Although would be travelers often are careful to review theircheap traveloptions, including cheap airplane tickets,cheap deals,discounthotel rooms, discount traveldeals, and cheap vacation packages,it is surprising how many people get ripped off while traveling because theyare not paying attention.
The following are some of the most common ways travelerswaste money and how you can save on your next trip, according to RobertFirpo-Cappiello:
When youeat like a tourist by going to an eatery with the biggest neon sign in TimesSquare you are likely to be paying top dollar for food you probably could havemade better at home. Public spaces thatattract the biggest crowds are often the most expensive places to open arestaurant. Instead use guidebooks,local tourism boards, reliable travel media, and word of mouth to findauthentic joints that cook local favorites with good quality ingredients.
Mostcredit cards charge foreign transaction fees (typically about 3 percent)whenever you use your card to make a purchase. If you plan on using a credit card overseas, make certain you eitheralready have a card, or get one, that does not charge foreign transaction fees.
Overseastravelers often suffer from bad exchange rates. Airport kiosks, hotel desks, street vendors, and shops make additionalprofit by charging an undesirable rate of exchange. Before departing research exchange ratesonline and obtain your destinations currency from your bank or a currencyexchange. Make certain you have, orfind, a debit card that allows you to withdraw cash from most foreign ATMs at afavorable exchange rate.
Checkingtoo much baggage results in fees whether for additional bags or bags that weightoo much. Alternatively, you should packlight and determine what you will really need on your trip. Look into mailing some clothes and souvenirsback home instead of trying to cram them into your already over stuffed bags.
Incurringcredit card debt while traveling is a serious mistake if you will not be ableto pay off your bill within a month of returning home. Given some credit card rates, not to mentionpenalties and late fees, you could end up paying double for your dream tripover time.
Misunderstandingtravel insurance is a common travel mistake. This can take the form of either assuming that you do not need it orassuming that you do. Misunderstandingsof this type result in tourists spending way too much money on car rentals andtour operators for insurance that they already have on their debit or creditcards or auto or home insurance. Forgoing travel insurance when overseas can result in tourists having tospend thousands of dollars on medical care because they did not obtainappropriate medical insurance in advance.
Instead make a point of learning what typeof insurance your credit cards cover, and review what your auto, home, andhealth insurance policies cover when you are traveling.
Missingout on discounted admission to attractions results in unnecessaryspending. Programs such as CityPASS andsimilar offers in Europe may initially seem expensive, but when comparing thediscounts offered at attractions you most want to visit vs. the prices of thepass, you may determine that paying for a pass can result in substantial savings.
Bookinghotel and airfare too early can result in paying too much. Instead shop around and visit multiple travelInternet sites. If you really want tomaximize your travel dollars, be flexible and open to a range of departure andreturn dates, a range of airports, a range of hotels, and neighborhoods.
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