I am obsessed with the multitude of new apps and websites designed for the budget savvy traveler.   Luxury no longer needs to come at a price my friends!   Using this technology to book flights and hotels, save money for travel, and even find friends to share your travel experiences with makes the world so much more accessible for everyone, not just the wealthy.    Check these out!

Hopper – this app provides travelers with alerts on the best time to purchase an airline ticket using forecasting software that tracks the airlines’ ever-changing ticket prices.  You can watch your next flight in the app and get a notification when the price drops to its lowest point.  Targeted to younger consumers who use their mobile phones rather than computers to book travel,  Hopper doesn’t even offer a web based site.   A new feature on the app called Fair Bear will break down the fees and policies for flight cancellations, carry-on luggage allowances, checked bag prices, and seat selection.    I’m currently tracking a flight from Fort Lauderdale to Barbados in March.   The app reports the lowest price is currently $541 r/t, then gives a price prediction that the fare with drop as low as $273 before Feb 17, then climb at least $120 between Feb 18 and March 2 (my departure date).    I will be using this one often!

Next Vacay – this company does all the travel hacking for you so you get the cheapest flight deals without taking out multiple credit cards and stacking up airline miles.   Designed for busy professionals by a couple who developed their own software system to track the lowest fares,  Next Vacay is $25 a year for membership and can get you to, say,  Australia for as low as $580 or India for $300!  Amazing!

TripValet – this new travel booking site offers exclusively discounted rates at hotels and resorts worldwide.   According to the site,  these are some of the best deals on the planet.  This is an invitation, members-only travel club offering a “5-star life on a 3-star budget”.   This has me written all over it!!  The membership fee is very affordable too, at either $11.99 per month or $97 a year, a fraction of what other travel clubs cost.   Subscribers also receive TripValet reward points redeemable for free trips, products, and vacations at the site’s portal.

Tripcents – coming to IOS in the spring of 2018, this is a travel and savings app for the millennials.   Users can build a travel fund, invite friends to join them on trips, and receive personalized trip recommendations based on their budget for easy booking.  Very clever!

Kayu App – coming in early March of 2018,  Kayu is a social networking app that brings people together based on their mutual interests, whether it be for travel, activities and events, to find an affordable hotel,  or to split the cost of lodging.  Ingenious!

All of this travel talk has me on system overload.  Back to the meditation pillow I go.  Look for my next post on the meditation technique I discovered that is great for non-meditators and has really worked to keep me balanced and moving forward with my life goals.

Namaste…