1. With most airlines charging per checked bag and penalties of up to $50 for overweight bags, it becomes all the more necessary to pack efficiently. With our camera/computer equipment weighing in at approx 65 pounds, we’ve learned a few tricks along the way. The airlines allow you to bring on 1 personal item, 1 overhead bin suitcase without a charge – if you don’t need both of those headed into your trip, pack a collapsible bag in your checked luggage in case your original suitcase becomes overweight. You can quickly remove some of your heavier items into the unused carry-on and away you go. Potential to earn: $50.
2. A second way to earn money while you travel is by booking an earlier flight near holiday travel times. This gives you the opportunity to be bumped to the next later flight and still reach your destination at the originally desired time. Often during the holiday seasons the airlines will overbook their flights. Being the first to volunteer to be bumped to the next flight rewards you greatly. The standard payment for bumping a traveler is a roundtrip ticket anywhere that airline flies, good for up to a year after your travel and sometimes cash as well. This can mean hundreds of dollars in your pocket for a few extra hours of your time. Potential to earn: $100-500.
3. If you end up missing your flight and see there’s just barely time to catch another flight, go straight to that departure gate instead of going to the ticket counter – most airlines will honor the ticket from the missed flight.
4. Airlines usually update their computers at midnight. Checking available fares just after midnight is the best time to find the lowest priced seats that open up from previous travelers that had booked but not paid for those seats.
5. Using a hotel safe – and keeping your money/valuables safe. It is becoming more and more common for hotel staff to dust the numbers of the in-room safes with a light coating of oil or powder on the buttons. When you key in your code, only the numbers you’ve selected will be residue-free. This makes it easy for staff to come in behind you and determine the numbers you’ve selected. By touching all the keys after locking your safe, it then becomes impossible for anyone to determine which keys were actually used in your secret combination.
We enjoy traveling and hope that you do too. If you have any tips to share, we’d love to learn about them.
