# How do you save money on travel?



## cmfAdmin (Oct 3, 2008)

With vacation season coming up, I'm wondering, what are some strategies that you use to save money on travel?


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## daveking (Apr 3, 2009)

Get a Citizen Bank Global Chequing Account. No more paying $5 per transaction when you visit an ATM in a foreign country.

It's the same as PC Financial no fee chequing, but instead of using CIBC atm, Citizen Bank uses HSBC atm.


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## moneygardener (Apr 3, 2009)

Book a hotel with a kitchenette and make breakfast and some lunches.  Book flight and hotel last minute if possible.


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## darkwing_1978 (Apr 3, 2009)

*Research, Patience, and Decisiveness*

We love to travel and we've found these three principals have served us very well: Research, Patience, and Decisiveness... 

Research: We typically end up going to Vegas and Disneyworld at least once a year. I find if I start scouring the travel forums (redflagdeals, fatwallet, flyertalk) I can usually find a good deal or two for the time period that we're looking at going. I am a research nut, so this part is actually fun for me!

Patience: We are fortunate to both have jobs that allow us some flexibility on when we take our vacations. Sometimes if we're willing to even wait a month or two we can literally save ourselves hundreds if not thousands (i.e. Disney Dining Plan for free in Sept)

Decisiveness: If we have done our research and we know what the avg flight prices have been looking like, and what the general hotel rate is, then when we see a good price on either we pounce. Patience is necessary, but we don't let it become procrastination!!


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## Elbyron (Apr 3, 2009)

If you're looking for vacations in popular destinations (Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica, etc), and you are able to leave on short notice, then try watching for last minute deals on websites like selloffvacations.com, travellastminute.ca, sunquestvacations.ca, and other websites you can find through google searches. 

If you'd rather have more time to plan your trip, try searching for flights on kayak.com Depending where you live, sometimes you can get the flights even cheaper by flying Westjet to a major city like Toronto or Vancouver first. So try using other cities where you would normally change planes as your starting point, and see if you can find a good seat sale. 

Last year I got a flight from Vancouver to Bangkok for under $700 (incl taxes), and I just paid another $320 to fly Westjet to Vancouver. There's no rule that says you have to buy all your tickets in one place, just make sure you have enough connection time!


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## JF. (Apr 3, 2009)

Here in Montreal, instead of flying from Montreal to Las Vegas or to Florida we used the discount air lines from Burlington airport and Plattsburgh airport. The destinations are pretty limited since those are small (read tiny) airports. You need to drive to those airports but the fares are so cheap that it is worth the drive (approx 2h from Montreal depending on the border wait time). Also the parking is free at Plattsburgh airport (don't remember for Burlington).

And to give you an idea, to go to Florida from Plattsburgh the price was at least 50% cheaper than from Montreal and we could have got a better deal if we would have bought the tickets last minute.

Usefull links:
http://www.plattsburghinternationalairport.com
http://www.burlingtonintlairport.com


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## maniac (Apr 3, 2009)

Book a hotel room as a backup that can be cancelled and then use priceline or hotwire to get a good deal. You can use sites like betterbidding and biddingfortravel which help you figure out strategies to get the hotel you want. I've used this technique VERY successfully to save THOUSANDS on travel. For example I stayed in a very nice Marriott hotel in Fort Lauderdale before a cruise once for $40 a night using priceline.


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## Patricia (Apr 3, 2009)

We like to camp which saves us a lot on accommodation. Breakfast is in camp, we carry coolers and stop in parks for lunches. This allows us plenty of discretionaru funds for meals in restaurants and going to see attractions. If the weather is too wet then we can book into a room. Often the meal out of the day is lunch which is always cheaper than dinner out.


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## canabiz (Apr 4, 2009)

I also regularly use PriceLine and HotWire to book hotels and rent cars. A good tip is to book hotels that are close to the airports of the city you plan to visit...these hotels normally have shuttle buses that ferry passengers back and forth from the airports to the hotels and vice versa...save you some money on the cabs as well as the time and distance traveled...you certainly do not want to miss your flight, especially with all the security measures the airports have put in place.

