Fishing Poles, Waders And Supplies

A critical part of the travel budget is transportation and this often includes airfare. The frugal traveler does more than keep an eye out on the internet for discounted flights. He or she looks for more creative ways to stretch their travel dollars.

Using Free Stopovers: When the hubby and I traveled to Australia the first time, we flew Air New Zealand. Why? Because the airline offered a free stopover in their hub in New Zealand. We had never seen the country and were planning to tour it anyway. This way, we didn't have to pay for airfare to and from. The second time we traveled to Australia, we flew Air Tahiti Nui. This airline offered, as you guessed it, a free stopover in Tahiti on the way to or back. This was another place we had always wanted to visit.

Hidden Cities: Free stopovers are a benefit openly offered by some airlines. Hidden cities are not only unadvertised but are actively discouraged by the airlines. However they can be a great savings for the frugal traveler.

The reason this can be a huge savings is for example, you're flying from New York to say, Las Vegas, it might actually be cheaper to take a NY to LA flight and just get off at a stopover in Las Vegas. The downfalls to using this tactic is that you will be unable to get your luggage as it will go to the original destination which makes it a mostly carry-on luggage type of trip.

Getting Bumped: If you're looking to get very lucky with your travels and perhaps get a night or two more in a city you quite enjoy, be open to the option of being bumped. Typically airlines compensate you quite well when you give up your seat to another passenger.

Travelers knowing the rules know the compensation offered (check the carriers website), know the next flights out (be wary of carriers with once a week flights), and can weigh that against the pain of disrupted plans. The hubby and I always decide before arriving at the airport (early so we have a boarding pass to give up) whether or not it's worth it. That way we can be the first to offer up our seats should the opportunity to arise. It's almost always free round trip tickets or up to $300 in travel vouchers per ticket!

There are ways to increase the chance of being bumped. The simplest of which is booking an already quite full flight (usually a flight later on in the day). Air travel doesn't have to blow a traveler's budget. With some monitoring of discount sites and using some creativity, the frugal traveler can receive more for less.

Booking Your Ticket Online: By using an online travel site, you're typically able to get much better deals than with a travel agent.

Consider booking your hotel a few weeks in advance before you travel to popular destinations like Zurich. It's smart to find your Zurich cheap hotel before the hotels get filled up which tends to happen, especially during busy travel months.

Alejandra R. Machado is part Swiss and was born in Geneva though she grew up in Brazil. Traveling throughout Europe and particularly her amazing homeland of Switzerland is her greatest satisfaction. She writes of her travels on her blog as well as gives reviews about each Zurich hotel room she visits.

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