The Power of Upgrades: Get Free Stuff While you Travel!

You work hard all year, and finally, finally you get to take your vacation. You save for it, you plan it, and all you want is for it to go off without a hitch. OK, well actually you’d probably like a little more than that – but can you afford it?

Don’t let your dream vacation turn into a frugal scrimp-fest. You won’t enjoy your vacation as much if you worry about every penny along the way. At the same time, if you spend without any thought to life after vacation, you probably won’t be getting another one any time soon. So what do you do?

Tap into the power of free upgrades to turn a simple retreat into a vacation you will never forget.

Here are a few upgrade tips that won’t cost you a dime:

Celebrate with strangers – Ok so you might not want to literally celebrate with strangers, but it doesn’t hurt to frequently mention any occasion you are celebrating. Is it your birthday? Anniversary? First vacation in ten years? Odds are, every restaurant, hotel or airline that you use has some sort of way to help you celebrate. It might be a free dessert, an on-the-house drink or a substantial discount. How will you know unless you mention it?

Hassle your hotel – When you arrive at your hotel ask them about upgrading your room. If they aren’t booked solid you could find yourself in a very nice suite with zero extra expense. To increase your odds, call a few hotels before you book and ask them what their upgrade policy is.

Rental Secrets – Are you planning to rent a car? Check it over carefully before you sign on the dotted line. If it’s not what you expected, don’t be afraid to march right back in and politely ask for something different. Depending on availability you could end up with a much nicer model of car that you initially planned on – often without paying any more for it.

Book Early, and Be Flexible – The earlier you book flights, hotel rooms and car rentals the more you will usually save. However, don’t overlook those same-day discounts. Airlines especially may have unfilled seats, and hotels and cruise lines may have last minute cancellations. Slide right into those slots and enjoy a high-end vacation without spending fortune.

Also – sites like Hotwire.com andPriceline.comare great ways to add some extra juice to your vacation on the cheap. Keep your eyes peeled for a post on this coming soon!