You’ve heard of airline frequent flier programs, but the rewards don’t stop there; hotel chain offer their own versions. In total, hotel loyalty programs have issued 162 million memberships.
The good news is that hotel loyalty programs are free; and, as of late, most come without any blackout dates. The even better news is that hotel chains are currently at war for rewards plan members. In other words, you win.
Maximize Your Hotel Points By Being In The Know.
Frequently check on the website for your rewards program, and read sites like PointMaven.com and Flyertalk’s hotel programs forum to stay current on specific [...]

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Make no mistake, this section is what not to do. But, in honor of LearnVest’s Travel Week, we thought that it would be a nice group catharsis to send along some travel-themed financial confessions from our users. We advise you to read ‘em, learn from ‘em, and NEVER repeat ‘em.
Confession: Annie, 21, Princeton, NJ
“My friends and I didn’t negotiate a cab fare in Naples before we got in the cab. We didn’t realize that there wasn’t a meter until we arrived at our hotel…we ended up paying 20 euros for a 10 minute ride!”
Confession: Jessy, 23, Astoria, NY
“I [...]

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The Financial Problem.
The price of that flight you just booked always seems to drop the day after you buy it. You wind up kicking yourself for it later.
The Solution.
Get that money back by taking advantage of little-known “guaranteed airfare” policies.
The Action.
Join Yapta, a free service that helps you save money on airfare before and after you buy. It tracks the price of your booked flight and alerts you when the fare drops below what you paid. It also holds your hand through the process of getting a refund from the airline. The tipping point varies by carrier – JetBlue and [...]

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The Financial Problem.
You desperately need a vacation, but you don’t feel like a decent hotel is within your budget. You’re not sure about staying in random Craigslist-sourced accommodations, and, unfortunately, none of your friends happen to live in the city where you want to go.
The Solution.
Take advantage of others’ extra space by booking a room (a couch, or an entire apartment) through an online marketplace for peer-to-peer traveling.
The Action.
Check into what Time magazine called the “eBay for space.” Airbnb has affordable listings for digs  in 114 countries and over 2,500 cities around the world. The listings include everything from a [...]

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The Problem.
We think that postcards are a great way to share our travel experiences with the people we care about (or want to make jealous), but many postcards are rather generic, and sending them can quickly become pricey.
The Solution.
Send a customized postcard with your own travel photos for a flat rate. Send from anywhere, to anywhere, without buying the postcard itself or worrying about varying international postage rates.
The Action.
Check out HazelMail, which lets you do just that. Instead of simply emailing un-special photo attachments to your friends, give them a tangible, personalized mark of your affection. Upload a photo (or [...]

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