Another tip is try to combine multiple activities in 1 trip (My wife doesn't agree with this but we always find a compromise). I am a HUGE NFL fan who would love to attend at least a game in all 32 stadiums in the league. We did a cruise last year from Miami and i was able to go to a Miami Dolphins game after we disembarked...it's unlike we will come back to Miami again, been there and done that so it was nice to get what we wanted in 1 shot...we also plan to visit Vegas this fall and I will once again rent a car to visit the Grand Canyon and attend an Arizona Cardinals game. My philosophy is because we are already there, may as well kill 2 birds with 1 stone.

Happy traveling folks!


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## Agape (Apr 3, 2009)

*Location is everything*

Sometimes getting off the tourist bandwaggon can save you a ton of cash. 

Countries like Guatemala can offer you a great opportunity to see and do many amazing things at amazing prices. You pay for being catered to, so if you can get away from tourist packages, you can often put together a great (cheaper) trip yourself. Researching and a little language training goes a long way.


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## mfd (Apr 3, 2009)

cmfadmin said:


> With vacation season coming up, I'm wondering, what are some strategies that you use to save money on travel?


Where exactly are you going? My fiance and I spent a month in Europe 2 years ago and I could give you some advice on that.


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## Jet (Apr 5, 2009)

I usually pack food for long car rides and plane trips, although I got in real trouble once when I apparently tried to "smuggle" apples along for a plane trip to California.

Someone else has pointed out that having a kitchenette in your accommodation usually can save a lot of money by avoiding eating at restaurants.

I've signed up for the Fairmont Presidents' Club (free) and get periodic emails about pretty great deals in their hotels. Being a member also gets me other stuff like free Internet in my room. I'm sure other hotel chains have similar programs. 

Once in a while I can find a conference in my professional field, in a place that I'd like to visit. Usually I can get some money from my employer, my union, and professional association to help cover some of the costs.


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## Jet (Apr 5, 2009)

Oh yeah....I also try not to do my traveling during vacation season. It's cheaper to travel off-peak, plus the summertime is the only time we have any decent weather around here....I'd hate to miss it. 

Another thing I have used is a City Pass http://www.citypass.com/
This is a bundle of tickets to major attractions in about 10 different cities. If you are planning to see the tourist sites of a place like, for example, New York, this can save you some cash.


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## moneymusing (Apr 3, 2009)

Although not appealing to everyone www.couchsurfing.com is a great way to meet local people and have a place to stay. Probably the ultimate frugal accommodations.

Also, instead of staying in hotels, try looking up short term apartment rentals. Especially when travelling in groups. 4 people could easily stay in a furnished apartment or villa for $1000/week or $250/pp


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## OnlineHarvest (Apr 6, 2009)

I think deciding where to travel last minute helps save money and adds some excitement! If you can have no plans until last minute, shopping for a vacation this way can save you a lot of money (I know, comparing a NECESSARY long-term planned vacation, with an advertised price for the same location and hotel on a last minute basis!). As a bonus, you have a greater likelihood of having great weather, basing it on weekly trends instead of hoping what the weather will be like months in advance.


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## Jon Chevreau (Apr 4, 2009)

How to save money on travel? Don't!

Don't travel, that is. There's nothing more pleasant than a two-week vacation spent in Veranda Beach: your back yard. No flight connections to make, no luggage to lose, no overpriced meals and a ton of savings. You could of course eat out a little more during such a home-based vacation, rationalizing that you're on holiday.

Here's my recent account of my own "Holiday from hell." 

http://www.financialpost.com/person....html?id=8364b3e7-0518-4333-95c7-e6960397c526

P.S. The phrase I use throughout Findependence Day is "Guerrilla Frugality." The term is explained at the top of page 15.
www.financialpost.com/fd


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## CanadianCapitalist (Mar 31, 2009)

Jon Chevreau said:


> How to save money on travel? Don't!


In the same vein... how to save money on travel? Have kids. Sleep sounds like a better activity than traveling to far off places


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## mfd (Apr 3, 2009)

I've driven across Canada, Spent a month in Europe back packing, Spent time in several US cities, and now going to spend 2 weeks in Hawaii. Despite the cost and frustrations that arise I wouldn't trade that for anything. I think seeing new things is definitely worth the cost and I just make sure I have the funds to do it and it doesn't take me away from my retirement plan.

Even one of my dumbest trips is filled with great memories....drive 17 hours to Halifax...spend 22 hours there....drive 17 hours back and all for the McLobster at MacDonald's.


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## Bullseye (Apr 5, 2009)

I've found cottage (cabin, for your westerners) rentals to be a really enjoyable and economical vacation plan. It's not your own cottage, so you actually get to relax, and it gives you a base in a new locale to explore from. 

