25 Ways You're Wasting Money When You Travel

If you have the option to travel off-peak, you absolutely should. Doing so can make any trip considerably cheaper depending on your destination, and you'll likely enjoy smaller crowds as well. If you don't have kids, especially, opt for off-peak travel while you still can. Working with a travel agent can take the guess work out of knowing the best time to travel to certain locations.

Charging your vacation to a credit card without any plan to pay it off is a rookie travel mistake if we've ever heard one. Not only are you splurging for a vacation you will have to pay back, but you'll pay credit card interest to boot. Newsflash: If you have to charge your vacation in order to make it happen, you can't afford it.

Unless you have a money tree, you need to create a travel budget and spending plan for your trip. Add up the costs of your hotel, airfare, and excursions, along with estimates of what you'll spend on food and souvenirs. If you don't take the time to do this, you may wind up spending more than you planned. A trusted travel agent can not only help you put these together, but will know a lot of the hidden costs you might not think of.

Does your airline offer a free checked bag? You should find out ahead of time. If they don't and you show up at the airport with luggage you can't carry on the plane, you'll wind up paying to check a bag whether you like it or not.

Many credit cards charge a 3% to 5% fee for purchases made abroad. By signing up for a travel credit card with no foreign transaction fees ahead of time, you can avoid this fee and save your money for something fun instead.

Most domestic carriers say you can check bags that weigh up to 50 pounds, then charge extra for baggage that weighs too much. If you show up at the airport with a beefy, overpacked bag, expect to fork over $50 to $100 in the form of an overweight baggage fee.

If you want to wait to exchange currency until you arrive at your destination, wait until you leave the airport to do so. Currency exchange stores within the airport charge higher fees for the exchange, which means less money in your pocket in the end.

If you're paying for travel and your regular expenses with a debit card or a regular credit card, you're missing out. Travel credit cards let you earn points and miles good for free hotel stays, free airfare, and more, and the travel can truly be "free"-provided you pay your credit card balance faithfully each month.

If you hope to save money on travel, never assume your cell phone offers coverage abroad. If you fail to check, you could be in for a huge bill when you arrive home. Also check out T-Mobile One service for international coverage, which can cost as little as $50 per month per line when you have two lines.

Airport food is notoriously overpriced, which is why you should avoid having full meals while you travel if at all possible. While you're at it, pack some goodies in your carry-on bag so you don't have to pay for snacks, either.

When you sign the rental agreement for a rental car, you usually agree to return it with the same amount of gas it had when you picked it up. If you don't, you will be charged exorbitant sums for each gallon of gas they have to replace. Don't say we didn't warn you.

Hotels may look the other way if you travel with a large family, but some impose occupancy limits as well. If you have more than four or five members in your squad, you may need to pay an additional occupant fee or for a second room. Make sure to check ahead of time to avoid an unpleasant surprise. If this is a recurring problem, a travel agent may be your best bet to avoid these fees altogether.

Google Flights is a great tool for finding cheap airfare to any destination. Not only does it let you compare fares amongst different airlines, but it lets you consider alternate dates and airports, too.

Basic Economy is a type of fare class that doesn't allow you to bring a carry-on bag or select a seat ahead of time. If you book this fare, you will likely need to pay for carry-on and checked luggage and for a seat assignment if you want one. Consider yourself warned.

Frequent flyer miles might as well be free money if you're someone who knows how to redeem them wisely. If you let them expire, on the other hand, you're setting money on fire. Make sure to check frequent flyer mile expiration policies for the programs you belong to so you don't let miles go to waste.

You can pay out-of-pocket for rental car insurance at the counter, but why would you when you can get it for free? Sign up for a premier travel credit card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred and you'll never pay for primary rental car coverage again.

Travel insurance can protect you from unexpected travel expenses, including the possibility of getting sick and needing medical care overseas. Make sure to buy a comprehensive travel insurance policy to protect yourself from emergency expenses you can't predict.

While a travel insurance policy is absolutely needed to protect you from the high costs of medical care and emergency evacuation, you can get trip cancellation and interruption insurance for free with a travel credit card-in fact, you might already have it. This coverage will kick in if your trip is cancelled or delayed for reasons beyond your control.

It's easy to look forward to not having to cook or clean when you travel, but you should try not to take it too far. Dining out for three meals a day can lead to huge costs quickly, and you may not need to eat that much anyway.

The restaurants off the main drag in any tourist destination are always more expensive than they should be. Worse, the food may be disappointing since they are catering to the masses. Try eating a few blocks away and off the beaten path for better food and lower prices.

It's easy to buy stuff you don't need when you're traveling somewhere new and don't know if you'll be back. If you overdo it on the souvenirs, however, you might throw your travel budget out of whack. Stick to cheap souvenirs like magnets or postcards and you'll save some cash.

Airfare tends to be expensive while driving is cheap. When you fly to a destination, you also need to pay for transportation once you get there. By turning your vacation into a road trip, you can save on travel expenses and avoid having to get a rental car.

It is frequently more expensive to fly somewhere Saturday to Saturday or even Sunday to Sunday. If you want to save money on airfare, consider vacationing during the week and flying on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. Flights can be cheaper and crowds tend to be smaller.

Hotel prices can run the gamut, and they can even fluctuate from day to day and week to week. Make sure to compare hotel prices on discount travel sites like Hotels.com, Expedia.com, Travelocity.com, and Kayak.com before you book. Remember, travel agents are pros at this process!

Finally, don't forget that you don't have to stay in a hotel. Depending on your destination, it could be cheaper to stay in an Airbnb or rental condo. Make sure to compare options and prices, along with additional savings you could get by having a kitchen to prepare your own meals in.