Thanks to the Web, there are plentiful bargains online. You just have to know where to find them. The following sites comprise my shortlist of ones that combine good prices and good service from a reliable company.
#1 - Tweet Your Way to a Trip: TRAVEL DEALS ON TWITTER
Finding travel bargains on Twitter means scoring last-minute airfares and hotel deals that everyone else may not know about. That's why the social networking site has become a key place for couples with a get-up-and-go spirit.
Since many travel deals on Twitter have a short lead time, they make the most sense for duos who can take off for an impulsive weekend or quick vacation rather than a honeymoon, which requires more planning. Find links to the most useful travel bargain sites on Twitter in the article.
#2 - Travel Bargain Bot: TRAVEL ZOO
Sure, you could spend your life surfing hundreds of travel sites for bargains. But why, when Travel Zoo pulls thousands of current ones together for you? Categories include domestic and international airfare sales; vacation specials at popular destinations such as Florida, Hawaii, Las Vegas, Europe, and the Caribbean; lodging and car-rental deals; and cruise sales.
Of special interest to couples are the "romance" trips; recent offerings included vacations to both Paris and Tahiti.
Don't feel like clicking through page after page? Choose "Top 20" to find the biggest bargains of the week. You can also choose to have the Top 20 emailed to you every week.
#3 - Travel Auctions: LUXURY LINK
Luxury Link claims that savvy bidders can get savings of up to 70% off on travel auctions and fixed process offers.
But a travel auction is not a bargain if you need to plan well in advance and don't want to deal with the anxiety of losing. A piece of advice: Always find out the regular cost of a trip before bidding on one so you don't pay more than it's worth.
#4 - Online Travel Agents: KAYAK & TRAVELOCITY & EXPEDIA
Don't overlook the Web's biggest and best travel agents for finding bargains, either. These giants dedicate areas of their sites to travel specials from their partners. Many of the deals are exclusives. And even if you find a great deal elsewhere, it's a smart idea to price it on Expedia or Travelocity as well. You never know until you check which site will save you the most on a particular trip.
#5 - The Bargain-Travel Guide Next Door: ABOUT BUDGET TRAVEL
My colleague Mark Kahler devotes his site to proving that no matter what your budget, you can afford to travel somewhere. I don't recommend things like flying as an air courier (you can't bring much luggage), hitchhiking (dangerous), or staying in a hostel (not conducive to romance!). But otherwise this site is right on the money.
You'll find countless money-saving ideas on this site, along with fresh bargains for scoring low-cost rooms, food, transportation, and entertainment.
