It's been a long, cold winter here in the Valley. Oh, wait, no it hasn't.
Well, who needs an excuse to get out of town anyway? And you know we try to do it on the cheap.
Lifestyle website FashionBeans picked the brains of travel experts and compiled these 10 tips to get away on a dime.
1. Remember the Rule of Tuesdays.
Tuesday is a great day to travel because most people take flights closer to or on the weekend. You can likely find cheaper flights in the middle of the week.
2. Hit the shoulder season.
Consider taking that trip during the off-season or close to it. "Shoulder season" is between the busy and dead times for an area.
3. Be a little impulsive.
It's not quite as easy to hop on an underbooked flight these days as it used to be, but if you sign up for your favorite airline's email list you'll see last-minute specials. FashionBeans also suggests you check out coupon sites like Groupon, DailyCandy, or LivingSocial.
4. Ditch the hotel.
Airbnb and VRBO could have better deals than hotels, especially if you have a big group. You can also check out home-sharing apps.
5. Get off the plane.
Tell the gate attendant right away you would be willing to wait for another flight if the one you're on is overbooked. Then you'll be on the short list if they need volunteers to give up their seat.
6. Brown bag it.
We all know that airport food is pricey. Pack those snacks. Then hit up a grocery store once you get where you're going.
7. Hydrate on the cheap.
You can't take a bottle of water through security, but you can take an empty water bottle. You can fill it up at a fountain.
8. Find new ways to get around.
Uber and Lyft are typically cheaper than a taxi.
9. Take a cue from extreme couponers.
Look at apps like Groupon and LivingSocial. Search hashtags on Instagram for specific locations and call those places and ask if they have any specials.
10. Book directly.
Use a search site to find the cheapest flight, then go to the airline's website and see if the price is cheaper.