There are cruises aimed at singles, families, seniors, and gays and lesbians. But cruising is no fun without watching your budget. You have to make sure you understand your expenses before diving into debt. Remember that, on top of the fare, you have to take care of other expenses, such as out of pocket mixed drinks, wine, laundry, casino gambling, spa services and whatever fun thing you can find when sailing. If you are tagging along your baby, babysitting services are extra too, and, if you have to use the Internet, that’s another extra.

To get the best buck of your cruise price, strategies have to be considered, such as the ones below:

Book early

Locking in a rate six or nine months earlier before the sailing date can save you big bucks if prices go up, which usually is the case. Usually, when rates go down, most cruise lines honor the lower rate for those who have locked in or better still offer onboard credits for the difference.

Book Very Late

It is worth waiting for last minute deals.

Shop Around

There are numerous cruise lines that offer promotions and deals. Compare each then decide.

Take the Family

It saves money as many cruise lines have “Kids Sail Free” programs. Review the full offer carefully, however, as you might end up paying taxes, fees and port charges. Look for deals. There are many out there.

Beware cruising solo

Cruising solo can take up a surcharge ranging from 10 to 100 percent or even twice the per-person rate. Don’t hesitate to ask if the cruise line has a guaranteed share rate — the cruise line will try to find a passenger of the same gender.

1. Plane Crash. Travelers normally feel or no doubt crossed this question in mind during a bumpy flight. So, questions such as where is the safest place to be if the plane goes down and is it in the front of the aircraft or the rear?

According to Professor Ed Galea of the University of Greenwich in England, follow the Rule of Five. He adds, that the safest seats on a plane are within five rows of any exit. That’s the typical cutoff point between life and death in a crash. The number 1 safest seats are in an exit row or one row away.

2. Hotel Fire. Most fire departments use ladders that, at their maximum, can extend around 80 feet into the air. Thus, in order to be able to climb out of a building’s window and onto a truck’s ladder, one should be on or below the seventh floor.

3. Hospital Admission. If you need to go to the hospital, weekdays are much safer than weekends based on a research study in Toronto by Dr. Chaim Bell. According to the researcher, weekends have lower staffing levels and presense of workers who are inexperienced and less familiar with the procedures and patients.

4. Car Crashes. The uncomfortable hump in the backseat of a car is the spot where no one wants to sit, but experts say that it’s the safest place to ride in a car. For drivers, the vehicle to avoid are those cars with dark paint colors. In a study, Australian researchers found that white cars were less likely to be involved in accidents than those of any other color.

Way back then and even until now people are still accustomed to using road maps when navigating the roads for the first time. But unless one is very good at looking at a map while driving, this technique is very dangerous and very distracting. It is helpful if you have company who can maneuver the map for you, but without such help traveling on the road for the first time is a challenge of one’s driving skills.

With advances in technology travelers are now realizing the benefit of GPS. While It is quite distracting as drivers need to focus on the road ahead, the system is very helpful as one can even listen to the navigator’s instruction as you make your way on the road.

Depending on budget, you can either lease or purchase one. With the deepening economy, almost all electronics are on now on sale so there is a good chance for you to get the best deal out there. This is a good time to buy if you have plans of road tripping this year or visiting family and friends out of state.

So, what really is a GPS?

A Global Positioning System or GPS is a satellite-based navigation system that can determine the latitude and longitude of a receiver on the other end. GPS is the only system today that can show your exact position on the Earth anytime, on any weather, no matter where you are.

GPS, however, need to be upgraded at some point in time as the road network expands, but this system is very useful and helpful when navigating the road for first time road trippers.

On the other hand, AirTran is joining the legacy carriers with its new $15 fee for the first checked bag, for trips booked on or after November 12, 2008, just in time for the holiday shopping and traveling season. The second bag fee will remain $25.

If you want a vacation and fear that you can’t afford to have one, don’t despair. You may not be able to stay on a five-star hotel or fly first-class, but with a little creativity and flexibility you can pretty much afford to travel to anywhere you want.

Let’s take a look at how you can make that dream vacation even on a tight budget.

1. Drive if you can

With flight delays and airfare on the rise, it is better to drive than to fly. Driving is more economical, relaxing, and you get to see other places on your way to the desired destination too. You can also bring some food and drinks in the car. Forget about the fancy GPS. You can get to your destination without it. With a little creativity you can save a lot of money. Borrow a travel guide in your public library or make copies of it. If you have access to a computer and the internet go online and print the travel guide from there.

2. Airfare

Be resourceful to save money. Do some research offline and online on where you can get the best airfare deal. Call your airline company if you are a frequent flyer. Maybe you missed that bonus miles you earned a while back. It takes a great deal of planning if you are going international. Airfares are usually expensive especially during peak season. You might consider signing-up an airline credit card that gives you good bonus miles but be mindful of the hidden charges.

3. Accommodation

If one is not picky there are a lot of options out there that one can get. Traveling with friends saves money since you can share expenses with them. If you are traveling alone you might consider staying in a hostel which charges a very minimal amount. Most hostels allow visitors to check in after 3PM and check-out before 10AM the following day. If you have friends or a friend of a friend who lives in the place you are planning to visit then you might consider that too. If they have free time they can be your instant tour-guide.

4. Entertainment

Most places have free attractions. Take advantage of it while it’s free. If you need to pay an entrance fee then check yourself first if you are really interested or if you just feel like you have to. You need to let your brain think it is money going out of your pocket. Check if you can get discounted ticket by using your school card or going there on an off-peak season or by joining a group tour. Most places have parks and exploring it is entertaining. So entertain yourself by doing that because you will never know you might stumble upon a free show.

5. Souvenir and gift items

We are fond of giving gifts to friends and family even if we are short of funds. When we buy it usually comes in T-shirts or caps. For personal souvenir items consider buying something that symbolizes your visit. Make it something that you will really appreciate when you get home or else you will regret spending your hard earned money.

6. Food

If you have access to a kitchen it saves money when you buy your own grocery and cook your own food. But if you don’t like cooking for sure you will come across cheap restaurants while you stroll around the area. One thing to consider before going on a trip is to make a little bit of research about the area such as best places to eat on a budget.

7. Keeping in touch back home

Calling long distance is very expensive but, with today’s technology, keeping in touch with family and friends is not a problem. If you have access to a computer and the internet, there is Skype , which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. With a little creativity you can talk to your loved ones free.

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