Tips

When you′re on vacation, you want to relax-not worry about how much your hotel accommodations will cost you. After reading about how to find great airfare deals in previous Travel Tips, read below for how you can save money while you sleep so you can spend more of your vacation money on fun.

• Book online.

  Most aggregate travel sites have partnerships with suppliers that are linked in to tens of thousands of hotels around the globe. Some sites, such as TravelMuse, offer a best rate guarantee. You′ll get a wide variety of choices, and can find discounts of up to 50 percent off regular rates, or more.

• Follow the economy.

  If European hoteliers are offering discounts because U.S. tourism is down, odds are the same holds true for domestic properties. Because of all the media play on people either cutting back on their vacations or staying home, hotels are offering last-minute summer deals in an effort to fill rooms and make their sales quotas. Look for rate discounts, gas card offers, even reimbursement for newly added luggage fees.

• Look for hotels that let kids stay for free and eat for free or at reduced rates.

  You′ll save a bundle on food costs per child.

• Network.

  Don′t have a friend who lives in Tuscany? Well, it just so happens your friend′s sister′s host family from her study abroad college days does-and they love visitors. You never know who you are connected to, so ask around!

• Housing swaps.

  An option for those looking for super cheap (even free, in some cases) lodging options, families literally swap houses for a week, two weeks-whatever the agreed-upon timeframe-and each benefit from the experience. Some online housing swap organizers charge a nominal fee for using their database to find suitable arrangements. Here are a few to get you started: Intervac, Home Base Holidays, Home Exchange and ExchangeHomes.com.

• Don′t ignore the little perks.

  Free breakfast on its own may not sound like much, but when you add to that free parking, free pizza and soda, free movies and coupons off admission to nearby attractions-sometimes valued at 25 or 50 percent off-you′ll see big savings.