Skiers in High Park, Toronto, January, 1925

As the fall season transitions into winter, most people, including your favorite Comeback Girl of all the world, moi -needs time for renewal, ie, a vacation. A few days ago, I wrote about my favorite sites for deals and bargains. And when it comes to a vacation, we should all be looking for the best price. I’m planning on hitting the slopes this winter. And even I plan ahead, that’s namely how to get the best price. And during economic times like these; family vacation budgeting should be paramount in the minds of the fabulous price conscious traveler who may even be going through debt consolidation.

Some of my top tips are:

1. Airfare sales usually occur during the beginning of the week: Many people have stated that Tuesday right after midnight is the best time across all airlines to get the best fare, but I’m not always so sure this is true. You should be buying your flight ticket as far in advance as possible though.

2. When booking a hotel, ask for a lower rate: This worked for me once at a high end hotel. Not a lot of people know that all you have to do is ask. I believe hotels refer to this kind of rate as a “fallback” rate when the quoted price is met with resistance. Its not guaranteed to work, but hey It never hurts to ask. “Is that the best price?”

3. Be Flexible With Your Dates: This is self-explanatory, but be flexible. If you have a couple of months that you’d like to travel say December or January, search sites, call destinations or travel agents leaving a few months open, you are bound to find a great deal.