I often get calls/texts/emails from friends and family asking for advice on how to book travel on a budget! Anyone who knows me personally knows that I enjoy talking about travel, reading about travel, researching travel, and providing travel tips to everyone! One of my biggest passions is giving to those around me (god bless my friends) including giving away my best travel no-so-secrets! But before I do, let me say that these recommendations are my opinion and I do not get paid commission for these referrals (that’s how you know it’s real!)

I absolutely could not live my life without this one travel resource: Scott’s Cheap Flights.

Let’s face it, the biggest cost when traveling is airfare. Scott’s Cheap Flights is hands down, by far the best resource for international sales on fares. AND IT’S FREE. All they do is send you an email when there is a great price or mistake fare on international flights and then tell you how to book it!! There is no obligation to book and they aren’t trying to sell you anything. There is a free subscription and a paid subscription which is more personalized but not necessary by any means. In 2017, I booked a $500 flight from Knoxville to Budapest utilizing the free subscription. Still totally legit. You have my word that they will not send you spam mail or any “deals” with fine print or conditional offers. You can easily sign up for the free version to try it out and then subscribe later, which is what I did!

I absolutely could not live my life without this second travel resource: TSA Pre-check

I have arrived at the airport 10 mins before my plane boarded and still made it to my gate with time to spare (not without sweating, of course). I was taking a Friday evening flight out of New Orleans over a holiday weekend and didn’t realize that every airport lot and privately owned lot within a 5 mile radius would be out of parking. I drove around for 45 minutes before I spotted a couple headed to their car with luggage and very awkwardly crept behind them for god only knows how long. The moral of the story is that TSA Pre-Check is the only reason I was able to make it on time. If you plan to take weekend trips or evening flights after work, TSA Pre-check is the best $85 you could ever spend. All you do is apply and pay $85, schedule an appointment for background check and fingerprinting, and then wait for your approval. Once approved, you are good for 5 years.

How do I book Hotels? 3 ways: Booking.com, Airbnb, or directly with the hotel.

The end. I always research the best deal on various websites but I always find myself back at one of these three for final booking and the reason is simple: the best prices, with the best cancellation policies, with the most bang for my buck. It has been my own personal experience that booking with 3rd party websites leads to complications and crap that no one wants to deal with. And majority of the time, if you call the hotel, they will match the price that you found online so they don’t have to pay commission to other sites. I recommend always trying this route first because booking directly with the hotel means they will do everything they can to justify any discrepancies. When you book with 3rd party sites, the site places responsibility on the hotel but the hotel places responsibility on the 3rd party. It becomes a game of pointing fingers and no one wanting to rectify the situation. So just don’t do it. I’ve had the best experiences with these three.

What’s my favorite car rental agency? Enterprise. 

I can’t tell you how many cars I’ve rented from Enterprise and have had a great experience every single time. The customer service is on point and they have never been dishonest or charged me incorrectly. They have upgraded me for free on multiple occasions, let me pass on the gas gauge at return, and never charged me for detailing the car. Enterprise is definitely the way to go, unless you find something much cheaper but even then you have to ask yourself “I am renting a piece of expensive, heavy equipment. Am I okay with the risk involved (fees, charges, damages, detailing, accidents) to save a few bucks?” Usually my answer is no. But maybe you like to live life on the wild side.