Travel Savings for Scholars
Educators are especially privy to the educational benefits of travel: new places, new cultures, new knowledge. But traveling the world in pursuit of such knowledge is no cheap trick, and an educator's budget is hardly conducive to country hopping.
Thankfully, several resources are available to help educators benefit from travel deals and steals. Here are five such resources for the pondering wanderer.
1. Frugal Fares
Sites like Orbitz and Expedia are two of many "discount" airfare websites from which you can land a good deal, but there are other ways to save on your flight. Newsday.com recently posted 15 ways to save on the total cost of airfare (not just your ticket). Some of these tips are common sense for the seasoned traveler, but they serve as a good reminder.
2. Gift Card Getaways
Buying discount gift cards represents a new trend in saving money. You can buy and exchange gift cards to offset upfront costs on sites like GiftCardGranny.com. The website also features a well-read list of over 60 discounts for teachers, including deals on airfare, lodging and educational attractions.
3. Only the Lonely
Though travelling on the cheap is no new concept, Lonely Planet is arguably the founder of the practice. Developed on the cusp of an epic-yet-economical trek across Asia, the organization has become a go-to resource for global vagabonds. In addition to providing practical tools and tips, the website also features an online community of like-minded explorers. Among the many categories of conversation is "travel on a shoestring," a series of threads dedicated to frugal wayfaring.
4. Weekend Thrift
The New York Times' Frugal Traveler is an expert at cutting costs while traveling the world. His "$100/weekend" blog post offers useful insight into spending little and learning big during the course of a weekend in the world's top cities. For other top-notch travel blogs, check out the Huffington Post's "Top Travel Blogs to Discover."
5. Shoulder-season Steals
Depending on your teaching schedule, the weeks after Labor Day and before Thanksgiving offer an excellent opportunity for trip savings. The travel industry refers to this time as "shoulder season," the weeks between busy holiday travel times. In addition to potential cash savings, travelers can also benefit from smaller crowds and milder temperatures (depending on where you go).
Andrea Woroch is a consumer and money-saving expert for Kinoli Inc. As a nationally recognized media source, Andrea has been featured among top news outlets such as Good Morning America, NBC's Today, MSNBC, New York Times, Kiplinger Personal Finance, CNNMoney, and many more. To view recent interviews or for more savings tips visit AndreaWoroch.com or follow her on Facebook and Twitter.