It’s always a good time to get a good deal. But as tariffs take effect on some imported goods — and as the Trump administration continues to negotiate tariffs with other countries — you may be especially interested right now in how you can save money while you shop.
Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine has taken the time to assess how you can find deals this year on investments, groceries, electronics, clothing, cars and travel, as well as how to take advantage of credit card perks — with a special emphasis on finding deals for products and services most prone to rising prices as the trade war evolves. In this article, we look at deals on travel. (See below to find links to our other articles about deals.)
Hire a travel agent
Outsourcing some or all of your travel planning to an agent comes with a number of perks. For one, it can provide peace of mind that your journey will be free of costly mistakes, such as booking a flight too late.
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And travel agents often specialize in certain regions where their expertise can help ensure your trip runs smoothly, helping you find lodging, tours and other services that suit your tastes.
In addition to having some familiarity with your destination, travel agents typically know how to secure the best discounts, including deals for bundling your bookings.
If you book both your flight and hotel through a travel agency, for instance, the hotel might lower the room rate.
Plus, travel agents often have insider access to unpublished rates for hotels, resorts and tour operators, and savings can typically be anywhere from 5% to 10% off published rates.
AAA members get complimentary travel-planning services, and online travel agencies such as Gateway Travel, Fora Travel and Unlimited Journeys can connect you with an agent free or for a low fee.
Many travel agents who don’t charge clients a fee are paid a commission by the vendors that they book you with, so you may be limited to their partners, in some cases.
Catch last-minute deals
Waiting until the last minute to book travel may sound counterintuitive, and it’s risky during peak travel periods — often in the summer and on holidays, when the flight or lodging that you need may have limited or no availability.
But sometimes, booking at the last minute can get you a good deal on a hotel stay or a flight, especially if you can be flexible about where and when you book.
On some flights, you may find the best deals one to two weeks before departure, when many airlines lower prices on unsold seats.
Look for destinations that see a significant dip in tourism during the off-season, such as a ski-resort town in the summer. You can also find deals three to five days in advance of departure, but your choices may be limited.
Being flexible about which day you fly, as well as which airports you fly in and out of, may help find you the best deals.
You can also take advantage of tools such as Google Flights, SkyScanner.com and Hopper.com to search for flights for various dates and destinations. Going.com is another reliable resource for deals on flights.
Although deals on same-day flight bookings are rare, in some cases, you may be able to save big by booking a hotel the day you plan to stay.
Apps and websites such as HotelTonight.com and Priceline.com specialize in these kinds of deals.
Before booking through a third party, however, consider calling the hotel directly to see whether it’s offering a special rate for last-minute bookings. Sometimes hotels offer deals not listed online.
Save on the daily rate with an extended stay
A flexible traveler can often find good deals on lodging by opting for an extended stay.
For example, stays of more than seven nights at many vacation rentals listed on Airbnb.com and VRBO.com typically cost anywhere from 5% to 15% less per day than they do for shorter stays, and some hosts offer up to 25% off for week-long stays.
Monthly stays, however, tend to have the steepest discounts; you can typically get anywhere from 10% to 40% off your daily rate if you opt for a month-long reservation via Airbnb or VRBO.
And in some major cities, it’s common to see a monthly discount of 30% to 50% on these platforms, especially for smaller apartments.
Many hosts are also open to direct negotiation for long stays, particularly if you’re booking in the off-season. You can message hosts via their listing to get more information.
Note: This item first appeared in Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine, a monthly, trustworthy source of advice and guidance. Subscribe to help you make more money and keep more of the money you make here.
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