Everyone likes a bargain, especially when it comes to travel. Whether it’s so we can have a few dollars more for souvenirs or for splashing out on exhilarating once-in-a-lifetime experiences, we all like to make a saving or several. Here are few tips on how you can find fantastic deals for that little bit less.

Harness the power of Facebook

We use Facebook for all kinds of things these days, from sharing pictures of our amazing travels from the other side of the world with friends and family, to updating our status with details of the extra tasty lunch we’ve just had, to organizing school reunions. So, why not use it to bag yourself a travel bargain, too? Join a local group on this social media titan that will alert you to some juicy travel deals.

Be flexible

You’re going to find it much easier to secure a good travel deal for yourself if you can be flexible about where you travel and when you travel. If you can fly during low season rather than school holidays, for instance, or catch an early flight or a very late one, there are savings to be had. The last couple of weeks of summer can be a good time to find a cheap deal. And although might have your heart set on visiting the Algarve, if you’re open to some of the alternatives, you can ramp up the savings even more.

Book late

Perhaps being well organized can save you stress and hassle, but booking your holidays closer to when you want to travel instead of well ahead of time can save you money. This is because, by this time, the operators will have booked many of the rooms and will simply lose money if they don’t then fill them. The longer you wait, however, the more flexible you’ll have to be. Either way, patience is a virtue.

Follow a holiday operator (or several) on Twitter

If you’re a fan of a particular airline or holiday company, follow them on Twitter. Travel companies like to announce their special offers on social media, but you need to keep your eye on your timeline because these tweets are only visible for a few hours before they’re pushed down by others from other people you’re following. You’re only other option is to check the company’s Twitter page directly. Don’t forget to use hashtags in the ‘Explore’ search function, where you might also pick out some special deals or even just pick up some extra tips to save money while you’re on holiday. Never underestimate the power of a hashtag!

There are all kinds of ways to securing good deals on travel. Other methods include comparing deals on comparison sites, visiting the pages of operators who specialize in lower budget holidays and even just browsing the pages of holiday operators just on the off chance. You never know what deals are there waiting for you to snap up. Go get them!

Images by Ben Kerckx and jill111, used under Creative Commons license 1.0