Big Big Bargains
I love bargains and the bigger they are the better. Bargains are a lifestyle choice for our family. If we are not able to get a bargain we tend to walk away from the deal. To get a bargain you have to be willing to wait. Patience allows you take your time and find the best deal. Since finishing up the lower fourty-eight states we have been patiently waiting for airfare to Alaska and Hawaii to drop into the affordable range. We had to wait for five months before the ticket prices dropped. The ticket prices only came down for two weeks, but when they did, we were watching and ready. Tickets to Hawaii were over $800-$1000/person all summer. Hawaiian Airlines ran a promotion for two weeks dropping the fare to $360/person. Tickets to Alaska have been bouncing between $800-$1000/person. By choosing to fly at the very end of the season we were able to get tickets for $500/person. If we could have gotten tickets for as low as $400/person, if we were willing to do two layovers of four plus hours (not a good idea with lots of little kids). To search for the best airfare we have been using www.google.com/flights. For vehicle rentals we use www.priceline.com, naming our own price. For Hawaii we looked into getting a twelve passenger van, which costs $1000+/week. We ended up getting two mid-size cars for $125/week. For housing options we looked at hotels, but they were pricey with not enough room. We started looking for a rental house. One rental agent in Hawaii said we would never be able to find a house for less than $500/night, so we kept looking. Eventually, I found a house one block away from the beach for $135/night. Now we can go enjoy Alaska and Hawaii without bringing the trip back home in the form of debt. We love bargains and would love to hear how you get yours!
