The holidays are over. Mom and dad are back home, the last of the turkey has finally been ingested, and our days have become “normal” again. This is all well and fine, but if you’re not ready to get back to the daily routine, and are open to some spur-of-the-minute traveling, this is the best time for a late, low-cost deal.
With the lull after Christmas, a vacation now can be done especially cheap, keeping you away from 10 hours at your desk, just a little bit longer. Here’s how to save the most money on last minute holidays:
Hotels
With the Christmas rush over, demand for lodging begins to thin out. This results in hotels and resorts offering below market prices to draw people in, because a room not filled for a night is simply lost income. Both a ski holiday and a holiday in the sun can be had for much cheaper than normal, the latter because people are less willing to splurge for an exotic vacation right after the expense of Christmas. For the brave of heart, a sly mention that it may be your anniversary or birthday while checking in may lead to a nice upgrade. After all, that honeymoon suite was going unoccupied anyway.
Traveling
The price of a plane ticket seemingly fluctuates daily leading up to a departure date. Purchasing well in advance leads to low prices, but this is about how you can save at the last minute, and there are still ways. As the departure date looms closer and closer and the seats on the plane are not filled, airlines will drop the price. Also, the best (cheapest) days to travel are Tuesday and Wednesday, which coincidentally are the best times to book, due to airlines taking stock of the remaining seats for a flight. Ironically, one of the best ways to get a last minute deal on a flight is to prepare beforehand. Sign up to your favorite airline’s newsletter or follow their Twitter handle, as they tend to send out last minute bargains through these channels before posting on comparison sites.
In general, all-inclusive vacations can work out very low-cost, although it does depend on how much freedom you like when you’re away. It may suit you to be a bit more flexible and go for self-catered option, meaning you can spend as much or as little on food and drink as you like. Whatever you fancy, the right, budget-conscious approach can save you plenty of dimes at this time of year.
