Guess what, you’re not alone in wanting to travel this summer. The summer season in Canada is easily the busiest time for tourism. Thousands of people visit from other countries, and us Canadians are on the move too. It almost feels like Toronto is emptied over the weekends, as residents Google ‘car rental service nearby’, pick a destination and drive off.
But if you strategize your travel plans a little, you can save a lot of money (to put towards your next holiday, of course). Here are some ways which we think can help you save some dough. We are rating our travel tips by how much we think you save with each.
The right airline at the right time – Saving $$$
The internet is full of travel tips on when the best time to book airline tickets is, and what the best days to fly are. As a rule of thumb, avoid flying over the weekend. Demand for flights is high on Saturdays and Sundays as everyone tries to maximize their vacation. Instead, fly in the middle of the week and you can save a pretty penny.
Flying a super budget airline always seems like a good idea at first, but you’ll pay for it later. They’ll charge you in creative ways: for checking in bags, for printing your boarding pass and for carrying hand luggage to name a few. Once all that’s added up, don’t be surprised if your cheap airfare is more than what you have paid for a full-fare carrier.
Fly red eye – Saving $$$
Flying a red eye is such an easy way to save an enormous amount of money. Red eyes are usually much cheaper than daytime flights – and all the better for it. There’s no sitting in traffic on the way to the airport, terminals are quieter, and check-in is faster.
Red eyes can also save you tariff for a full day of stay at the hotel. In fact, you can expand your holiday by leaving on the night of your last working day, and beating the rush. As travel tips go, this one keeps on giving. Just don’t forget to take your sleep mask, in case of cabin crew forget to turn off the lights.
Make the most of the package – Saving $$
Hotels offer a lot of packages and deals to customers. So much so, it can work out to be cheaper staying for two nights than just one! Make sure you get as many rate options as you can for your stay.
Special rates are also hidden behind loyalty programs. Don’t be shy about registering for them. Most don’t have any fees associated with joining but will get you ‘Member Exclusive’ rates or perks. In fact, many hotel deals also offer top rated car rentals services with your room. So much saving, it’s practically robbery.
Stay a little away from the city – Saving $$
Accommodation will get more expensive as you move closer into the city. If you can, plan to stay a little out of the way. But not so far that your travel costs become greater than your saving. If your city has a subway, look for places at either end of the line. Subway fares don’t normally fluctuate much with distance travelled.
If there’s a large group of you visiting a city like Toronto, the car rentals services Toronto has are your best bet. You can save money and travel in style by renting a car for the duration. No need to jostle with the throng fighting for every inch of the subway.
Book early or book late – Saving $$
How an airline or hotel changes its prices over time varies enormously. But our experience tells us that booking very early or last minute is a good strategy for saving some money. Our logic is simple: most of the demand comes in at around the two-month mark, rising up until a week or so before the season.
To beat it, you can book really early and take advantage of lower rates (or better packages) businesses will advertise early on. Or you can book really late, and make the most of last minute cancellations. Though, if you are going to do that, get a very thorough understanding of the tourism scene at your destination. If demand is very high, hotels and airlines won’t lower their prices.
Do you need add-on insurance for your rental car? – Saving $$
Stop! Are you paying double just to insure your rental car? So many credit cards offer coverage for rental cars today, you can just say “no, thanks” to that add-on. Whether it’s a daily charge or a lump sum amount, add-on insurance can quickly add up. A top-rated car rental service Toronto will ask you if you already have insurance.
Start by stepping away from the large car rental companies. You can really save on great cars by choosing a local top-rated car rental service, Toronto. People don’t realize that local rental companies can charge you less because they have much less administrative overhead. Don’t book your econobox just yet; search for a car rental nearby instead.
Making the most of Wi-Fi – Saving $
Fortunately, since us Canadians are burdened with exorbitant mobile data prices, we already are experts at finding free Wi-Fi. But it is always healthy to remind yourself of the potential for bill shock. The local café, your hotel or AirBnB, major train stations and airports all have Wi-Fi available to use for free. Keep hopping on free Wi-Fi and you won’t have to worry (much) about roaming fees.
But to make the most of this you need to get your smartphone offline-ready. Think downloading maps for later, saving boarding passes onto your phone, city guides that can be saved for offline reading and more.
Get in touch with Advantage Car Rental in Toronto to get a vehicle delivered to you. Now you don’t even have to worry about a ‘car rental nearby’ because we’ll come to you.