Before kids, we used to travel the world, and saved money by staying in hostels. Most had private, basic rooms for just a bit more than the shared accommodation, but still way cheaper than a full hotel room. 

Now we tend to 'stay-cation', doing road trips within a 1000km radius, usually for 4-5 days at a time. That's enough to satisfy our traveller souls for now, and long enough to be on the road with young children!

Agree with MFD, though, not travelling is not really an option for us. My hard work keeping our finances sound is done so that we have money to do things like travel.


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## canabiz (Apr 4, 2009)

I have to disagree with you folks who think traveling is not recommended/a good idea. The world is a big playground and there are lots of places to see and things to do, even within Canada itself, i wonder how many folks here have gone from coast to coast...

Canadians are well-respected around the globe and we have a great reputation. I personally think traveling opens your eyes and minds and it will teach you a lot of lessons. Jon, as a matter of fact, the front page story of last Saturday's National Post talked about kids traveling and volunteering during their gap year, if memory serves me well.


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## Jon Chevreau (Apr 4, 2009)

My post was perhaps a bit tongue-in-cheek, keeping in mind I have a very sore tooth close to that tongue! But it is worth asking the question whether travel is a bit over-rated. As the French philosopher Montaigne once said, "the traveller takes himself wherever he goes."


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## moneymusing (Apr 3, 2009)

Jon Chevreau said:


> As the French philosopher Montaigne once said, "the traveller takes himself wherever he goes."


But is he who returns the same who left?


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## OnlineHarvest (Apr 6, 2009)

moneymusing said:


> But is he who returns the same who left?


That's why we have souvenirs! 

Maybe this French philosopher was envious of world travelers! 

Someone who says 'same thing, different place' certainly hasn't been to Europe!


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## Patricia (Apr 3, 2009)

We often stay in university dormitories when travelling in Canada.


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## UpNorth (Apr 3, 2009)

During my twenties I wanted to see the world but I didn't have much in the way of financial resources. Determined, I got scholarships to study abroad, joined volunteer programs and worked for NGOs overseas. I lived for extended periods of time in Sweden, Uruguay, Guatemala and Cuba and travelled throughout Europe and Latin America. By turned my travelling into a lifestyle and a career, someone else was always paying for the ticket. 

Now I have a desk job but my partner and I still feel the need to travel occasionally. We live in Whitehorse and travel out of the north can be very pricey. To start with, we apply for any conferences or training available to us. This usually takes place in a hub city in Canada. Then we'll tack on a flight and vacation to a work trip - it saves us and enormous amount of money. If one of us is going to a conference outside the north, the other will often come along.

Besides the outside travel a couple of times a year, I'm a big advocate of enjoying what's available to us where we are. This Saturday we'll drive a couple of hours north to the St. Elias Mountain range. We'll cross country skii for two or three days, towing sleds with our gear and winter camping. It's an area where I have regularly seen wolves in the winter, bears and moose in the summer. I try to keep in mind that Germans pay thousands upon thousands of dollars for this kind of experience but it will cost us nothing more than filling up the gas tank.


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## Hazelnut (Apr 10, 2009)

When my daughter was younger and a highland dancer we travelled all over Canada to competitions, but as a single parent I had to find ways to cut costs. We have stayed in really excellent hostels (most now have family rooms for a few extra $ plus it was free for under age 12 I think) in Banff, Edmonton, Montreal, Gaspe, Quebec City, Ile d'Orleans etc. Now that my daughter is 18 & going to university & working part-time we have bought a trailer on Lake Huron so we can get away whenever we have a few days - very inexpensive mini-vacations.


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## Canadian Finance (Apr 3, 2009)

I wrote an article today on buying timeshares. They can be had for next to nothing in the resale market, you just pay the maintenance fee going forward.

I plan on getting one or two, just waiting to find the right ones. Might convert them to RCI points so that I can stay in other places.

*Buying Timeshares*


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## canabiz (Apr 4, 2009)

With cottage season under way, does any of you folks here own cottages and if so what do you do to keep the expenses under control ? 

Sometimes I wonder if going to a cottage is better than traveling to exotic locales...maybe it's an apple vs. orange comparison. I have been to friends' cottages a couple of times and I don't know if I want to go back to the same place every other week but if you have a family with kids, it may be good (and cheaper) for the little ones to enjoy...


