The urge to travel is strong in many, us included. Therefore sometimes many of us try to cut a few corners to save money when travelling to allow us to travel longer or further. However, some things may not, in the long run, benefit us and may in fact be a scam. Therefore it is important to consider some travel mistakes to avoid. Here are six common ones that catch people out regularly.
Luxury ‘Bargain’ Hotels
If a hotel looks too good to be true for price, the likelihood is it is. We all love a bargain, therefore when we see an amazing hotel for a low price our instant instinct is to book it. However, it is important when searching for a hotel to look at multiple sources not just the hotel’s website. As it’s their website they can say whatever they like about their hotel in order to sell it to people. Also, Photoshop could have been used too and can be very deceiving.
Free Holidays
You’ve heard the saying ‘there’s no such thing as a free lunch’? Well, there’s no such thing as a free holiday either. There are several scams on the internet and over the phone which are extremely common and easy to fall for. One of the most important travel mistakes to avoid is giving your credit card details out. Therefore, if someone offers you a free holiday in exchange for x, y or z, it is not a free holiday and it is more than likely you will be scammed.
Hidden Fees
It’s always important to double-check the price quoted is the actual price you will pay. Sometimes the cheapest flights you see may have a number of hidden fees especially if you plan to fly on a budget airline. These could include checked baggage, reserved seats, meals etc. Also, sometimes there are hidden fees attached to hotel prices too i.e. resort fees in destinations such as Las Vegas. Therefore what initially seems like a deal could push you over budget.
Not Getting Travel Insurance
You may think you are fit and healthy and have survived this long without travel insurance. But all it takes is one incident/accident and you could be left considerably out of pocket. If you shop around for travel insurance you’re likely to find a comprehensive policy for a few quid and if you travel several times a year, annual policies can be great value for money. Most policies not only cover medical expenses but lost luggage, cancelled hotel reservations etc too.
Overpacking
We’re sure we have all been here before? Regardless of how long we are away for whether it be a long weekend or a 3-week road trip, the likelihood is we will always overpack. We tend to pack for all weathers and eventualities. In reality, we should check the weather forecast before we pack and simply consider the activities we plan to do. If the worst happens hotels have laundry services and failing that most destinations have shops to pick up a few extras.
Third-Party Discount Scams
There are a number of third party discount scams out there where the company offers flights, hotels, attractions tickets etc at a ‘discounted’ price. They then take your money and often don’t follow through with the tickets/reservations etc. Resulting in you being left out of pocket. Or they do follow through with the tickets/reservations but have bought them directly at a cheaper price, which you could have done yourself, therefore, saving cash and they pocket the difference.
