7 on your side: hacks to save money when booking your next vacation

7+on+your+side%3A+hacks+to+save+money+when+booking+your+next+vacation
Hacking Your Vacation ExpensesHacking Your Vacation Expenses Traveling can be expensive, but there are ways to save money and still enjoy your vacation. Here are some tips. Flights: * Buy discounted gift cards from sites like Raise.com to save on airline tickets. * Use e-commerce platforms like Sparefare to buy and sell non-refundable tickets and hotel rooms. Cruises: * Check CardCash for gift cards with discounts on cruise tickets. Hotels: * Utilize sites like RoomerTravel.com to cancel and resell hotel reservations at a discount. * Consider “blind booking” through sites like HotelTonight or Priceline, which offer lower rates but don’t disclose the exact hotel until after booking. * Purchase a day pass to a luxury resort through ResortPass.com for access to amenities without having to pay overnight rates. Other Tips: * Read the fine print carefully before agreeing to terms and conditions. * Stay on the platform during negotiations and avoid direct communication with buyers or sellers. * Research companies and read reviews before using their services. 7 On Your Side: If you have a problem with a company that you can’t resolve, contact 7 On Your Side by filling out the form below or emailing [email protected]. Include your name and mobile phone number.

NEW YORK (WABC) — It’s so expensive to fly, stay, eat and drive that many of us can’t afford a vacation.

In the United States, a week-long vacation for a solo traveler costs more than $1,900. A family of four needs $8,000.

Don’t pay full price to take off. Buy a discounted gift card to fly for much less.

Or go out like a princess by stacking cards with fewer points on top of each other.

How to hack a plane ticket:

Four round-trip fares from LGA to Los Angeles normally cost $2,651.84 on Southwest.com.

Go to the e-commerce platform raise.com.

You can purchase a $500 gift card for just $444, saving a family of four $278.

For cruises, check CardCash. 7 On Your Side found this deal on cardcash.com: $50 gift cards 13% off.

If a cruise ticket costs $800, buying 16 tickets would save $104 on the price of sailing the seas.

Sites like Sparefare allow users to buy and sell non-refundable airline tickets and hotel rooms for a fraction of the original cost of the stay.

RoomerTravel.com helps people cancel and prepare hotel reservations so they don’t have to pay for an empty room.

“You can go to a site like roomertravel.com where people are trying to resell their nonrefundable rooms, but because they don’t want to lose the entire reservation, they’ll sell it to you at a discount,” said Andrea Woroch, a consumer expert. “And the site coordinates the transfer of the reservation, which is a great way to save, great for waiters, find last-minute travel deals.”

“They offer competitive rates on hotels, you don’t know which hotel it is exactly, but you do know the star rating and the general area of where the hotel is located. At least that way you can see if it’s close to the airport? Is it close at the attraction I’m visiting? And if it has a good star rating, it can provide a 40% discount on hotel rates,” she said.

Woroch has saved up to 40% off rooms for her family.

Blind booking, as these types of sites are called, but when you see the rating, how bad can it be?

If you do take a chance, here is a handy tip if you are not satisfied with your hotel:

You can get a day pass to a luxury resort. Use the pool, hang out at the tiki bar, play on the water slide and you don’t have to pay fancy prices.

ResortPass.com finds daily rates at the fanciest spots so you can come for just the day.

You can even take advantage of this if you are planning a staycation.

Look for a resort pass in your home city for access to pools, rooftops, lounges and spas for the day.

You can view it without checking in.

Make sure you read the refund credit and cancellation policy. The devil is in the details, so read the fine print.

Always stay on the site when negotiating or exchanging money, and don’t start texting or emailing the buyer or seller directly. The sites offer protection and guarantees so you won’t get ripped off.

Additionally, research the company and read reviews before deciding to use the service or pay for anything upfront.