls.
• Use weather.com, or another weather web site to get an accurate assessment of the weather during your stay.
• Make sure you have all of your medicines and have a plan in case you lose them.
• Stay with family or friends to save on vacation costs then spend a couple of nights in a nearby hotel to give you a chance to explore on your own.
• Ship your new purchases home rather than check them at the airport. Some stores will do this for a small fee - or sometimes for free.
• Remember ID when traveling with children.
• Let kids choose what they would like to play with on the plane. Remember to save something different for the trip home. Kids love novelty.
• Engage older children by looking at all the new inventions in the sky mall catalogue in the seat pocket. What a great way to learn about how your child sees the world - and it's free to take home.
• Use tap water and avoid buying bottled water - unless the water where you are is unsafe. If the kids do not enjoy the different taste - squeeze in some lemon or lime that you picked up at the grocery stor the first day.
• Use long weekends to explore out-of-season places that you might not be able to afford during summer vacations.
• Go places that are different than your favorites if it looks economical - who knows - you may discover a new interest.
• Check out the entertainment book website - there are often discounts there on car rentals, attractions and restaurants.
• Read Frommers or Zagat's for authentic (to the area) restaurants that are favorites of the locals. These are usually less expensive, have great food, and give you a better feel for the culture of the destination you are visiting.
• Save your coins and cash them in for extra spending money on trips.
• Schedule and pay for flights via the web. Use travel sites to compare rates and schedule the lowest fares.