Finding the vacation you want, and not breaking the bank, can be a real challenge. With rising fuel prices, airfares continue to rise as well. There are many vacation providers out there, but how do you know that the price is the best on the market?

One place to start your search would be an online discount travel site. These sites offer vacation deals from many providers, and give you a chance to compare the packages in one place. This gives you a good overview of what variety is available, the destinations you can choose from, and the hotels and amenities that are included. Many online discount travel sites also offer price guarantees, that if you see the same trip advertised at a lower price, they will match it and sometimes even add a further discount. Others offer price drop protection, so that if your itinerary drops in price after you book and before departure, you will be credited the difference. This takes a lot of the stress out of planning, knowing that you are not overpaying for your vacation deal.

Some of the best vacation deals are last-minute sell-offs. Vacation providers will sell empty seats at a lower price as the departure date approaches. It is better for them to fill those seats at a discount than to fly at less than capacity. Also, some online travel sites have arrangements with vacation providers that provide a discount in exchange for bulk purchases. You benefit from these arrangements by purchasing your vacation deal through them.

When looking at last-minute vacation deals, be flexible. If you know that you can take off in the next few weeks, keep your eyes on these vacations. You will be amazed at how little your vacation may cost. Plan your vacation for shoulder season, or off-season. For sun destinations, you will find lower prices in the spring or summer months. If you just want to get away, not necessarily escape winter, visit Cuba or Mexico in August and enjoy the savings.

Another option to a vacation package is to book a flight to your destination, trying to fly mid-week for the best fare, and book a cheap hotel at the same time. Booking flight and hotel together is almost always less expensive than booking them separately. Again, online discount travel sites have arrangements with hotels to offer rooms at a discount when booked through their sites. They have a variety of hotels on offer, and you can usually find a cheap hotel to stay in while you are away. Many sites offer reviews by others who have stayed there, so you can have a good idea of the accommodation before you arrive. Their feedback gives you impartial opinions on the experiences of real people.

Cheap hotels are sometimes just as comfortable and reliable as more expensive, without some of the frills. Finding the vacation you want and not breaking your travel budget is easy when you do your research and take advantage of the offers available on travel discount websites.

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