Travel Budget Traps

A vacation should be relaxing, but nothing can stress you out and ruin your good time faster than unexpected travel expenses and a ruined travel budget. More and more, airlines, rental car companies, and hotels are finding ways to squeeze a few extra dollars out of the traveling public. Savvy travelers however, are on the lookout for these wallet-draining charges.

Baggage Fees

In an attempt to offset rising fuel prices, several airlines charge for checked luggage.  There are several ways to avoid these though. The most obvious is cramming as much as you can into your carry-on luggage, of which you are usually allowed two pieces. This of course isn’t always convenient, especially for long trips. Joining an airline’s frequent flyer program can reduce or eliminate fees too depending on your membership level. Using the airline’s credit card can also eliminate the baggage fee, however many of these cards have an annual membership fee, so in the long run it may not be cost effective. [1] Another way to avoid baggage fees is to fly an airline that doesn’t charge them, like Southwest or JetBlue. [2]

Rental Car Insurance

Rental car companies have made pitching extra insurance a staple of their business model for years. The collision-damage and loss-damage waiver insurance policies are offered to consumers, along with fearful warnings about the consequences of not taking the coverage. However, both your personal car insurance policy and credit card probably provide sufficient coverage. Simply call both to find out. Also, fill up the car in town before returning it to the rental facility. They will gladly charge you double the street price to top it off. [2]

Travelling on the Wrong Day

This isn’t so much a fee, as it is a cost differential reflecting supply and demand. Airlines have a harder time filling planes on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays and consequently these are the cheapest days to fly. Around the holidays consider this nugget. One the heaviest travel days of the year is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Two of the LIGHTEST travel days are the Friday and Saturday after. The Saturday of a 3-day weekend is also notoriously slow and thus a day when airfares are much cheaper. [3]

Pre-checked Boxes and Other Hidden Fees

Discount or budget airlines offer fares that are often significantly cheaper than their bigger competitors. However, these airlines also try and bring in revenue any way they can. They often use pre-checked boxes in the online reservation process. Allegiant for example, has a pre-checked box for “priority seating” that will cost you an extra $8.00. They also charge a $14.99 convenience fee for booking online, which is odd because it’s actually much more convenient for them to do process reservations over the Internet. Even with the nickel-and-diming though, these airlines are usually cheaper to fly. Avoid the unnecessary fees and they’re an even better deal. [3]

Add-on Fees

Charging for something that used to be part of the basic price of a service is yet another way companies in the travel business try to increase profits.  Hotel telephone bills, even for local calls, surcharges on rental cars, and transaction fees of all manner are just some of the charges companies attempt to sneak by travelers.

Reading the fine print, contacting the Better Business Bureau, and simply using your old friend the Internet can help you avoid any such surprises. [2]

About Check ‘n GO

This guest post was provided by Check ‘n Go the fourth largest consumer financial service institution offering check cashing and online payday loans in the United States. As a founding member of the Consumer Financial Services Association (CFSA), Check ‘n Go has always been committed to responsible lending. Check ‘n Go has installment loans and payday loan locations in 28 states, with online locations in an additional 3.

Sources:

[1]  Schlichter, Sarah. “A few strategies to avoid baggage fees.” MSNBC.com, 21 September 2010. Web. 24 October 2011 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44508420/ns/travel-travel_tips/t/few-strategies-avoid-baggage-fees/#.TqVl1Ztwy7s

[2] Pascarella, Sarah “The 10 Worst Travel Rip-offs and How to Avoid Them.” USA Today. 6 May 2010. Web. 24 October 2011. http://www.usatoday.com/travel/deals/inside/2010-05-06-top-ten-rip-offs_N.htm

[3] Seaney, Rick. “Five Steps to Avoid Overpaying for Airline Tickets.” ABC News. 11 August 2010. Web. 24 October 2011 http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/avoid-overpaying-airline-tickets-best-day-buy-airfare/story?id=11369327&page=2