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## Mintycake (Apr 13, 2009)

We take cruises. It's more economical than you think, and if we leave from relatively cheap to get to ports like NY or Fort Lauderdale, it cuts down. Of course you have to learn to be frugal while on board (lots of ways to rack up expenses on a cruise) you can have a great time, enjoy great food, see different ports, and generally relax. Cruise prices are at an all time low right now...I just wish I had the vacation time to go!


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## Assetologist (Apr 19, 2009)

*Cruise advice*

We are hoping to go on a cruise around Greece, Turkey, Croatia, Italy area this summer as I figure there will be some deals. 

I have set weeks off and plan to look for last minute deals.

Does anybody have any advice regarding the best websites or companies?

Thanks


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## FrugalTrader (Oct 13, 2008)

Assetologist said:


> We are hoping to go on a cruise around Greece, Turkey, Croatia, Italy area this summer as I figure there will be some deals.
> 
> I have set weeks off and plan to look for last minute deals.
> 
> ...


To check out cruise deals, I sometimes use http://www.vacationstogo.com (not affiliated). Otherwise, Carlson Wagonlit Travel is pretty competitive in pricing.


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## markievicz (Apr 11, 2009)

canabiz said:


> I have been to friends' cottages a couple of times and I don't know if I want to go back to the same place every other week but if you have a family with kids, it may be good (and cheaper) for the little ones to enjoy...


It seems to work well for rich men like my bosses whose wives don't work and can station the spouse and kids up there all summer for a change of scene etc, then travel up weekends. It's irrelevant to immigrants like me anyway.

How do you guys who promote the deals travel last minute? I have to book my vacation time fairly well in advance at work, so does my husband, so don't want to leave things to chance.

I'm surprised FT hasn't mentioned the SPG credit card (do you still use it FT?). We travel a lot to other cities - I'm from Ireland so don't do beaches - and haven't paid for a hotel in many years, and the rate of return of the points is pretty good for a non-US card. And sheraton/westin hotels are great.

Am having a nightmare with expedia at the moment, if they don't resolve it for me I'll come back here and rant about why you shouldn't use them.


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## FrugalTrader (Oct 13, 2008)

markievicz said:


> It seems to work well for rich men like my bosses whose wives don't work and can station the spouse and kids up there all summer for a change of scene etc, then travel up weekends. It's irrelevant to immigrants like me anyway.
> 
> How do you guys who promote the deals travel last minute? I have to book my vacation time fairly well in advance at work, so does my husband, so don't want to leave things to chance.
> 
> ...


Emma, you are right, I can't believe I haven't mentioned it yet. The SPG mastercard is my primary credit card and has served me well when staying at hotels. Although we haven't travelled much as of late, I'm pretty excited about using my banked points at disney world or somewhere else that's warm. 

For those of you not familiar with the SPG Mastercard, it's a credit card that allows you to collect Starwood points which can be used in Sheraton, Westin, Four points etc hotels. The return, for a free card, is the highest out there IF you like to travel.

Here is my detailed review of the *MBNA Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) Mastercard*.


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## canabiz (Apr 4, 2009)

I don't have personal experience with this last-minute website but friends have used it and they got good deals

http://www.selloffvacations.com

For folks with the SPG card, do you get to stay at Starwood Hotels for free if you accumulate enough points or do you get some discounts only ? If it is the latter, I wonder if it's better to simply book hotels via PriceLine and save the SPG points for airplane tickets via Air Canada ?

I do have a SPG MasterCard but it's locked away because I used it for the 0% balance transfer.


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## FrugalTrader (Oct 13, 2008)

canabiz said:


> For folks with the SPG card, do you get to stay at Starwood Hotels for free if you accumulate enough points or do you get some discounts only ? If it is the latter, I wonder if it's better to simply book hotels via PriceLine and save the SPG points for airplane tickets via Air Canada ?


Canabiz, you can do both. I have used the points for free hotel stays, but when they have "cash and points" offers, I take advantage of that. Priceline is great if you don't mind the uncertainty of where you are staying on your next vacation. For us, we like the predictability of Starwood hotels in the vacation spots that we visit most.


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## johnsazzr (Apr 20, 2009)

My first rule for frugal vacationing is not " where" but "when".

This is the first and only piece of info my wife needs to tell me..I take it from there.

