Save Money on Flights
Airlines love charging fees.
So if its so great, why should you stop paying for travel insurance?
Because you might already have it.
Kayak has abreakdown of all these costs here.
Better yet,pack your bags more efficientlyso you wont need to check one at all.
Booking Fees
Like baggage fees, getting around booking fees is about knowing what not to do.
And that means never booking a ticket over the phone or in person.
Always book online to avoid those fees.
However, there is another extra fee that you’re able to avoid: third-party change fees.
For example, Orbitz charges you$30 to change a ticketon top of the airlines fee.
To avoid these, just book your tickets directly through the airline.
Hotels add on small fees for cancellations and Wi-Fi, but theyre easy to avoid paying.
Look around the room and see if theres an ethernet cable you could use.
If that doesnt work, you arent out of luck.
However, they dont charge you to change your reservation to a different date.
Its a little sneaky, but it should work in most cases.
Because of that, they can get you to pay extra simply by overwhelming you with choices.
Here are a couple fees they tag on if youre not careful.
Its a hefty fee too.
Most rental car agencies have locations downtown, so you should be able to get there by public transit.
Depending on the length of your stay, this will save you a lot of money.
You might be able to skip the rental car altogether.
Rental Car Insurance
Most rental car agencies push their insurance plans on you.
After all, everyone needs insurance to drive, right?
For most of us, those car rental insurance plans are both redundant and a rip-off.
Its redundant for two reasons.
Second, if you book with a credit card, most credit card companies will cover you as well.
Basicallyevery single credit cardoffers insurance on rental cars provided you pay for the rental in full with that card.
Of course, policies vary from card to card, so check the fine print before you travel.
Save Money Everywhere Else
Its not just cars, hotels, and flights, of course.
Here are a couple others youll want to watch out for.
Avoiding these charges is easy.
ATM Fees and Conversion Fees
If youre traveling abroad, youll probably need to convert some money.
Most credit cards charge you 3% per transaction and over $5 per ATM withdrawal.
Those can add up quickly!
Avoiding these fees requires a little bit of preparation.
Of course, we all cant get approved for every credit card we want.
As for the ATM, your best bet is to find partner banks.
With a little preparation, you might save yourself a lot of money and a lot of headaches.
Photos byHernan Pinera,Kevin Dooley,ian,DJ Judah.
