Money-Saving Tips for Summer Trips

Higher air fares and a fast-shrinking dollar means that travelers planning summer vacations in Europe will need to look hard for money-saving deals and budget tours.

With summer promising few bargain airfares to Italy, Spain and Portugal and tighter limits on redeeming frequent flyer miles, travelers need to look even harder for ways to stretch their shrinking travel dollar. Here are a few tips on planning budget travel in Europe.

Pay in Dollars – Look for tours, cruises and lodging packages that guarantee the rates in American dollars. This protects you from its further fall and locks in the price.

Look for Packages – The more you can package into one deal, the better a price you can expect. This doesn’t mean you must go on a tour – look for independent travel deals that package air, hotels and car rental, for example, or even just hotels and car. For example, TourCrafters is offering budget-priced packages to Puglia, in southern Italy, that include quality hotels and rental car, beginning at about $1100 a couple.

Read, Read, Read – The more you learn about a destination, the more money you can save there. Find out where the locals eat, learn about public transport, search out low-cost activities. You’ll also have a richer experience, meeting locals instead of other tourists.

Get Out of Town – Lodging and dining is nearly always cheaper in small towns or suburban neighborhoods than in city centers. Public transport is excellent in Europe, so join the commuters heading into town on the morning trains (or go a bit later to miss the rush) and save big on lodging.

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