We always have 2 knocks against us in terms of travelling: 
1)3 kids= 2 rooms or 2 cruiseship cabins..we really don't consider a vacation experiance squeezing 5 people in tight quarters...but thats just us.

2)my wife is a teacher..while I love her salary and pension, it makes frugal travel very difficult as March Break and Summer break are our travel times and it is much more challenging to find deals.

back to my original point: we now know when..so what about the where???

the answer is in the deal....whether it means the east coast, the US, or a cruise depends entirely on the deal! I keep an entirely open mind, then begin cruising the web, redflagdeals, fatwallet, bestpricecruises.com,VRBO.com, Kayak, http://www.itasoftware.com (flights) and priceline! I love priceline for hotels and car rentals..

We might end up on an east coast cruise, like summer 2007 with the 3 kids, driving to NYC for a 5 night carnival cruise...or flying from Detroit to Colorado summer 2008 with the 3 kids and the in-laws...Or March Break 2009 to Florida from Toledo Ohio for the 5 of us..I always said I would never go to Disney for March Break..too busy and too costly..but 5 of us flying from Toledo,OH for $600 USD return, taxes in??sign me up!

It requires flexibility, as a previous poster mentioned...are you willing to drive to the US to fly..then how far..we have driven from our home in Lindsay Ont to Buffalo, Detroit, Toledo, Ottawa, Niagara Falls NY (yes they have an airport) to save a minimum of 1500-2000 for 5 tickets. Are you willing to research alternative accomodations? even on priceline, 2 hotel rooms for a week can add up...check VRBO.com....3 BR house in florida for $700 USD with its own pool, or 4 BR luxury mountain home at 10,000 feet in Colorado for $1000 USD...sure makes for an enjoyable vacation..

The pleasure is not just in the vacation itself, but in the search!


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## blackjacques (Apr 3, 2009)

*Advice from someone who ate a $26 hamburger!*

I once had a $26 hamburger for lunch in Newport, RI. It was just OK, but the view of the beach below was stunning! 

My recommendation is to get a good credit card like the TD VISA Infinite. 3% on purchases that can be applied to all the major travel expenses. There's a hefty $120 fee, but in my experience, all you have to do is call them and threaten to cancel the card ( in a nice way ). Most companies will waive the fee entirely!

Rob


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## maelstrom (Apr 10, 2009)

anyone have tips on cheap car rentals? We're flying out west this summer to see family and will need a rental for a week or two.


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## johnsazzr (Apr 20, 2009)

maelstrom said:


> anyone have tips on cheap car rentals? We're flying out west this summer to see family and will need a rental for a week or two.


priceline...


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## Spidey (May 11, 2009)

When we travel to Europe, we rent a house in a central location and take day trips within a range of about 150 km. Having a home base is especially convenient when travelling with children. We usually use a British rental site that advertises property by owner, as we find the British method of doing business is very similar to Canada and there is less potential for misunderstandings due to our common language. Our family of 5 can stay in a 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom house for about $1000 a week in high season and for almost half that in low season. We also find that a house gives us a better feel for the community and culture than a hotel. We visit the local markets, talk to the neighbours, etc.

Used this site last time:

http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/


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## canabiz (Apr 4, 2009)

I caught up with a friend/colleague earlier today and it turns out he has a part-time job doing aircraft maintenance for a major airline. He got the job because he knew somebody inside. The nice part is he got to travel for dirt cheap or even free in certain cases.

Just thought I'd throw it out there. Apparently, it's not easy to get in and with the current recession and cutbacks, working for airlines may not be the best choice, job security-wise but if you got the travel bug and got what it takes, it doesn't get any better than this...


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## Preet (Apr 3, 2009)

I recently was heading out to Victoria, BC and was calling to arrange for a hotel last minute. I called the hotel directly and just asked for a better room for the entry level room rate. If they have vacancies, then they aren't giving up much from their perspective so it doesn't hurt to ask. And they did it.

I find asking for complimentary upgrades works quite often, for many things.

The other thing I like to do is plan trips around locations where I have family and friends. My brother is in Santa Monica, my parents are in West Vancouver, I have relatives in Montreal, India, Scotland, England, Mauritius and friends who have spread out around the globe beyond that. Not only do you get the best tour guides, you get to spend time with those you love. And they don't charge for accommodations!


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## canadianbanks (Jun 5, 2009)

I lease short term rentals when I travel to Europe, which is cheaper than most decent hotels, you get more space than the average hotel room and you can get a great location.


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