TripHip - Travel Tips and Advice for Traveling on a Budget

"Guide to Low-Budget Travel"

As little as a few years ago, flying used to be the refuge of the privileged few - those who could afford massive fares in order to get from country to country by airplane. But now, "jetting around Europe" and heading from one country to another on a whim is something accessible to all levels of society, from big shot investment bankers to students working their way through college, as ticket prices drop as low as 22.99 for a one-way fare. It's easier if you're already based in Europe, of course - London, for example, has access to nearly all cheap routes through its status as hub for many of these carriers. But low-cost carriers also can help a European trip to one country turn into several as you hop between Paris, Lisbon, Rome, and back again.

THE BASICS: Low-cost air carriers are safe but simple carriers - the three most famous are Ryanair, Easyjet, and Air Berlin - that make their money by selling extremely cheap tickets - sometimes even giving a limited number of seats for free, but charging for extras and skimping on amenities - don't expect free food, a television, or comfortable seating. Costs can be as low as free (plus tax) and as high as a couple hundred for seriously in-demand flights, but tend to, stay below 50 euro.

WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR: Airport tax and fees. While easyjet tells you what you owe up-front, Ryanair promises "free" or "1 euro" tickets that cost a great deal more (more than Easyjet, usually), when you add in fees. Also, baggage limits are low, and you have to pay for anything more than hand baggage, and very high rates apply for overweight bags. Ryanair also makes you check in online, and charges you an extortionate amount if you forget and need to do it on-site. So keep watch that you don't break any "rules" - or your low-cost carrier may end up costing you more than a regular one.

I don't need to tell you that we are living in tough economic times right now. One unfortunate result of this is that businesses - museums, roadside attractions, campgrounds, even a few motels and hotels, are closing everywhere across the country.

For example, on a recent trip I took to Wyoming, I wanted to visit as many dinosaur-related sites as possible. That included the actual sites themselves, such as Thermopolis, and museums.

I was barely in time, for the University of Wyoming Geological Museum, that had a whole exhibit on dinosaurs, was scheduled to close on July 1, just a couple of days after I managed to see it.

It was a wonderful musuem, and its closing was a tragedy, but "budget shortfalls' dictated that it should be closed.

If you're planning on taking a trip anytime in the foreseeable future, therefore, and even if you've got a 2009 edition guidebook, make sure you check websites or make telephone calls to ensure the sites are not only still open, but won't be closing before you get there.

Many people save quite a bit of time and money booking through a travel website, such as Expedia, Hotwire, Travelocity, and the many others that are out there. While this can be a convenient and affordable option, there are many reasons why it can be better to book directly through a hotel, especially in a bad economic climate.

The first issue is with using "opaque" (you don't pick the actual flight/hotel/etc) websites is that once you have purchased the room or the ticket, it's yours. This is not a bad option for flexible travelers, but not a recommended option for families, since there is often no guarantee that there will be enough beds.

Hotels are often more likely to fulfill the needs of a guest who is paying the hotel directly, since the amount of money most hotels make on such websites is negligible. Many hotels merely use travel websites as a way to ensure a high occupancy, to put "heads in beds." Thus, travelers with such websites are less likely to receive free upgrades and other perks.

Many hotels and airlines will not award frequent flier rewards to guests and passengers traveling with a third party website. Frequent travelers will often save more money and have a better experience in the long run booking directly with an agency or hotel.

Many travel websites will list their customer service number alongside the hotel's reservation number, and it is very easy to mistake the website's number for the hotel. Many reservationists who work for the travel site will not indicate that you are not talking to the hotel itself. Occasionally they will falsely verify that they are on location at the physical property you are booking with. This does not happen all of the time, but frequently enough to be a concern.

Travelers should always call the hotel directly to see if it is possible to book with the hotel at the internet discount. If a particular hotel won't, call another one. Many hotels do. Explain that you would rather book with the hotel directly, and that you are interested in any frequent stayer/rewards programs they have available. Take the time to find out what you would actually be getting for the rate that you saw online; many travelers arrive at a hotel to find that their accommodations are not what they expected based on a website.

Hotel front desk agents and reservationists have much more information at hand than many travel websites. Even exhaustive internet research cannot compare with the local knowledge of the hotel staff. A great hotel will always want to work with you to provide a great experience, so smart travelers should always call a hotel directly to ensure the best possible experience.