2. Check with your credit card / debit card to see how much usage fee and / or foreign transaction fee they charge. Visa and MasterCard charge 1%, plus your issuing bank can charge between 0 to 3%, of the total purchase amount, every time you use the card. American Express charges 2%.

3. Capital one has one of the best deals for this. They don’t charge any fee, and they take care of the 1% Visa or MasterCard charges.

4. Many countries outside of North America may not accept cards other than Visa or MasterCard. They will of course accept cards that are issued in that region, other than Visa or MasterCard.

5. Prior to traveling, call and check which credit cards gives you the best exchange rate. To check, just compare on any one day rates.
6. Check with your Bank to see where the ATM’s are at your destination which is affiliated with Global ATM alliance. Generally when you use these ATM’s the regular ATM fee and currency conversion fees are waived.

7. Keeping the above point in mind, withdrawing money at your destination from an ATM will usually give you a better exchange rate.

8. Even if your bank does not have affiliations with other bank ATM’s, find and use any other local bank ATM, rather than a privately owned one. In case there were any problems, it’s easier to resolve it with a bank, rather than a private ATM owner in a foreign country.

9. Right before you leave for the trip, inform your credit / debit card banks of your travel plans. If you don’t notify them, some banks will freeze the account, upon seeing any foreign transaction; may see it as a suspicious activity. Some banks may not even allow any overseas usage.

10. A good number of credit card or debit card to carry is 2. Typically just use one, it’s easier to keep track of, and keep another one for back up.

11. Check with your bank to see if they offer free or discounted fee on purchasing travelers checks, before you buy it at places like American Express Travel.

12. Some larger banks also offer foreign exchange on some major currencies. They might have it in stock or may have to order which takes around 1 to 2 business day.

13. Always make copies of the traveler’s checks and leave it with friends or family, and keep the other copy separate from the checks. In case you lose the travelers checks, given you have the copies, it’s usually replaced within 24 hours.

14. Carry a thin cotton money belt that you wear underneath your shirt. It’s not bulky, and no one can even tell you’re wearing one. Keep most of your cash or travelers check here.

15. Most international flights arrive to the destination country, real early in the morning or late at night, so you definitely want to have about $100 to $150 of local currency in hand.

16. At your destination when making payments with your credit card make sure they are charging you in the local currency rather than US dollar. There is a practice, where sometimes the merchants will charge you in dollars, which may make you feel more comfortable. However this is not good for you, because they are allowed to let that transaction float for a few days, and exchange it to local currency when the rate is best for them.

17. If they insist in charging you in US dollars, ask for a receipt with the local currency payment amount as well.

18. Many of the countries in the world, including places in Western Europe, even at popular tourist destinations, only accept cash. The sooner you get used to this idea, the smoother your trip will go. The no credit card policy is even used by big American chains like McDonald’s or Burger King, in Europe, and elsewhere.

Do you have any tips for currency exchange or use of credit / debit card for international travel?

• Have your employer deduct $50 a month, and automatically go in to this account, which is only $25 a paycheck. You won’t even notice.

• Savings that we save usually disappear, as we spend it on other things. If you’re saving with a purpose in mind, like a vacation, you need to write down every dollar you save, and at the end of the week literally deposit that amount in cash, or write yourself a check for that amount.

• Plan for a yard sale: we all have extra clothes and toys we need to get rid of. This could easily bring in $100 -$200

• Grocery Coupons: you don’t even have to buy a news paper; there are some great online coupon sites like couponsuzy.com, couponmom.com. Set a goal to at least save $10 per week, which is $40 a month, $240 in 6 months.
• Take coffee /soda /snacks from home; you’ll save at least $2 a day, which is $40 a month, $240 in 6 months.

• If you’re used to eating out for lunch at least 3 times a week, and say spend $5 each time, that’s $15 a week. If you carry your lunch from home and still eat out once a week, say $10 per week, which is $240 to $360 of savings in 6 months.

