Most travelers forego using a travel agent when planning a trip, and there are a ton of great online resources that can help you get great deals and save a lot of money. Here are five favorites:
1. airbnb.com: Still staying exclusively in hotels? It’s time to try airbnb.com. Residents in your destination city rent out their homes, from single rooms to entire houses, and it’s often much cheaper than a hotel.
2. www.AirfareWatchdog.com: The experts at AirfareWatchdog.com search and analyze thousands of fares to bring you the best possible deal. You can sign up for alerts on low fares to your preferred destinations, so you’ll always be ready to book a seat.
3. Hostelz.com: If you’re traveling alone, staying in a hostel is a great way to meet new people and save on lodging expenses. Hostelz.com has a ton of listings in about 9,000 cities.
4. www.XE.com: International travel means using different currency. XE.com is a great resource for exchange rates.
5. www.TripAdvisor.com: There’s no shortage of websites that are great for searching flights and hotels, but TripAdvisor.com is also a go-to resource for hotel reviews and travel advice.