We finally decided to plan a cheap trip to Cairns, as I have never been there and there is just so much to see.
To save money and to plan a cheap trip, we researched all aspects of our holiday to plan a cheap trip. We are lucky enough to be members of a holiday club through Worldmark South Pacific Vacation Club by Wyndham so we were able to pay for accommodation with our points. Had we not had points available, we probably would have looked further into cheap holiday getaways to plan a cheap trip.
We also invited my in-laws, since we will be staying in a three-bedroom apartment. They will enjoy a cheap trip, will get to spend time with us - especially little LJ and we will have childcare available when we want to go out ALONE together. I cant wait to go on a date with my husband again!
Listed below are tips on how to plan a cheap trip and save money when you book your cheap holiday trips.
When you Plan a Cheap Trip, Compare Airfares
I compare airfares between carriers and if I can save a few bucks, will use one airline in one direction and another for the return. My favorite Australian carrier is Qantas as our family all have Qantas frequent flyer memberships and between us we have enough points for return flights to either the USA or Europe, which we plan to use next year. However, if we can save money by flying another carrier, it is worthwhile.
Book cheap holiday trips well in Advance
To plan a cheap trip, we book cheap holiday trips well in advance to ensure availability. Most bookings can be changed or cancelled until a certain date, so periodically we compare prices to see if we can get a better price elsewhere. We booked our car hire in July 09 which was a good thing. To hire the same car now would cost an additional $400 for the week.
Pay for Cheap Holiday Getaways with Cash, not Credit Card
Booking in advance also allows us to save money toward a cheap trip so that we dont need to use the credit card to pay for bookings and spending money. We use our credit card out of choice to earn points and can easily afford to pay it off at the end of the month, rather than feeling guilty about recreation credit card use that leads to credit card interest charges.
Points used the Right Way will Save Money on your Cheap Trip Vacation
I am devoted to points, probably because I like the feeling of getting something for nothing...well almost. I know there's an annual credit card fee, but we never pay credit card interest. To plan a cheap trip, you can still spend a lot of money, so if each dollar I spend earns points I can eventually plan a cheap trip for nothing.
When you plan a cheap trip earn points by using an airline loyalty program for flights, paying with a credit card that offers rewards and if you can use accommodation loyalty clubs, timeshare or vacation club points, utilize these as well.