• If you’re used to going to the movies once a month, and say for 2 people spend about $25 each time. Go every other month, and save $75 in 6 months. Wal-Mart and some other stores have a self serve movie rental, called Red Dot, usually by the door. It costs $1 per night, you can even reserve online, and they usually have the latest releases.

• Look into your cable, home phone, cell phone, internet bill, there’s probably around $25 a month you can shave off the bill, by downgrading or consolidating those services. I recently called our cable company and they took off $25 for 6 months as some promotional offer, because we were considering changing our service. Plus they gave us free HBO for 6 months, for being loyal customers. That’s $150 of savings in 6 months.

• Replace a paid activity / entertainment for a free one and carry a picnic with you. For a family you can at least save $25 a month. Check with your local newspaper, magazine, parks, community centers, there’s always some fun family activity going on. You can save at least $150 in 6 months.

When you come back from that trip, you’ll feel very good that you paid for it and don’t have a credit card bill to pay off!

Do you usually save for a vacation? What frugal ways did you follow to achieve your goal?

•Tickets purchased after Nov 6 2008: $15 for 1st bag / $25 for 2nd bag
•A non ticketed Infant / child: NO baggage allowance, so any bag for infant / child counts towards adult’s baggage allowance.
•Child / Infant traveling internationally, who have to pay 10% of adult fare even to sit on a lap (don’t have a seat): 1 checked bag up to 20 lbs (pounds) is allowed.
•For regular fare paying passengers, when traveling to and from outside US: 2 free checked bags up to 50 lbs is allowed
•Children traveling on a ticket that is 50% or more of adult fare: regular baggage allowance
•Strollers / Car Seats: Checked for free, not part of standard baggage allowance.
•Carry on: 1 bag plus 1 personal item which can be a diaper bag.

US Airways

•Tickets purchased after July 9 ‘08: $15 for 1st bag, $25 for 2nd bag. This applies to all flights to and from Canada, Latin America, Caribbean, and within US.
•A non ticketed Infant / child: NO baggage allowance, so any bag for infant / child counts towards adult’s baggage allowance.
•Child / Infant traveling internationally, who have to pay 10% of adult fare even to sit on a lap (don’t have a seat): 1 checked bag up to 50 lbs is allowed.
•For regular fare paying passengers, when traveling to and from Asia, Europe: 2 free checked bags up to 50lbs allowed.
•Strollers / Car Seats: Only 1 of those 2 is checked for free, not part of standard baggage allowance.
•Carry on: 1 bag plus one personal item
•$2 for curbside check in fee.

American Airlines

•Tickets purchased after June 15 ‘08: $15 for 1st bag, and for tickets purchased after May 12, ‘08 $25 for 2nd bag.
•Ticketed child / infant: standard carry-on baggage and checked baggage allowance apply.
•For regular fare paying passengers, when traveling to and from Asia, Europe, and Brazil: 2 free checked bags up to 50 lbs allowed.
•Strollers / Car Seats: Checked for free, not part of standard baggage allowance. Umbrella strollers may be carried on board, as long as it fits in the overhead. Stroller up to 20 lbs may be checked at the gate. Strollers larger than 20lb need to be checked at the ticket counter.
Continental Airlines

•Tickets purchased after September 06 ‘08: $15 for 1st bag, and tickets purchased after April 5 ‘08, $25 for the 2nd bag for travel within US, Porto Rico, and US Virgin islands.
•For tickets purchased after May 8 ‘08 the $15 for 1st, and $25 for second also applies to travel between Mexico, Caribbean, Central & South America except Brazil.
•For regular fare paying passengers, when traveling to and from Asia, Europe, and Brazil: 2 free checked bags up to 50lbs allowed.
•Strollers / Car Seats: Only 1 of those two Checked for free.
•Child / infant traveling internationally who have to pay 10% of adult fare even to sit on a lap (don’t have a seat): 1 checked bag up to 50 lbs is allowed, in addition to 1 checked stroller OR Car seat.
•Carry on: In addition to the maximum carry-on baggage allowance, a diaper bag or small umbrella stroller is allowed.

