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There are many benefits to save money while traveling. Among them, people can often go on trips that otherwise would strain the budget, by reducing the trip’s cost. Here are seven strategies to save money on travel.

Go Off-season

Most travel destinations have two distinct seasons: the peak season and the offseason. During a destination’s peak season, prices everywhere will be much higher than the rest of the year. Hotel rates can double, even triple. Many restaurants will require reservations, and deals will be hard to find. By traveling during the off season, people will face much smaller crowds and lower costs. Prices across the board will be lower. Yet, these savings do have a cost. During the offseason, weather conditions might be harsh or major attractions might be absent.

Some people do not want to travel during the offseason, but would like to save money while traveling. For this demographic, the shoulder season can be perfect. The shoulder season is just before and after the peak season. During it, crowds start to dwindle. Prices reflect the reduced demand. At the same time, most businesses are still open during this period. The shoulder season typically lasts for a couple weeks, but varies by destination

Pack Light

Packing light, especially when flying, is essential. Airlines are continually raising rates for checked bags on both domestic and international flights. To avoid these fees, try to bring only carry-ons along for the trip. Reducing your luggage by a single checked bag will save you at least $50.00, in most cases.

While travelers who are flying will save the most by packing light, everyone will save a little money. Extra luggage in cars will reduce gas mileage. The added cost at the pump likely will not be $50.00, unless you are going on a cross-country road trip. Yet, every little bit saved helps.

Leave Room

Leaving room in your luggage for purchases will save you money on the return journey. Anything bought or received as a gift will have to come home, somehow. These items can either be added to the luggage or shipped. Whether bringing an extra suitcase along for souvenirs and gifts, or shipping everything back in a box is cheaper, varies. If there is room in a suitcase, the most cost-effective way is to pack purchases in a suitcase that needed to be brought anyway.

Fly Weekdays

Airfare is one of the major costs of many trips. It also has one of the greatest opportunities to save money. Airfares differ greatly. Some factors that determine their prices are subject to when the ticket is purchased, when the flight is and the cities being flowing between. Generally, purchasing tickets in advance and flying during the off-season will save people money.

Travelers will find that the lowest airfares are often on weekdays, specifically Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. By flying on these days, people can save anywhere from a few dollars to hundreds. The exception to this rule is holidays. When flying for a holiday, typically the holiday itself is cheapest. Outside of that, airfares will be oriented around when the holiday occurs in the week.

Call the Hotel

By calling hotels individually, people can often get the best rates on hotel rooms. These rates often beat any deals found online, and they certainly will be lower than those offered by the reservations line. Call specific hotels and ask to make a reservation with them. If you are referred to a reservations line, call the hotel back and talk with an employee of that hotel again.

Eat In

Eating out becomes expensive very quickly. The solution is simple: eat in while traveling. Sometimes, purchasing an upgraded room, which has a kitchenette, will pay for itself. The easiest meal to eat in is breakfast. Look for accommodations that offer a free breakfast. If you cannot find any with breakfast included, stop by the local grocery store for a pack of muffins or donuts.

Public Transportation

Renting a car is not always wise. In large cities, it can become a burden to find parking, and drivers can get lost easily. In addition to the rental costs, you must pay for fuel and parking. In big cities, relying on public transit can save travelers money. Become familiar with the public transportation system, before departing.

There are many ways to save money while traveling. A savvy traveler can save hundreds or thousands, depending on the extravagance of the trip, with these tips.

Author Bio: Zach Daniel writes for Morocco Tours, a travel company that provides private Morocco tours that allow people to fully experience Morocco.

Everyone would appreciate a little extra cash, especially in this troubled economy. While finding a job right now might be difficult, finding some extra dough can be done at home. Here are seven ways to earn extra money from used items around your house.

1. Books

Any college student is aware of how much books can cost. Whenever someone is paying a pretty penny for a book, they could be sending you that money. Selling unneeded books is quite easy. The best ones to sell are obscure nonfiction, but it is worth researching the price of any extra book. The most popular sites to sell old books on are Amazon.com, BN.com and Half.com. All of these walk individuals through the process of assessing, pricing and listing a book. They each will take a nominal fee and small percentage when the book sells, but this is not paid if the book goes unsold. The downside of selling books is that you must monitor the listings at least twice a week.

2. Jewelry

Selling books is profitable, but takes patience. For a quick buck, take any old jewelry to a precious metal buyer. There are many businesses now buying platinum, gold, silver and other valuable metals. In most cases, the amount you will receive is almost the same at every store, so driving around for the best offer is rarely worth the hassle. Simply find a reputable metals dealer and ask what the value of your jewelry is. If you like the offer, accept it.

3. Electronics

Everyone has old electronics, and many of them are of some value. Whether you have an old cell phone, camera, computer, CD player, DVD player or other electronic device, there is a website that wants it. For many items, these sites are willing to pay. To see if your old electronics qualify, find an appropriate site and enter your model into the form.

4. Sports Equipment

Depending on what sport you played, the equipment might be worth something. Usually, people can get a significant amount for snow skiing equipment, such as skis, bindings and boots, provided they are not too outdated. Other sports that require a lot of gear are mountain climbing, football and lacrosse. Yet, even ice skates or a tennis racket can be sold. Any sports equipment might be worth something. This can be especially helpful for families with children involved in sports.

