All of us at one point have searched for budget travel tips to get us to our dream destination without breaking the bank. This is entirely doable given the technology that is available to us today. This article covers three tips that should help you plan your vacation and stay within your budget.1. First of all, try to plan your vacation during off peak travel times. On average, airlines tend to charge 25% more if you fly on peak days. But if you leave mid-week, say on Wednesday, and plan to come back on Saturday, you will save some serious cash. Additionally, catch a flight that flies at a non-peak hour and your savings will add up. Airlines tend to charge a premium for flights that leave between 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Yes, people who fly sometime out of that eight hour window are generally inconvenienced because it is a pain to plan for a 6:00 AM flight but you will probably stick to your budget if you do this. To add to this, you will encounter much fewer crowds at the airport.2. You can score big on airfare just by knowing the secret code. Many airlines are trying to entice customers by giving their customers special promotional codes for deals on their airfare which is not advertised to the general public. You either have to be part of their frequent flyer program or you may have to register via their website. Many airlines are also offering their Twitter followers special discounts. To take advantage of these unique savings, sign up for any e-mail offered by the airline that you want to fly, or follow the airline via Twitter.3. Hotels are feeling the pinch nowadays too. To take full advantage of this, once you find a hotel that you like, give them a call. And not through their 1-800 customer service phone number. Find the phone number of the location where you want to stay and talk to someone at that location. Ask if there are any special promotions or perks not listed on their website. More often than not, this person will have the authority to give you special treatment.Just by following these three simple techniques, you should be able to find a few travel bargains. It really is easy to sign up for an airline’s e-mail list or to follow them on Twitter. Traveling during off-peak season takes some planning but is also easy to do and you might be happily surprised what extras you can get just by asking the hotel desk clerk. By following these budget travel tips, you will be able to travel cheaply and have a great time in the process.
Improve Your Credit Score and Get a Better Homeowner Insurance Rate
Although these data will all be used, the most significant factor in determining someone’s homeowner insurance rate is not asked for in the application form. This is the homeowner’s credit score which the insurance company will get from the credit bureau, where everybody’s credit information is stored.Generally, individuals with a higher credit score have a higher probability of getting the lowest possible homeowner insurance rate. On the other hand, if your credit score is not that great, you will be classified as a high-risk client and you will probably be stuck with a higher rate which could mean a bigger insurance premium or smaller claims in case of damage or loss.Furthermore, if your credit score is really pathetic, most conventional home insurance companies will have no choice but to reject your application right away. You will still be able to find coverage though, because there are still a number of insurance companies that take the risk of insuring poor credit clients. You do have to prepare yourself for a much costlier homeowner insurance rate.If you wish to qualify for a better homeowner insurance rate, you must try to improve your credit score as early as possible. You can start right now by going to any of the three major credit reporting agencies – Equifax, Experian and Trans Union – and request for a copy of your most current credit report to find out what your present credit score is. Everyone is entitled to a free copy of this report once a year.In the next couple of months, make good on your credit card payments by being on time and if possible, paying more than the minimum required amount for each month. Doing this will make your credit score jump a few points, which could be enough to qualify you for a much better homeowner insurance rate.You must take note that this system of basing Homeowner Insurance rate on credit scores is done only in the United States. If you are planning to take out an insurance policy for a house outside the US, you might encounter different assessment methods so you have to do some research first to familiarize yourself with their system.In the United Kingdom for instance, they do not use credit score as part of the evaluation process. Instead, the primary factors in determining the homeowner insurance rate are merely the bits of information about the house and not the owner. This is because the UK government actually mandates that home insurance is a basic housing right and that every homeowner should have equal rights to insurance, regardless of their credit score or employment history.