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flat tire, etc.
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• Search for deals on flights, hotels and rental cars at comparison sites like Orbitz.com, Kayak.com, Priceline.com, Hotwire.com, Hotels.com and Travelzoo.com. But beware: Before clicking "confirm," make sure the final price matches the initial quote. I've seen fares jump $50 or more in just minutes or had the seat I was booking suddenly become unavailable.
• A few additional tips:
• • Follow and "like" airlines and ticketing sites on Facebook and Twitter. They'll often share sales, discounts and promotional codes with their followers.
• • If the airfare goes down after you've purchased your ticket, ask the airline or ticketing site to refund the difference - it couldn't hurt to ask.
• • Print and carry a copy of your airline's Contract of Carriage, which outlines your rights and the airline's obligations should your flight be cancelled or delayed for reasons besides weather or other "acts of God."
• • Consider vacation rentals listed on sites like Airbnb.com, VRBO.com and HomeAway.com. You can often find cheaper accommodations with more space and amenities than hotels offer.
• • Before booking a hotel room online, call the individual property to see if they can beat the company's posted rate. Also ask for member discounts for organizations you belong to like AAA or AARP.
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• Practical Money Skills for Life, a free personal financial management program run by Visa Inc., has a handy web-based travel calculator that can help you estimate travel costs and rejigger them to meet your budget needs (www.practicalmoneyskills.com/calculators). It's also available as a free iPhone app, which you can download from iTunes.
• Bottom line: A little preplanning now can ensure you don't blow your whole budget on unexpected vacation expenses.
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• Jason Alderman directs Visa's financial education programs. To Follow Jason Alderman on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PracticalMoney.
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