5. Clothes

Many people occasionally take old clothes to a second-hand store. Next time you head to the thrift store, first stop by private, independent stores, before you go to the Salvation Army or Goodwill. These individual stores will usually pay for fashionable clothes that are still in great condition. If you have only worn something once, or if there is a shirt that still has the tags attached, it could pay for a new piece of clothing.

6. Furniture

The furniture in a home is often among the most expensive items in the house or apartment. As such, it also will bring in the most money if sold. The most popular ways to sell furniture is through Craigslist.com or a garage sale. However, if the item being sold is extremely valuable, then selling it on consignment at a store might be the most profitable method.

7. CDs and DVDs

Even though people are increasingly turning to digital music and streaming movies for their entertainment, CDs and DVDs can be sold. These will not bring in thousands of dollars (unless you have a houseful of them), but they should be worth a few dollars. Best of all, they can be sold very quickly. Simply take them to a local used video or music store, as this media does not resell well online.
Everyone can find some things lying around the house to sell. No matter what you have, it can bring in a little extra money. In times like these, that extra money earned from things around the house will be greatly appreciated.

It is that time of year again to start thinking about ideas of what to give your loved one for Christmas. But, what if your loved one is picky? Or, what if he or she seems to have everything? In this case, you could give him or her a gift card from their favorite store. Gift cards are handy because they save you and your loved one’s money. Not every item, though can be purchased with a gift card and some gift cards are unpopular.

Here is a list of the five gift cards that people want.

1. Clothes. Everyone needs new clothes, but everyone loves to wear clothes that make them look good. All clothing stores sell gift cards, so if your loved one’s taste in fashion is different from yours, you can purchase her a gift card from her favorite clothing store.

2. Books. Whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, most people enjoy reading. Books are an ideal gift because of their importance to peoples’ literary development and to their need for information. Every bookstore sells gift cards, so if your loved one is an avid reader, you can purchase him a gift card from his favorite bookstore.

3. Electronics. Electronic devices, such as iPads, iPhones, iPods, e-readers, laptops and desktop computers are high in demand. Every person is in need of an electronic device for work and for pleasure. These items, though, are pricy. If you do not have the funds to purchase one as a gift for your loved one, you can purchase a gift card with a certain amount of money charged on it. That will cover part of the cost of the electronic device.

4. Cosmetics. Every woman likes to look beautiful and cosmetics make that possible. Certain cosmetics, such as hand cream and body lotion, help improve the texture of skin. Cosmetics are sold at salons, department stores and most drug stores. If your significant other loves to wear makeup and body lotion, you can purchase her a gift card from any store that sells these products.

5. Office supplies. These items will always be in high demand. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford them. If your loved one needs office supplies, you can purchase him or her a gift card from Staples, London Drugs or any other store where office supplies are sold.

With gift cards, you can spend as low as ten dollars and as high as a thousand dollars or more. It all depends on how much money you are able to spend. So, if you are stuck for gift ideas, give your loved on a gift card for Christmas.

The electric bill is the highest bill homeowners and renters have to pay. It is the next highest bill to the rent, which is not a variable bill. The best way to save money all around is to find ways to manipulate the variable bills. Variable bills include electric, cable, food, cell phone, and fuel costs. You can change these expenses by making minor adjustments. The following are smart tips that focus on cutting your electric expense. These tips will aid in knocking your electric bill down so you can use the extra funds for something else:

1. Take Time to Compare

When you first move to a new home, you should conduct a search for all utility companies in the area. Then, compare the costs. Each company may charge a different amount of cents per kWh. The charges may vary, but the cents can add up very quickly. Even if you are already receiving service from one company, it will benefit you to check out other utility companies. You can calculate the average amount of energy you are using each month by reviewing your electric bills. Next, plug that number in to figure how much money you would save if you moved to a different provider. If the savings are large enough, say goodbye to your current provider.

2. Insulate

Whether it is wintertime or summer time, proper insulation plays a huge part in your monthly bill. If your windows and doors are poorly insulated, your heat and coolant can escape. This causes the equipment to use more electricity to keep your home at a certain temperature. Have a technician come out and investigate your insulation. Caulk the cracks and repair broken windows. Make the necessary adjustments and you will save money.

3. Use Fans Instead of Air Conditioners

Fans use far less energy than air conditioners. They are quite effective in the summer time. One of the best tricks to getting most out of a fan is sticking it in the window and facing it toward you. That way when the wind blows, the fan will suck in the cool air and blow it your way.

4. Single Room Heaters

Using small single room heaters is another excellent way to save on electricity. They are very inexpensive and can make a room quite toasty within minutes. Once the room heats up, close the door and keep it that way. Single room heaters often have settings to turn off once the room reaches a certain temperature. That is a great money-saving feature.

5. Turn off Sleeping Appliances

When you are not watching television or using the computer, turn these items off. You may only be saving a small amount of money but remember, change adds up.

6. Maintain Your Equipment

Make sure to perform proper maintenance on things like air conditioners and heating systems. Change the filters frequently and clean the units on a regular basis. Anything that causes a device to clog will force it to work harder and use more electricity.

7. Energy Saving Light Bulbs

If you are attempting to conserve energy, you should use energy saving light bulbs. Fluorescent light bulbs and lower wattage bulbs will help to conserve the amount of energy being used.

Remember, every move you make will save you more cents for electricity. Start with these tips and think of additional creative ways to cut electricity costs. You can monitor your progress by checking your electricity bill for the next two to three months. If the new strategy appears to be working for you, continue with it.

Kelsie Larson likes to write about saving money, personal finance & credit score ratings.