AirTran Airways

•Tickets purchased after November 12 ‘08: $15 for 1st bag, for all coach class booked after August 14 ‘08, $25 for 2nd bag.
•Carry on: 1 bag plus 1 personal item, one of which can be a diaper bag.
•A non ticketed Infant / child: NO baggage allowance, so any bag for infant / child counts towards the adult baggage allowance.

Southwest Airlines

•2 checked bags up to 50 lbs checked for free.
•Carry on: 1 bag plus 1 personal item
•1 child travel equipment such as a play pack can be checked in place of the free checked bag.

Exceptions: Depending on the Airlines and the ticket type, there are exceptions to the baggage allowance. Generally first, business, elite class, active military personnel, full economy fare and some other types of tickets have the 2 free checked baggage allowance, and more in some cases. Please check with your airlines for these exceptions.

Also, check out my article Tips on Packing and Traveling Light

What do you think about most  airlines still charging fees for  standard checked baggage, now that the fuel prices are down compared to highs of summer 2008?

2. High 5 tickets: If you have a teen 13 to 18 years old you can get Off Broadway $5 tickets for the teen, and one adult. High 5 is a non-profit organization that promotes arts, by making it available to teens through theater, dance, and music shows. Any teen from anywhere in the world can take advantage of this program. Tickets may be purchased at, highfivetix.org. The tickets are not available at the shows, but they do honor High 5 tickets.

3. Playbill.com: You can register for free. This website playbill.com will alert you of different discounts through emails / weekly updates. At the time of this writing, here are some examples of the discounts: Shrek -$45, Mama Mia – $67.50 (about 40% off from original price) etc. You get a discount code to use when you purchase it online, by phone or in person.

4. Standing Room only and RUSH: These tickets are available as soon as the box office opens – 10:00am on all days and noon on Sundays. Or, you can try few hours before the show at the Box Office. You may have to show a student ID, and expect to stand in line for a couple of hours for popular shows. You can call in the box office to see, what may be the best time to get these. Tickets are usually around $20-25, and only take cash. Seating depends on availability or you stand during the show at the back at a specified area. As long as you are flexible this is a very affordable to see Broadway that would typically cost a lot more.

5. Theater Development Fund: TDF is a non-profit organization that offers discount tickets up to 70% off to its members. Members do have to pay $27.50 annual fee. To qualify for membership you have to belong to one of the following groups: a full time teacher, full time student, a nonprofit organization employee, retirees, civil service employee etc. For the full list of eligible groups, you can check on tdf.org
Some of the shows TDF members have recently watched are: Big Apple Circus, New York Phil Harmonica, The Phantom of the Opera, Hairspray etc.

To comparison shop for Broadways tickets check these, Theater Ticket Deals.

At what age did you take your kid(s), for the first Broadway or Off Broadway Show?

All Rights Reserved  Copyright Travel Bargain Mama 2009.

