Having said that, here's what I've learned that could help you in your future planning endeavors for a cost effective and memorable trip.
1. It's important to get sleep
In my experience, nothing will get you to lose focus or become grumpy like Statler and Waldorf(seen below) from the Muppet Show, like a bad night of sleep. I say 7 hours is the minimum and 9 hours the maximum.
2. "Last Minute" and "Deals" are almost always mutually exclusive words
This one I will spend a minute on. Everyone looks for a deal on travel, including the angel on your shoulder who says "just one more day and the price will drop," or "just wait till' next Tuesday, and the price of the flight will drop back down."
But here ye to this, procrastination is of the DEVIL!
9 times out of 10, you won't find a better deal if you procrastinate till next week. From Tuesday to Tuesday, I've seen flights go from $112, all the way up to $145. And when your booking 27 or so flights, the difference in costs begin to add up.
From what I have seen, a majority of the best deals are to be had 4 to 6 weeks in advance of the trip. Also remember that people like to travel in the summer time, so the sooner took book that flight, the better. And if your looking for a last minute getaway, do it between September and November and January and April. Airlines seem to be bored and throw out big deals when it slows down.
3. Hump day is a good thing
Wednesday is good for a lot of things, including snagging the best flight deals. I don't want to leave Wednesday's friend, Tuesday, out of the mix either. Along with the example above, a sample airfare on a Tuesday(five weeks out and same travel date, 6/25), from Tampa Bay to Miami cost $59 on Southwest.com But purchasing the same flight on a Saturday or Sunday, cost as much as $88. Keep it simple, book midweek.
4. Priceline Be Picky
Apparently, Priceline knows my m.o. in trying to book the absolute lowest rate for any star hotel, and won't allow me to bid my own price on the same hotel area, more than once in a 24 hour period. True Priceline can pay off big, but remember that you want to keep the bid price realistic, especially if it's a tourist hotspot like Anaheim or San Diego, compared to say, Pittsburgh.(no offense Pittsburgh)
5. Devil in the details
Hotels on Hotwire, Priceline, Travelocity and Orbitz all have their secret deals. But remember, if their is an amenity that you are specifically looking for in a hotel, and it's not listed, it DOESN"T exist. Example: a hotel in the Anaheim area, that met my qualifications, but didn't list shuttle service on it's list of amenities. I figured I knew better, and booked the hotel on Hotwire.com. When I called the hotel after it was revealed, I found out that I would have to walk three miles to my destination or take a cab because their was NO shuttle service.
Hotels on Hotwire, Priceline, Travelocity and Orbitz all have their secret deals. But remember, if their is an amenity that you are specifically looking for in a hotel, and it's not listed, it DOESN"T exist. Example: a hotel in the Anaheim area, that met my qualifications, but didn't list shuttle service on it's list of amenities. I figured I knew better, and booked the hotel on Hotwire.com. When I called the hotel after it was revealed, I found out that I would have to walk three miles to my destination or take a cab because their was NO shuttle service.
Another thing to remember is that some tourist hotels charge what they call a resort fee, which is separate from the low rate on a room that you are getting. Sometimes it can be as much as $15 per night.
The first 15 days of travel, has burnt a whole in my wallet, but also taught me good common sense tips on how to penny pinch on travel. Flight to Oakland, just three days away.
