Stop: Do These 5 Things Before You Travel

Last updated March 29, 2026 | By FinanceBuzz Editors

Search flights using a foreign language & currency combo: Sometimes booking on a site’s non-English version (say, Google Italy + euros) can surface different fares.
Book “hidden city” flights by choosing a final destination beyond your actual stop: Use Skiplagged to buy a cheaper fare that connects through your real destination — just don’t check a bag.
Set your location to a budget-friendly country: Booking platforms sometimes show lower rates based on user location. A VPN set to India or Mexico could save big.
Offer house sitting in exchange for free lodging: Join platforms like Nomador or MindMyHouse to stay abroad for free in exchange for caring for someone’s home.
Book flights on Wednesdays at 3 a.m. (based on the airline's headquarters time): Weird but true — some airlines release new deals early Wednesday mornings. Try booking at 3 a.m. their time for the best prices.

These are practical, powerful tactics that regular people are using to travel better, cheaper, and smarter. And since you’re already thinking about how to maximize your money, check out these offers from our partners below — then take advantage of one (or all) today.

Earn up to 5 miles per dollar toward travel with this incredible card

If you're someone who loves to travel, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card (Rates and fees) is the perfect companion for your adventures. New cardholders can earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel.

But that's not all. When you use the VentureOne card, you can earn 1.25 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day and 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

Redeem miles for flights, hotels, and car rentals, OR statement credits, gift cards, and transfers to over 15 airline or hotel partners! This means that your dream vacation could be closer than you think, thanks to the rewards you earn from everyday purchases! There is also no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee.

So if you're gearing up for your next adventure, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card(Rates and fees) should be at the top of your wallet.

Annual fee: $0

Purchase and Transfer APR: 18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)

Click here to apply for the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card now

Amazon Prime members, get a $150 Amazon Gift Card instantly loaded into your account upon approval!

If you're an Amazon Prime member, apply for the Prime Visa (Rates and fees) credit card here and you can get a $150 Amazon Gift Card instantly loaded into your Amazon account's Gift Card Balance upon approval (get an instant decision within 15 seconds).¹ If you respond via the Internet, the majority of applications are responded to in less than 15 seconds. Your actual response time may vary depending on the Internet connection and volume of submitted requests. We may not be able to give you an immediate answer in every instance.

There is no extra work or spending requirement and no annual fee!

The Prime Visa credit card also lets you earn unlimited 5% back at Amazon.com, Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and on Chase Travel purchases with an eligible Prime membership, unlimited 2% back at gas stations, restaurants, and on local transit and commuting (including rideshare), and unlimited 1% on all other purchases.

If you spend a good amount on Amazon this card could be worth $100s in cash back every year. Don't delay — apply today!

Good or excellent credit (typically 670 or higher) is recommended.

Click here to apply for the Prime Visa credit card today and get an instant decision in 15 seconds

Borrow from your home's equity to help you get through 2026

If you have a credit score of 680 or more, a cash-out refinance from Rocket Mortgage² Rocket Mortgage, LLC; NMLS #3030; <a href="https://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/">https://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/</a>. Equal Housing Lender. Licensed in 50 states. could help you consolidate your debt.

You could pull money out of your home without a second mortgage or HELOC … meaning you could tackle your debt head-on while eliminating multiple monthly payments. (And could possibly afford that vacation after all).

For example, let's say you're able to take out $50,000 with a cash-out refinance. You use $20,000 to pay off high-interest debt and $30,000 for home renovations, lowering your total monthly payments and increasing your home's value. That's a win-win.

See how much could be available to you: Visit Rocket Mortgage and click “Take cash out.” Then use the simple calculator to estimate how much cash you could get out of your home.

See how much cash you could get

Limited-Time Offer: Earn a $250 bonus with this incredible cash back card

For a limited time, the Chase Freedom Unlimited^®(Rates and fees) lets you earn a $250 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening (limited-time offer).

In addition to this limited-time welcome offer, this card lets you earn cash back on everything you buy. Earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

And it gets better (really): This card also gives you 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months. That means you could finance large purchases or pay down high-interest debt for over a year. After the intro period, the APR is 18.24% - 27.74% Variable. Oh, and the annual fee is $0.

It's almost a no-brainer to apply. But don't delay — the limited-time offer for this card won't last forever.

Good or excellent credit (typically 670 or higher) is recommended.

