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Travel Mistakes That Will Bust Your Vacation and Budget

Travel Mistakes That Will Bust Your Vacation and Budget

Traveling can be an art, and these common travel mistakes will bust your vacation and your budget. Make sure you are a savvy traveler and check out these tips on how to save our money and trip.

Relying on Aggregators to Find the Cheapest Flight

Gone are the days when you could easily and simply search hundreds of flights one site. Thanks to airlines adding on “extras” and charging you from everything to where you sit to the air you breathe during the flight, aggregators rarely add in all the fees. Suddenly, that $150 round trip flight is double the price thanks to baggage fees, seating charges, and the extra taxes the aggregator didn’t factor in. Also, some airlines, like Southwest, aren’t even and included in the search results.

Booking Hotels Through Third Party Sites

We here at Tourist Meets Traveler have covered this topic on several occasions, and while it’s bordering on nagging, we beg you to use third party sites as more a guide than a booking tool. You can find more details here at Hotel Secrets, Confessions, and How to Score to Freebies, but in summation – always call a hotel directly to book a room. It will ensure you get a decent room at the same, if not better, price than those “discount” travel sites.

Not Asking Questions

Airbnb is a growing trend that can save you money and give you a unique experience, but don’t forget to put extra effort into booking the room, house, or apartment. Look at the pictures with a scrutinizing eye. If there are 10 pictures of 1 room and nothing else – be wary. The words “semi-private” and “cozy” should also be avoided. Also, we can’t stress this enough, make contact and ask questions with the renter. If they aren’t willing to answer questions before you book, think of how much they will care after they have your money.

Not Eating Local Food

As tempting as checking out every Olive Garden across America might be, go out on a limb and try something new. Eating local fare is an amazing way to immerse yourself in culture. It can also save money and keep you from dining at another tourist trap restaurant. For full tips on how to avoid these eateries, check out Travel Tips to Eat Like a Local and Avoid Tourist Trap Restaurants.

Not Researching Scams

When traveling, especially to foreign countries, make sure you research the area beyond it’s attractions. Find out what the people are like and what crime you should anticipate. Even in America, you can be tricked into forking over your cash. We have covered some of the most common scams here at Biggest Traveling Scams and How to Avoid Them, but go the extra mile and do some research.