Smart shopping expert gives tips for vacationing without breaking the bank

As the summer travel season rolls in, smart shopping expert shares ways to make the most out of your vacation without breaking the bank.

“Saving on flights is actually not as hard as you think,” Trae Bodge said on FOX Business’ “Mornings with Maria” Thursday. 

Bodge started off by suggesting the best time to travel. 

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“Think about traveling midweek if you can because the prices are lower in the middle of the week,” she said.

Using tools like Hopper or Google Flights is a good way to “get a sense of” the cheapest day of the week to travel, she said, but “flexibility” is key. 

“You will see that flights are cheaper on Tuesdays and Wednesdays versus other days of the week. Of course, we usually want to travel, say, from Sunday to Saturday, but if you have that flexibility, you could save.”

“Saving on flights is actually not as hard as you think.” 

– Trae Bodge, smart shopping expert at TrueTrae.com

While travel aggregators compare prices, going through the airline can be a way to save on airfare.

“Look at your aggregators, you know, your travel aggregators, but also look directly at the airline. When I flew to Berlin, I actually found a better rate directly with the airline that I found on the aggregator in this particular case,” she explained. 

Being flexible in airport choice is also a smart way to save, she added. 

Another alternative for those traveling domestically is to consider driving.

“Take a road trip instead because that will save you significantly,” she said. 

When it comes to lodging, Bodge said “it’s good to explore” choosing between a vacation rental and a hotel.

Turning to lodging, Bodge shared some tips on how to save while looking for a place to stay. When it comes to finding the best deal, “take that extra step to look for savings,” she stressed.  

“Look at deal sites to see if you can save on either one. Like, for example, PayPal Honey, who I work with, they have savings at VRBO, but they also have savings at hotels.com. They also have savings at Expedia.”

Bodge also delved into the perks of choosing where to stay. 

“What I like about a vacation rental is that you have more flexibility, you have more space.” 

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In addition, a quick run to the grocery store can save on the cost of going out for meals. 

“Staying in a vacation rental as well, having that one meal in-house, like we had breakfast every day in our Airbnb after going to the grocery store. Once we saved significantly by not eating breakfast.”

She also suggested joining hotel loyalty programs and getting benefits like free WiFi or breakfast. 

When expenses begin to add up while traveling, Bodge gave some ideas for cutting unnecessary credit card and ATM fees. 

“If you’re flying internationally, use a credit card that has no foreign transaction fees. Make sure you have that card in your wallet. You know which one it is,” she explained. 

“Something else to keep in mind is don’t get cash from the cash exchange, get it out of the ATM instead and try to do one ATM visit at the beginning of the week versus multiple visits, because you’ll be hit with those little fees every single time you try to take money out,” she added. 

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