1. Combi Helio: Weight – 13lbs; Price around $130; 5 Point safety harness; fully reclines to accommodate infants; boot at bottom to avoid from babies slipping; European style window with viewing window; small basket at bottom; handle is taller; cup holder for mom and child; quick simple fold; good handling – easy to maneuver, sturdy; wheel suspension for smooth ride; carrying strap; seat cushion -removable and washable.
2. Maclaren Volo: Weight – 9.5 lbs, which is super light; Price around $100; 5 point good safety feature, you have to push the lever from front and back simultaneously to release; rain protector is included; shade is easy to raise up, and is water resistant; good size basket at bottom; handle is comfortable; easy one hand open and close; handles and maneuvers well; carrying strap; seat cushion -removable and washable.
3. Mia Moda Facile: Weight – 15.8 lbs, Price – $50 to $70; 5 point safety harness; 4 position recline; Seat sits higher, for taller kids their feet won’t drag; adjustable leg support; roomy basket at bottom; ergonomic handles;  easy trigger fold system, 1 hand open /close, locks easily; handles and maneuvers well; seat cushion – removable and washable.
4. Evenflo X Sport: Weight-13.5  lbs, big enough for older kids; Price – around $47; 3 point harness; no recline; shade adjusts; good size basket at bottom; handle is short, does not extend; 2 cup holders; easy to open and close, small zipped bag by handle for glasses or snacks storage; easy to maneuver.
5. Chicco C6: Weight- 11 lbs; Price – around $70; 5 point safety harness; 2 position recline; shade can be unsnapped or its angle may be changed, small basket at bottom; handle is taller; no cup holder; easy to open and close; wheels lock on bumpy road; easy to handle and maneuver; front wheel suspension makes rough surface rides smoother; carrying strap plus carrying bag.
6. Jeep Wrangler Twin Sport All Weather: Weight- 20.8 lbs, can get through most doors, Price – around $121; 3 point quick release safety harness; 2 position  individual reclines; Shade is very small; canopy has to be unlatched to fold the stroller; no basket; cup holder not very sturdy; easy open and close; easy to handle and maneuver; all terrain wheels.

Check Amazon for all these and more strollers .

Check this site out , Have Baby Will Travel, and enter to win their spring 2009 ultimate baby travel gear prize pack giveaway.

What’s your favorite lightweight strollers you like to travel with?

2. National Mall: National mall is in the heart of D.C. The green lawn surrounded by museums , and memorials, stretches 2 miles from the Lincoln Memorial at the west end, Capitol Building to the East end, and the Washington Monument slightly west of the center.. Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research Institute with, the largest museum complex of 19 museums, and 9 research centers, and most of the facilities are located in D.C . Nine of the Smithsonian Museums are located at the National Mall Admissions to all Smithsonian museums are FREE, in Washington D.C. You can enjoy, learn, and enrich your mind about, American history & culture, science &technology, arts & design.

3. National Museum of Natural History: Admission is free. This museum in particular is very popular with the kids. There are tons of amazing things to see and do: the dinosaur skeletons, a vast collection of gems & minerals, learn about the evolving earth, climate change, enjoy many exhibits, such as The Saint Ocean Hall, which is the interpretive Global Ocean. There are host of activities for kids: At the Discovery Room, you can learn and do activities by using real museum objects, and artifacts. Fossil Lab: Here you can look through a glass window as technicians removed fossilized dinosaur from block earth. Insect Zoo: You can watch and hold live insects.

4. Air and space Museum: There are ongoing activities for kids, some of which are: Paper Airplane Contest, Forces of Flight, inventing the Airplane. For smaller kids 3-7 there is Story times Saturdays 11-1:30, reservation is required; you can call 202 633 2563. There are opportunities for interactive learning experience on aviation and space exploration.

5. National Portrait Gallery: This museum holds portraits of distinguished American who made a difference to the history, and culture of this country. There are 20,000 paintings, sculptures, photographs and drawings. Some of the exhibitions at the time of this writing include: The mask of Lincoln, Collection of American Presidents, and The American Revolution etc.

6. National Postal Museum: This is a great museum to visit if you are a stamp collector or anyone curious to know how the postal system in the US started, and how it plays a role in our daily lives. You can also learn about Philately – the evolution &history of the design of US stamps. It also gives you an introduction to stamp collection, and preserving the collection.

7. Bureau of Engraving & Printing: What more fun can there be for an adult or a child to see the printing of real money.

8. Washington Monument: When you’re in D.C. you can’t miss this 555ft 5.8in tall obelisk shaped memorial to George Washington. It is surrounded by 50 flagpoles, each flag representing a state. You can take the elevator and go up to get a spectacular view of D.C. The admission is FREE, but you need to have the tickets in advance for a scheduled time.

