There are some things that feel like they should only be reserved for the rich and famous: A personal masseuse to rub out the stress, a chef to cook a great meal or a travel agent to take care of getting us around the world.
The reality is, though, that even if you are living on a middle-class income, you can benefit and most likely afford each one of those things.
Unfortunately, when it comes to traveling, many middle-incomers believe that a travel agent can't help them because they don't have a big budget and aren't jetting off to some exotic location.
"When your budget is small, I think it's even more important to use a travel professional," said Denise Lorentzen of Dreams Family Travel. "You don't want to waste your money on something, and if you have less to work with, you need to make sure you are booking the right options."
Lorentzen recently had a client come to her and asked if she could help with a staycation.
"They decided to stay closer to home for spring break this year," she said. "She travels a few times a year with me so I knew she would be back again."
Lorentzen helped her client find a moderate resort and added on tickets to local museum/aquariums, gave her suggestions with other things to do, helped locate great dining choices and put an itinerary together.
"It was only a three-day getaway, and it was two hours from where they lived," she said. "My fee was deeply discounted as there was not as much to do. She was so happy for the help!
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For travelers on even a tighter budget, there are agents who do not charge a fee at all.
"Many travel agencies, like MickeyTravels, have no cost for travelers to utilize," said Greg Antonelle, managing director of MickeyTravels, LLC. "We get paid by our supplier, so it makes sense for someone with a small budget to use a travel agent."
Antonelle explains that travel agents are well versed in finding the best deals for their clients.
"They know when peak season is. They know the difference and offerings at value, moderate or deluxe resorts," he said. "Utilizing a travel agent is also beneficial because they oftentimes can get you a discount if a promotion is released, even after you book your vacation. It's a win/win."
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Margie Lenau said that not only do travel agents get their customers a great value, they can save their client's money too.
"They manage expectations, and get the best value because they know what they are looking for," said Lenau of Wonderland Family Vacations. "Just because the internet says something is a deal doesn't mean that it is. Sometimes it is all about the marketing and what the client perceives as a good value.
"One couple came with a specific resort and flight quote, but they had forgotten to include transfers and said they would just take a taxi," she continued. "That would have cost a fortune since the resort was quite far away from the airport."
So, Lenau upgraded the room to the next level and included the transfer. "The cost came in just below the quote they showed me," she said. "As a bonus, the flight schedule was better, something they never looked at. They took the flight schedule that was first offered to them."
Talk to a travel agent about your budget, no matter how big or small, and see how they can help you to plan your next adventure.
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