Budget Travel For The Adventurous Traveler

By Marcela Devivo

For many people, setting a budget is integral to their travel
plans. As long as you have a reasonable budget, you can find
almost anything, including a flight, which will fit into your
plans. Setting a budget is the easy part; the more difficult
part is finding the right trip that fits your criteria.

Determine the time and dates you are willing to go. The broader
range you give yourself, the more likely you are to find
something that fits your monetary needs. Remember that many
lower airplane fares come with restrictions, such as a mandatory
weekend stay or a ticket purchase two or three weeks ahead of
time.

After you figure out your budget and time ranges, go to a
couple travel sites. Check on several dates and times, as
certain days are often cheaper than others. For instance,
leaving on a Tuesday will almost always be less expensive than
leaving on a Saturday, though this isn't always the case.

If you live in a small town, look for departures in a bigger
city, as the airports are bigger and carry more options for
potential travelers. However, if the nearest city is two hours
away, you may want to rethink that option. The same goes in a
larger city: the bigger airport usually has the best airfares
because it's more competitive.

Look for ticket options far enough ahead of time that you can
revisit your search later and check for lower prices or better
deals.

Another option for travelers is to serve as couriers. This is
best for people doing a long commute without check-in luggage:
you essentially carry packages or items for the airline, which
are substituted for your baggage options. Companies often offer
much lower fares to those who choose this option, so its worth
looking into.

And last but not least, put that credit card to good use. If
you fly a lot, you probably already have a credit card with
frequent flyer mileage awards; if not, look into it. Even if you
fly only once a year, you can rack up miles quickly and save up
for a trip or use your miles for a first class or business class
upgrade.