Long Weekend Getaway Savings Tips (Part 1)!

There are few things in life as happy and satisfying as taking a well-earned vacation. Long weekend vacations are one of the best ways to maximize fun and minimize expenses. Use these five tips to make your long weekend vacation stress free and affordable.

1. Use a single vacation day for uber long weekends – Did you notice Canada falls on a Thursday this year? If you used just 1 vacation day you end up with 4 days off in a row, which is a good chunk of R&R! Watch the calendar and look for ways you can use the least vacation days for the biggest reward.

2. Plan as far ahead as possible – Hotel rooms and flights are usually at their cheapest when you book them well in advance. Especially if you plan to vacation during an off season.

3. If you didn’t plan, be flexible and take advantage of last minute deals – If you’re coming up on a vacation and haven’t booked anything yet, you can still get massive discounts by researching prices online. In fact, if you aren’t going to book in advance, the next best time to book accommodations and flights is right before you go. Take advantage of seat sales (airline discounts on unsold seats) an un-booked hotel room discounts.

4. Check your credit cards – Many credit card companies offer affiliate discounts and can even help you book your vacation at a discount. If you aren’t sure whether or not your card offers this service, give customer service a call and find out what they can do for you.

5. Check out your local travel agents – Travel agencies aren’t always more expensive, and many travel agents can get you into group discount packages, or point the way to exclusive vacation discounts that are hard to find any other way.

That’s not it… we have more tips for you – but first you have homework (don’t worry, it’s the fun kind). Think about your next vacation! Are you going to take a long weekend next weekend and get away? Are you saving up your vacation days and vacation pennies for a bigger trip? Just keep thinking about it, and the tips above… and check back here on Thursday for a few more tips!