Unless you’re down to your last dollar, the cheapest travel deal isn’t necessarily going to be the best deal for you. It seems that every street corner, and every second website is flogging a travel deal these days. Whilst the abundance of options is wonderful, the job of trying to sort out the best deal from the mountain of offers can be overwhelming.

You need to set the budget that you have to work with, and you need to settle on your “Where, What, When and How”. No need for a “Why”, I’m guessing you already know why you need a holiday.!

Assuming you know how much money you have to spend, you then have to sort out Where you want to go. What you want to do there. When you want to go, and How you plan on getting there.Once you have your budget and the three W’s and your H sorted out, you are ninety percent of the way there.

Always plan as far ahead as possible – the trend these days is to sell off airfares and packages in stages, with the cheapest going first, so it’s “first in, best dressed”.

Planning well ahead usually means that you can be more flexible with your dates as well. Flexibility is a sure way to save big. One or two days either side of your preferred dates could mean a huge difference in airfares.

If you are planning a straightforward holiday then you may as well book your own travel directly with the airlines, cruise line or accommodation venue, and save the travel agents slice of the action.

If on the other hand, you are planning a more complex itinerary then the time a travel agent can save you will be well worth the extra expense. You will usually minimize the agent costs by getting them to arrange all your requirements at once, rather than one task at a time.

Packaged holidays such as fly/drive or fly/cruise deals are worth taking a close look at, as they are often very good value. Provided they include what you had planned on including in your holiday anyway, then you may well get a bit of extra holiday for your dollar.

The internet is the travelers’ friend. It has never been easier to compare travel costs than it is today. The internet is a great place to find “last minute” deals. Airlines and hotels are frequently offering last minute deals that represent a 50% or more saving.

Be open to slight changes to you original plans. Small changes, like flying with a lesser know airline, traveling a slightly different route, or taking in an extra stopover can often be well worth the effort. Moving you holiday back or forward a week or two can mean you avoid the peak times. You may as well let someone else pay full price for the same holiday you are going to get a week later at 25% off.

The peace of mind you get from having adequate insurance for any unfortunate turn of events on your holiday, is well worth the expense. The costs involved in an uninsured overseas hospital stay, or an accident of some sort, can not only ruin the holiday, but has the potential to ruin your finances for life. Buy the Insurance.

Depending on the extent of your travel plans, it may be worth looking into the incentive schemes offered by some of the airlines and accommodation chains. Whilst the saving won’t be anything significant for a single holiday, they can quickly add up if you are a frequent traveler.

Remember, it’s important to compare all your options since not all cheap travel deals will turn into the holiday you’re looking for. It’s much better to pay a bit extra and have a great holiday, than to wring every dollar you can out of the budget, and have a miserable time

There is no doubt that hotel costs are among the biggest part of any vacation budget, and the failure to find affordable lodging has harpooned many an otherwise well planned vacation. One of the keys to enjoying a great vacation without breaking the bank is striking the best possible deal on the roof over your head. Booking ahead is essential, as is shopping around. You simply cannot expect to simply show up at a hotel and get a good rate. Most hotel chains reserve their best room rates, and they limit their numbers. Once those low cost rooms are booked, they are simply no longer available.

In addition, many hotel chains offer programs that are similar to airline frequent flier programs. These programs reward loyal guests with free nights and other rewards. It is important to sign up for these programs whenever you can. Most of these programs are free, so signing up will cost you nothing, and you could end up with a free hotel stay. When looking for those great hotel deals, a number of web sites compare hotels by price, star level, and even proximity to certain tourist attractions. It is always best to search several of these sites, since not all hotel chains participate in every comparison site.

There is no doubt that finding a great hotel rate will take some time and some hard work, but it is very important to keeping your travel budget under control. The cost of lodging often represents at least half, and often much more, of the total cost of a vacation. It is easy to see, then, how getting the best possible deal on your hotel can keep your cost level low and your vacation fun level high.