Guest Author - Kara Williams
Your honeymoon doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Here are some ways to plan a cost-conscious vacation with your new spouse.
1. Schedule your trip during the off-season. Hawaii in March is going to cost a heck of a lot more than Hawaii in July. Same goes for the Caribbean—though, remember hurricane there season lasts from June through November! You never can be sure what Mother Nature might dish out…
2. Book a package vacation. Travel packagers—from all-inclusive Apple Vacations to the Globus family of travel brands—offer air-inclusive trips all over the world, whether you want a beach vacation, a European river cruise or a tour of Australia. Typically they cost less than if you were to arrange your trip, piece by piece, on your own.
3. Subscribe to Travelzoo’s Top 20 newsletter. Even when I’m not planning a trip in the near future, I still love receiving this weekly list in my in-box each week. (It's fun to dream, right?)Travelzoo combs the internet for the best deals—from airfares to hotel discounts to rock-bottom cruise prices. Sign up here.
4. Flip through Budget Travel magazine. This is a great publication for planning trip that isn’t too hard on the pocketbook. Each issue is packed with ideas for saving money on vacation—and offers some great destination ideas, with specific inexpensive hotels and attractions. I read print issues at my local library each month, and I also subscribe to the twice-weekly Budget Travel Online newsletter.
5. Sign on with a honeymoon registry. What’s better than having someone else pay for your trip?! With sites like HoneyLuna.com, you can research and book your honeymoon online, and then set up a registry so guests can help you pay for it. Very cool.
6. Fly into an alternate airport. If flights are more expensive at your ultimate destination city, but you can find a cheaper fare to an airport an hour or two away, AND you’re planning on renting a car anyway, it may be more cost-effective to fly into the more distant airport. Just do your research (or ask your travel agent to help) and compare total costs.
7. Hit the road. Stick close to home and drive to your honeymoon destination. Even with fluctuating gas prices that have reached record highs in the past year, it’s still probably less expensive to drive to that romantic destination, hidden retreat or cute B&B you’ve always wanted to experience. Plus, how cool is it to drive off into the sunset with your “Just Married” sign on the back of your car?