9. Lincoln Memorial: This honor to our 16th President, is a beautiful structure with large columns representing each of the 36 states in the union at the time of Lincoln’s death. Lincoln’s marble sculpture, is 19 ft 9 inches tall, it faces and looks towards the Reflecting Pool, and is surrounded by the Gettysburg address inscribed on the walls.

10. US Capitol Building: It’s a wonderful experience to see this place where our law makers from Congress and the Senate make decisions, vote, and write laws that affect us all. Free guided tours are available. Tickets are on a 1st come 1st serve basis between 8:45am -3:30pm Monday -Saturday, or you can reserve online at capitol.gov.

Also check out this related post from Moms Minivan, Fun Things To Do with Kids When Touring the Mall in Washington, D.C.

Please share your story if you visited DC during Obama Inaguration or any other time with your kids.

2. Buying the first cheapest: If you have at least a few days time before your trip, wait and research on different websites. Site like farecast.com, forecasts if the fare is likely to go up or down on the day of your travel, therefore helping you with best time to buy. Farebuzz.com even meets or beats the price, if you find something cheaper than any other consolidator site.  Some sites like cheapoair offer $5 per person upto $25 for  a family of 5 for any flight delays, and is currently offernig $10 off coupons on each ticket.

3. Not knowing departure time can make a difference: We all know Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays are the cheapest days to travel. What about the time of flight? Sometimes a few hours can make a good bit of difference. Just plug in different times and see.

4. Not buying in advance: Fares go up, and there are fewer choices when there are 21, 14, 7, and 3 days left before the trip. Yes you can at times find great last minute deals; these are the seats that the airline is not able to fill as it gets closer to the flight date. However you do have to be very flexible if you are counting on this type of deal.

5. Buying ticket with too many restrictions: Cheaper fares usually come with a host of restrictions, make sure you know and read about them, before the purchase. Especially if you are traveling with kids you really need to consider, what if you can’t make that particular flight. Can it be changed to another flight at all? If, so what is the cost for change? Is there any sort of refund, full or partial, for a flight a later time? Is there any insurance you can buy to cover the tickets in case you can’t make the flight?   Insurance for travel can be a good idea when traveling with children, or traveling overseas, or staying somewhere for a long period of time.

6. Ticketing Errors: Sometimes with the excitement of the upcoming trip and having found a great deal, we might make ticketing errors. Things you need to double check before you hit the buy buttons are: spelling of your name, date of travel, the city -destination, and if are stopping by any other, airline etc. Needless to say an error even with a typo can create a big hassle at the check in.

7. Airline loyalty: Some people have a comfort zone with an Airline and don’t want to try anything else; it’s almost a pride for sticking with one airline for so many years. Get real. The only thing you have to stay loyal to (in this case), is your wallet. Travelling is discovery, find what other airlines have to offer, you might like it better.

8. Forgetting Discounts: Lot of us have memberships or affiliations through work, credit cards, banks or other groups that may allow us to get discounts on plane tickets. It may be direct or indirect through programs like cash back rewards. It may be a small amount, but take advantage of it, once you do, it’ll be a habit, and eventually add up for a good bit of savings.

9. Using mileage just for coach only: Some of us assume that redeeming mileage is just for coach tickets. For a bit more miles you may be able to get discounted first class or business tickets.

What are some mistakes you made buying your plane tickets?

All Rights Reserved Copyright Travel Bargain Mama 2009

Peanut Butter & Co / Greenwich Village: This is heaven for children. All the sandwiches are variations of peanut butter, as the name suggests. There are sandwiches with names like, Seinfeld, Elvis etc. Their cookie dough peanut butter sandwich is the best. They’re not too sugary, has a nice homemade flavor.

