{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"BBB Tips to Finding Vacation Packages","description":"This Podcast is brought to you by BBB of the Tri-Counties A BIG thank you to Ayers Automotive Repairs in Santa Barbara for supporting this podcast. https:\/\/www.bbb.org\/local-bbb\/bbb-of-the-tri-counties Welcome to this week\u2019s edition of Your Moment of Trust! Between booking flights, hotels, a rental car, and things to do, planning a vacation can get stressful. It\u2019s one reason many travelers turn to vacation packages, which bundle multiple aspects of your trip. Vacation packages are simpler to purchase and can save you money too. To get the best deal and to avoid unpleasant surprises, BBB recommends the following tips when booking a vacation package. \u25cf Count the cost. The best way to know if you\u2019re getting a good deal on a vacation package is to check the price for booking each part of the vacation separately. If a vacation package costs more than purchasing hotels, flights, rental cars, etc., separately, you might want to make your bookings instead. \u25cf Be flexible to get the best deal. Getting a better value for your vacation package is easier if you can be flexible with your dates. This is also true if you\u2019re flexible with your destination. Is your heart set on Cancun, but it\u2019s outside your budget? Why not consider a travel package that takes you to a lesser-known beach in Mexico? The same goes for airport choices. Being open to departing from any nearby airport might save you hundreds of dollars. \u25cf Know that you can extend travel dates (usually). If you\u2019re offered a package with pre-established dates, know that most packages allow you to extend your trip or modify the dates as you see fit. You\u2019ll pay more for different dates, but it can be done. However, if you can\u2019t extend your trip for the package you\u2019re interested in, you can always find your way home. Taking advantage of the travel package and adding your travel plans to the end of your trip is still an option. \u25cf Book early or last minute. You can also get a good deal by booking your trip early or scoring a last-minute deal. If last-minute travel plans sound stressful, consider blocking off the time earlier in the year and hunting up your travel package the week before. \u25cf Read the fine print. Always read and re-read the fine print when booking a vacation package to ensure you know exactly what is included and what isn\u2019t. Airfare and your hotel might be included in the price, but what about land transfers, tips, activities, amenities, and food? The last thing you want is to assume your package is all-inclusive, only to discover you\u2019ll need to pay for more than you expected after arriving at your destination. \u25cf Check the refund and cancelation policies. Get to know how cancelations and refunds are handled if your trip is interrupted by illness, bad weather, or other unforeseen events. You\u2019ll find this information in the fine print as well. \u25cf Think about loyalty points and travel rewards. If you travel regularly, you might want to earn points through a loyalty program you use or redeem travel rewards for your next trip. This isn\u2019t always possible when booking vacation packages. However, it might be if you book a vacation package through the company you get rewards from. For example, if you have plenty of sky miles saved up through your favorite airline\u2019s loyalty program, try booking a vacation package through them. \u25cf Watch out for scams. As always, you\u2019ll need to watch for bad actors when searching for a good vacation package. Book through reputable vendors and be wary of travel companies you haven\u2019t heard of before. Research to ensure they have a good business reputation before booking a trip. Read plenty of reviews, keeping a close eye out for complaints and reports of scams. Until Next time! ","author_name":"Your Moment of Trust","author_url":"http:\/\/yourmomentoftrust.libsyn.com\/website","html":"