Click here to Apply Now to the Chase Freedom Unlimited^®

Earn a $400 bonus with this checking account

We hate to tell you this, really. But if you aren’t banking with Truist Bank, you’re missing out on extra cash. Don’t worry though … it’s easy to fix.

New Truist checking clients can earn a $400 bonus after you open a new Truist One Checking account online between March 26, 2026 and July 9, 2026 using promo code AFL400TR1Q226 and complete qualifying activities.³ Terms and Conditions for Truist One Checking Affiliate $400 Online Offer Q2 2026: AFL400TR1Q226 Offer Information: Open a new Truist One Checking account online from 3/26/26 through 7/9/26, complete the following activities within 120 days of the account opening and earn $400. You must open the account online and enter the promo code to be eligible to participate in the promotion. • Receive at least two qualifying direct deposits* totaling $2,000 or more AND • Complete at least 20 qualifying debit card purchases** within 120 days of account opening. All debit purchases must be posted to your account to qualify. Account must be opened online. Enrollment in the promotion is required at the time of account opening using promo code AFL400TR1Q226. Please refer to the Account Opening and Enrollment section below for full instructions. *A qualifying direct deposit is an electronic credit (greater than $5.00) deposited into your new checking account via ACH. Person to person payments (such as Zelle®), Real Time Payments (RTP), pre-authorized transfers made from one account to another, or deposits made via a branch, ATM, online transfer, mobile device, debit/prepaid card number or the mail are not eligible direct deposits. **Qualifying debit card purchases include any purchase made with a Truist debit card and posted to the new checking account within 120 days of account opening. ATM withdrawals using your debit card are not qualifying transactions. Zelle® transactions are not qualifying transactions. Bank fees are not included. Offer Eligibility: Clients that are the primary account holder on an existing personal checking account with Truist or who have closed a personal checking account with Truist on or after 3/26/25 are not eligible to participate. Offer valid for Truist One Checking accounts only. Primary account holder must be 18 or older at the time of account opening. Truist employees, Directors, Officers, and Local Boards/Advisors are not eligible. Offer available only to US residents with a valid US taxpayer identification number. The qualifying checking account must be opened online and have a physical address in: AL, AR, FL, GA, IN, KY, MD, MS, NC, NJ, OH, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV or DC. Reward Processing: The reward will be deposited to the new checking account within 4 weeks after the qualification requirements have been met and verified. Promotion is only applicable once per checking account and per client. Truist may report the value of any offer reward received to the IRS as required by law. Any applicable taxes are the responsibility of the recipient. Reward Forfeiture: Reward forfeiture will occur if: (1) the new checking account is changed to an account type not included in this client offer (2) the new checking account has a $0.00 or negative available balance or is restricted at the time Truist verifies the qualification requirements have been met or (3) the new checking account is closed at the time of payout. An account is considered restricted if it has a temporary or permanent block that prevents credits from posting to the account. Truist verification will occur one time after the qualification requirements are initially met. Other Terms: Minimum opening deposit is $50. The offer is non-transferable, may not be combined with any other checking offers, is subject to change, and may be discontinued at any time. Truist reserves the right, in its sole discretion: 1) to prohibit a reward payout for any offers claimed through third-party websites with no affiliation or prior authorization from Truist; and 2) to disqualify any account if Truist suspects accounts are being opened for the purpose of exploiting this promotional offer. All standard account terms and conditions apply. Account Opening & Enrollment Instructions: To open and enroll your new account in the promotion, visit the offer website and click on “Open an account online.” Enter AFL400TR1Q226 into the promo code field provided, review the offer Terms and Conditions, and then select “Accept this offer”. Accounts opened without the promo code applied will not be eligible to participate in the offer. Once enrolled in the promotion, clients may receive promotional updates via the email address provided or by calling 800.709.8700. Version 3 02182026 AFL400TR1Q226 ©2026 Truist Financial Corporation. TRUIST, the Truist logo and Truist Purple are service marks of Truist Financial Corporation.  All rights reserved. Truist Bank, 214 N Tryon St., Charlotte, NC 28202

To earn the $400 bonus, your account needs to receive at least 2 qualifying direct deposits totaling $2,000 or more and complete 20 qualifying debit card purchase transactions within 120 days of account opening. The reward will be deposited to the new checking account within 4 weeks after the qualification requirements have been met and verified. Terms apply.