Mars 2112 / Theater District: If your kids are space or Mars enthusiasts, this is the place for them. It’s a space themed restaurant, with such décor, and wait staff wearing space outfits. You go here for the atmosphere, because the food is pretty subpar. Address: 1633 Broadway, NY, NY 10019, between 50th & 51st St, # 212 498 2112

Alice’s Tea Cup / Upper West Side: As the name suggests this restaurant has an Alice in Wonderland theme, with scripts and quotes from AIW on the wall, Alice themed books etc. It has a very cheerful, fairy environment. You’ll see lots of little girls with wings and Tiaras, having a pot of tea, and some buttery scones. It’s a great little place for a mother /daughter afternoon outing. Address: 102 W 73rd St, NY, NY 10023, between Amsterdam, and Columbus Avenue, # 212 799 3006

Good Enough to Eat / Upper West Side: This place offers a nice comfy feeling, with white picket fence on the outside, friendly staff, and hearty homemade breakfast. The menu includes All American food like, Pumpkin French Toast, omelet’s, homemade sausage etc. Address: 483 Amsterdam Avenue 83rd St, NY, NY, between, 83rd & 84th St, # 212 496 0163

Island Burgers & Shakes / Theater District: They offer some of the best, huge, thick, juicy, gooey burgers in NYC, with a good combination of toppings. The only thing is, they don’t serve fries, instead its baked potato. The Black and white Shakes are really good. Address: 766 9th Avenue, NY, NY 10019, between 51st & 52nd St, # 212 307 7934

S’mac Saritas Mac & Cheese: Most kids love Mac $ cheese, which is why this is on the list. Of course they have the All American with American and cheddar cheese for $4.75, which the kids might like it best. If you want to try something different, there’s buffalo chicken Mac n cheese with boneless chicken, and buffalo wing sauce, or the Mediterranean with sautéed spinach, olives and roasted garlic, among many others. Since it is very filling, you might order just a small one priced at $4.75 to $7.25. The place is small, and the line can be slow moving. Address: 345 E 12th St, NY, NY 10003, between 1st Ave & 2nd Ave, # 212 358 7912

West way Diner / Hell’s kitchen: They offer great brunch, fast service, a 10 page menu, and lots of space, that not many NYC diners or restaurants offer. It’s typical diner food at a very affordable price. Address: 614 9th Ave, NY, NY 10036, between 43rd & 44th St, # 212 582 7661

Lombardi’s Pizza / Nolita: This is a historic NYC pizzeria, in business since the early 1900’s. It’s small, and gets pretty crowded, but they have some of the best brick oven pizza. Small 14″ with 6 slices starts at $15.50. Payment: Cash only. Address: 32 Spring St, NY, NY 10012, between Mott & Mulberry St.

Barking Dog / Upper East Side: Dogs are allowed at the patio, and they even have little water bowls for them. Kids menu is $6.95, and offers kids favorites like, chicken fingers and fries, fish sticks & fries, pasta with tomato sauce etc. Or, you can get grilled cheese with tomatoes for $1.50. Payment: Cash only. Address: 1678 3rd Avenue, NY, NY 10128, # 212 831 1800.

Katz’s Delicatessen / Lower East side: They are pricey, but it’s some of the best pastrami sandwich you’ll ever eat. Pastrami on Rye is $14.95. They are huge, so you might be able to share between two. If you don’t want to spend as much, they also have some good hot dog or chili dog for $3 to $5. President Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton were customers there. This is also where Meg Ryan does her famous scene in the movie, When Harry Met Sally, where this lady says, “I’m having whatever she’s having”. Payment: cash only. Address: 205 E Houston St, NY, NY 10002, between Avenue & Essex St, # 212 254 2246

Mami’s Spoonbread Too: This is a place to get some good southern / soul, mom’s home cooking, and comfort food. Entrees like Southern fried chicken, barbeque chicken with 2 sides and bread are priced between $10.95 -$13.95. Sides individually are $2.50. Don’t forget to have some sweet ice tea. Address: 366 W 11oth St, NY, NY, between Columbus & Manhattan Avenue, 212 865 6744.

Check out this related post from Delicious Baby, How to find Kid Friendly Restaurant You will Enjoy.

