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7 Ways to Cut Travel Fees – Vacation on a Budget Without Sacrificing Fun

7 Ways to Cut Travel Fees - Vacation on a Budget Without Sacrificing Fun

From the moment you walk out the door as a tourist or traveler, it can feel like everything comes with a price tag. In fact, most people avoid traveling because the cost seems to outweigh the enjoyment of the trip. However, these 7 ways to cut travel fees will help you vacation on a budget without sacrificing fun…

1. Decline rental car insurance.

Not only is the insurance rate the rental company offers you often wildly inflated, it’s unnecessary. Drivers are typically covered through their current car insurance policy. If you don’t have a current insurance policy, check with the credit card you booked the rental through. Most credit companies offer additional protection, too.

Related: Cheap Travel – Tips to Save Money on Your Trips from the Pros

2. Bring your own water bottle.

TSA won’t allow you to bring a full water bottle through the gates, but conveniently let you purchase one after you make it through security. Either bring an empty water bottle to fill up at a fountain, or hit up one of the restaurants or coffee kiosks and ask for ice water. It will be free, but a tip for the effort is always appreciated.

3. Never use hotel WiFi.

Your hotel can charge you upwards of $35 a day to use their wifi. So, pack up your laptop and head to the nearest coffee house, or pretty much any other public location, to use the free wifi. Or, if you must stay in your room, use your mobile device to create your own personal hotspot.

4. Save on photo souvenirs.

When you walk into theme parks and attractions, you’ll be greeted with the sights and sounds of adventure…and professional photographers offering to take your family photo. These are often pricey pics, but you can often ask the photographer, or kind stranger passing by to snap a photo on your own device for free.

5. Avoid using a third party travel site to book your hotel.

You can usually find the exact same rates directly through the hotel website. Even better, if you call the hotel’s direct number, NOT the 1-800 number, ask them to beat the “discount” rate you found online, and they will often beat the price or toss in a few freebies!

Related: 5 Ways Discount Travel Booking Sites Are Costing You

6. Consider those extra hidden fees when booking super-cheap airfares.

Several companies, like Spirit and Frontier, offer low airfares, but then charge you for everything from picking your seat to a pack of peanuts. Make sure you factor in baggage fees and seat reservations that are often unavoidable if you are family or group who needs to sit together. Suddenly, the $70 in baggage fees and $35 in seat reservations for a round trip fare just as steep as competitor’s prices.

7. Avoid out-of-network ATM fees.

If you are in need of cash and you’re not near one of your bank’s ATMs, go to a grocery store and by a pack of gum or water bottle and use the cash back option to avoid ATM fees. The transaction processes as a point-of-sale withdrawal, so there won’t be any out-of-network ATM fees.