This is a great way to supercharge your earnings before your next vacation.

Plus, you can enjoy other benefits like no overdraft fee, a Balance Buffer for eligible clients,⁴ The Balance Buffer is only available with Truist One Checking and allows clients to overdraw their account up to $100. There is no decision required as this feature is automatically available when a client qualifies. To INITIALLY QUALIFY for the Balance Buffer, the requirements below must be met: <ul> <li>Account must be opened for a minimum of 35 calendar days</li> <li>Account must be funded with a positive balance</li> <li>A single direct deposit of at least $100 made within the last 35 calendar days</li> </ul> To REMAIN QUALIFIED for the Balance Buffer, the requirement below must be met: <ul> <li>A single direct deposit of at least $100 made within the last 35 calendar days.  After qualifying, if 35 calendar days pass without a Direct Deposit of at least $100, you will no longer have access to the Balance Buffer.</li> </ul> For accounts that qualify for the Balance Buffer, once the account is overdrawn by $100, additional transactions will typically be declined or returned. For accounts that qualify for the Balance Buffer and also have Overdraft Protection, Truist will use the Balance Buffer first.  If the account has neither, transactions that exceed the account balance will typically be declined or returned. and automatic upgrades for access to growing perks.

Open your new Truist One Checking account here

Ask this company to pay off your credit card debt

If you have a lot of debt, getting out of it can feel stressful (and nearly impossible). Here’s the problem: the longer you put off tackling it, the harder it gets to fix. If you don’t take control of it early on, it can add undue stress to your life for years. But what if there was a way to get out of debt once and for all?

National Debt Relief could help. If you have more than $10,000 in debt from credit cards, medical bills, collections, or personal loans, their representatives might be able to assist you in consolidating your debt into one low monthly program payment.

Best of all? There are zero fees until your debt is resolved, and you could be debt-free in 24-48 months. To get started, just answer a few simple questions. It only takes 30 seconds to see if you qualify!⁵ Clients who complete the program and settle all debts typically save around 45% before fees or 20% including fees over 24–48 months, based on enrolled debts. “Debt-free” applies only to enrolled credit cards, personal loans, and medical bills. Not mortgages, car loans, or other debts. Average program completion time is 24–48 months; not all debts are eligible, and results vary as not all clients complete the program due to factors like insufficient savings. We do not guarantee specific debt reductions or timelines, nor do we assume debt, make payments to creditors, or offer legal, tax, bankruptcy, or credit repair services. Consult a tax professional or attorney as needed. Services are not available in all states. Participation may adversely affect your credit rating or score. Nonpayment of debt may result in increased finance and other charges, collection efforts, or litigation. Read all program materials before enrolling. National Debt Relief’s fees are based on a percentage of enrolled debt. All communications may be recorded or monitored for quality assurance. In certain states, additional disclosures and licensing apply. ©️ 2009–2025 National Debt Relief LLC. National Debt Relief (NMLS #1250950, CA CFL Lic. No. 60DBO-70443) is located at 180 Maiden Lane, 28th Floor, New York, NY 10038. All rights reserved. <a href="https://www.nationaldebtrelief.com/licenses/">Click here</a> for additional state-specific disclosures and licensing information.

Try National Debt Relief

Stop Overpaying for Flights: Save up to $2,000 on every flight you take (yes, it’s crazy)

Sounds kind of insane. And maybe you’re skeptical if this actually works or not. But either way … you’re probably curious. If you want to save a ton on travel (even international), Dollar Flight Club makes it so you could potentially pay less for any flight you take.

They’ve been helping travelers save since 2016 (so you know they’re the real deal), shipping crazy flight deals straight to your email — up to 90% off normal price for many flights. Just pick your destination and let them do the rest. They hunt deals 24/7 so you don’t have to.

Now, some insider info: They *do* offer a free version … but it puts you on a 2-3 month waitlist. Skip the wait and get instant access to the best deals with a Premium+ membership instead. For a limited time, FinanceBuzz readers can try Premium+ free for 14 days!

How to try Premium+:

Enter your email at the link below.
Pick your departure airport and dream destinations.
Enter your payment info and start your free trial of Premium+.

This is the fastest way to unlock the best flight deals that could save you up to 90% off flights. At the end of the trial, you’ll be upgraded to the $99 per year membership.

Enter your payment info here to start your free Premium+ trial

Excellent for travel + intro purchase and balance transfer perks