Most of these places on this list are a little pricey than what I would normally suggest. However, they all offer either great food, or environment, or something unique, or a combination of all that kids may enjoy.
What are some good kid friendly eateries in your hometown?

All Rights Reserved Copyright Travel Bargain Mama 2009.

2. Movies / Books: Don’t forget to bring any of one these gadgets with you, and your little one will stay entertained for a while. Laptop with DVD drive / mp3 / iPod with video feature, or you can rent a portable DVD player for $15 at inmotion stores, at most major airports. Carry couple of their favorite books, just for situations like this. If you have membership with an online store don’t forget to rent a few movies a couple of days prior to travel.

3. Friends: Your kids might not be travelling with friends, but they can sure make some. Just sit by, where other kids are too, and before you know it, most kids are going to be playing tag, or hide and seek, or some game they just make up. They will be building their social skills, while giving you some downtime. We let our son make friends any opportunity he gets, but definitely when stuck at the airport! Once when there was a weather delay at LaGuardia NYC, Seth and a 9 year old girl were both very bored and antsy before they found each other. 3hours later, you would think they were best siblings.

4. Walk: 3 words: walk, walk, and walk. The more you walk with the kids, the less antsy they are. You can window shop, but with kids it might be better to walk, and venture even to other terminals, or take the airport train, given you have very long delays, and somebody to stay back to watch your luggage. Some airports have exhibits, you can enjoy.

5. Grab a Bite: Airport food can cost you an arm and a leg. However, if there are any fast foods available, you can get a kids meal for your kid, and the toy that comes with it will keep them busy for a while. If you don’t want any fast food, you can just have some hot chocolate or a soft drink, and people watch. The important thing is, not to sit in one place / area. Move around and the time will pass faster.

2. Buy in Advance: You want to buy at least 7 -14 days in advance, any less and you’ll be paying a high price. But, sometimes airlines offer great [tag]last minute deals[/tag], so be sure to check out, lastminutedeals.com. If the airlines have some unsold seats, they’ll sell those with great discounts at the last minute; they’d rather earn some revenue than fly with those empty seats. You can typically find last minute deals up to 3 days before the travel.

3. Free Newsletter: You can also sign up for free newsletter or email alerts from the airline website or any travel website that will inform you of such last minute and other great deals, right in your inbox.

4. Great Sites: Other than Travelocity, Expedia, Orbitz here are some other great sites. Kayak shows you the most recent best fares its users received, for your travel date, plus all other days, right on the calendar. This way you get a quick picture, which is very user friendly. Yapta: tracks drop in price, and advises on how to get a refund on the difference when that happens. Farecast: tells you whether a fare might go up or down, and whether you should buy now, or wait to book. Trax: tracks all the cheapest airline ticket  from 200 plus travel sites, and lists it all on the first page.

 5. Smaller Airport: If there is a smaller airport in the vicinity of where you live, check fares from there. Sometimes it can be worth driving that extra 1 hour to save a couple of hundred dollars. For example, you can use Birmingham airport if you live in Atlanta.

6. Only Need One Way?: Usually it’s even cheaper to buy a roundtrip ticket, rather than one way, so even if you only need one way, always most certainly check on the roundtrip. However with international travel, most countries will require you to have roundtrip tickets, for them to allow you into their country or even receive the visa.

7. Saturday: Saturday overnight stay used to be important in getting a good price, but it’s becoming less important. When you do searches with and without a Saturday night stay you won’t find much of a difference. For international travel, there is usually a minimum days of stay required.

8. Be Flexible: If you have some extra time on your hands, call the airlines and ask for what their L or K fare is. Each flight has a certain number of seats assigned to those fares, which are the lowest. You can also ask what the restrictions are: any [tag]blackout dates[/tag], overnight stay etc. If you can book following the restrictions, and under the L or K fare, you’ll get a great deal.

What are some of the ways you save money on plane tickets?

All Rights Reserved Copyright Travel Bargain Mama 2009