Tricks to Travel on a Dime

Tricks to Travel on a Dime
Teresa Hunsaker
Mike Whitesides
About the Presenters
Teresa
Mike
• Traveled to 20+ countries
• Acquired a few million
miles/points (I’m much
older than Mike)
• Traveled ‘cheap’
everywhere
• Been in all but two states
in US
• Traveled to 20+ countries
• Acquired over 1,000,000
miles and points
• Places I’ve traveled
cheap:
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Disneyland
Europe
Mexico
Caribbean
Why this Class Here?
• Families that play
together stay
together.
• Relationships are
strengthened when
time together is
carefree and
unencumbered.
Visualize…your next vacation?
• Go back to a vacation you absolutely loved.
– What was it about that vacation that made it
great?
– Was it the specific location, the company, the
relaxed pace?
– Was it time spent with family unplugged from
work?”
• What is the ‘why’ behind your next vacation?
• Let this inspire you to plan and save.
The Tale of Two Families
Prices
Wrights
Prices
Wrights
• Must go to a specific
place and then look
for a good deal.
• Must travel on
holidays and during
the summer.
• Keep their options
open and find the
best value.
• Find the cheapest
dates to travel.
Adapted from Make Your Travel Dollars Worth a Fortune, by Tim Liffel
Prices
Wrights
• Book package deals
for the whole family.
• Create their own
package with deals
on condos, hotels and
flights.
• Look for dining
coupons and make
their own food.
• Eat out for every meal
during their trip.
Adapted from Make Your Travel Dollars Worth a Fortune, by Tim Liffel
Prices
Wrights
• They return home to a • They know they got
depleted bank
the best deal possible
account or lots of
and return home to a
credit card debt. 
bank account still
containing enough
funds for the next trip!
Adapted from Make Your Travel Dollars Worth a Fortune, by Tim Liffel
Prices
Wrights
Barriers to Travel
•
•
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•
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Money
Time
Work
Family
Fear
Critical obligations
What others?
“Many things will catch your eye, but
only a few will catch your heart…pursue
those.” – Anonymous
Getting Started
• Have a plan
– # of trips/year
– Destinations prioritized (go where the deals are?)
• Determine a budget
– Realistic to destination/time/strength of currency
• Be flexible with expectations
• Know your limits
– Travel style
– Time
• Balance
Savings on Site Seeing
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Free walking tours…Big Apple Greeters
Free entrance times at museums
Free local attractions, activities, events
Join membership clubs (historical societies)
to save on entrance fees and time in lines
• Buy day passes at ‘all inclusive’ resorts
Savings on Travel
• Airlines booked Tuesday afternoons often
save $
• Travel on lower demand days…ie: T/W
• Check multiple booking search engines
• Enjoy a 'sales pitch' trip
• Know airline hubs
• Use ‘budget’ airlines
• Be flexible on routes
Savings on Meals/Food
•
•
•
•
Hotel with breakfast
Pack a lunch…grocery stores/markets
Coupons or ‘kids eat free’
Grocery store deli’s usually have great
fresh food, for less (when in US cities)
• Ask the locals
Staying Connected Savings
• Phone: use a mobile phone abroad…buy local SIM
cards. All it requires is an unlocked phone or an old/rented
phone Simply buy a local pay-as-you-go SIM card or
purchase a multi-country SIM card.
• WIFI: wifi tends to be free at budget hotels and cost up to
$10 a day at chain hotels. Or, at any Starbucks, most
McDonald’s and independent coffee shops.
• Text messaging packages: global messaging packages to
150 countries for as little as $10/month
• Skype/Face Time
• iMessage
A Word About Cruises
• Do the math…
– Port fees
– Drink cards
– Tips
– Excursions
• CruiseCompete.com for current deals on
repositioning cruises.
• Book early
Savings on Accommodations
• Vacation Rentals by Owner (VRBO.com; wimbu.com;
Airbnb.com)
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Time Share Presentations
Resort Certificates
College campus housing
Hostels
Red eye flights/trains
Friends/family
VRBO.com
ResortCerts.com
Call if they don’t have what
you’re looking for.
stores.ebay.com/all-good-vacations
WannaGoVacations.com
Globe Trotting
• 2012
– Bahamas Cruise and
Orlando/Disneyworld
– Costa Rica
– Cancun
– Disneyland
• 2013
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Orlando/Disneyworld
Disneyland 3Xs
Barcelona, Spain
Cancun
Dominican Republic
• 2014
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Disneyland
Cancun
Orlando/Disneyworld
Puerto Rico
Portland
Cancun
• 2015
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Cancun
Las Vegas
Puerto Vallarta
Dominican Republic
• 2016
– Orlando
– Puerto Vallarta
– Cancun
Creditcation
Value in Points/Miles
Miles & Point
are the new currency
(Not cash and coins)
Credit Card Tips
•
•
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•
•
Check your credit report
Pay your bills on time
Pay off your balance in full each month
Pay off debt rather than moving it around
Space out credit card applications
(3-4 applications per year)
• Don’t open credit cards if you’re buying or
refinancing a home soon
Southwest Rapid Rewards Visa
=
4-5 Round-trip Tickets
from SLC to LAX
= $650
IHG Rewards Mastercard
=
4 nights hotel FREE
= $420
Marriott Rewards Visa
Up to 12 nights FREE!
(5th night free)
= $560
Meeting Spends on Credit Cards
• Pay Bills
– Cellphone
– Cable
– Internet
– Medical/Dental
• Pay memberships
– Netflix
– Gym
• Food
– Groceries
– Eating Out
– Lunch Money
• Repairs and Insurance
– Home
– Car
• Gifts
• Gas
VS
Travel Cost Comparison
Driving
Miles R/T
(SLC to Anaheim)
1,400
Flying
Miles R/T
(SLC to Anaheim)
1,400
Gas Per
Gallon
Gas
Mileage
Total Price
for Gas
Hours
w/Kids in
Car
$2
22
$127
20 hours
Gas Per
Gallon
Airline
Points
Total Price
for Airfare
Hours in
Plane
0
9,000
$11.20
2
VS
Hotel Cost Comparison
Driving
Nights at
Disneyland
Nights for
Travel
Total
Nights
Price per
Night
Total Price
5
2
7
$130
$910
Nights at
Disneyland
Hotel
Points
Total
Nights
Price per
Night
Total Price
5
75,000
5
$0
$0
Flying
Creditcation
50,000 Mile Offer
= ~5 RT Tickets SLC to LAX
80,000 Points Offer
5 nights hotel
PRO TIP: For double the points get a
card for you and your spouse.
5 nights for 80,000 points
6.2 miles
from
Disneyland
Discount Disneyland Tickets
75thforcesupport.com/content/tickets
WeTravelCheap.com
WeTravelCheap.com/p/disneyland.html