Stop: Do These 5 Things Before You Travel

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Last updated Nov. 8, 2026 | By FinanceBuzz Editors

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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 a $200 bonus with this incredible cash back card

The Chase Freedom Unlimited®(Rates and fees) lets you earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. 

In addition to this 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 18.49% - 27.99% Variable. Oh, and the annual fee is $0. 

It's almost a no-brainer to apply. 

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

Click here to Apply Now to the Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Card Highlights
$200 Bonus
after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
5%
cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠
$0
Annual Fee
Intro APR
0% Intro APR for 15 months, 18.49% - 27.99% Variable APR after

Earn 75,000 bonus points — worth up to $1,125 towards travel

If you're planning a trip, apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (Rates and fees) here and you can earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months — that's worth up to $1,125 toward travel through Chase Travel℠!

Plus, earn 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, vacation homes at top brands, gas & EV charging, top streaming services, and online groceries (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs); 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases — with a low annual fee of $95 and no foreign transaction fee.

The card could pay for itself quickly: you'll earn up to $100 Chase Travel hotel credit each anniversary year, get a complimentary year of Apple TV (a $180 value, must activate by 12/31/26), and up to $120 toward Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS every four years.

If you travel even once a year, this card could net you $100s in rewards to use toward travel. Don't delay. Apply today!

Click here to apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card now

Recommended Credit Score info
Good
670-739
Excellent
740-850

Timeshare owners could claim a cash refund. Check to see if your resort is on the list.

If you’re stuck in a timeshare contract, you’re not alone. The average timeshare owner pays roughly $1,200 a year in maintenance fees,1special assessments, and processing charges. But depending on how your contract was sold, it may be eligible for cancelation ... and you could be owed a cash refund and a possible way out of the contract.

The Stonegate Firm helps consumers seek to cancel their timeshare for good, and reviews whether any fees they paid may be recoverable, even if you’re behind on payments. Their attorneys look for potential violations in your contract, then negotiate directly with your resort.

Cancel your timeshare and possibly even get your money back!

  1. Answer a few questions about your timeshare and contract.
  2. A Stonegate Firm specialist reviews your case and contract.
  3. If you qualify, they pursue an exit strategy on your behalf, which may include a cash refund.

Every year you wait is another bill you may never get back. The Stonegate Firm is BBB Accredited with an A+ rating.

Check your eligibility free - 30 second assessment

Get out of $20,000 or more in 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?

TurboDebt2can help. If you have more than $20,000 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 payment.

Best of all? There are zero fees until your debt is resolved, and you could be debt-free in as little as 24-48 months. To get started, just answer a few simple questions. It only takes 30 seconds to see if you qualify!

Try TurboDebt

Turn your home’s value into funds

If you want to pay for a big expense now (like getting out of credit card debt so you could actually afford that vacation), tapping into your home equity could be one option to consider. And you could access the value you've built up, without giving up your current mortgage.

Use LendingTree’s simple HELOC matching tool3 to compare HELOC rates and find one that works for you. You could get the funds you need using the equity already in your home. And, rates could be much lower than personal loans or credit cards, helping you save more over time.

How to compare HELOC rates on LendingTree:

  1. Check out LendingTree’s HELOC matching tool.
  2. Answer a few questions.
  3. Get matched with personalized offers for you.
  4. Compare HELOC rates now

You could be overpaying for your retirement planning

Fees matter. High fees can cut into your returns and affect your overall nest egg. But the ways fees are levied vary. Some are "fee only," charging a flat rate regardless of usage. Others take a percentage of all assets under management. Some earn commissions directly from mutual funds or other financial products, which presents a significant conflict of interest.

This free matching quiz helps Americans get matched with fiduciary advisors who serve their area, so they can compare and decide which advisor to work with.

Limited Time Offer: Earn 75,000 miles + $300 Capital One Travel credit — worth over $1,000 toward travel

Limited time offer: If you're planning a trip, apply for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (Rates and fees) here and you can earn 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months — plus for a limited time, a $300 Capital One Travel stays credit. That's worth over $1,000 toward travel!

Plus, earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day, 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases — with a low annual fee of $95 and no foreign transaction fee.

The card could help you offset the annual fee: You'll get a $300 stays credit towards hotel and vacation rental bookings through Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, a $50 experience credit on every Lifestyle Collection hotel or vacation rental stay, up to $120 toward Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years, and complimentary Hertz Five Star status.4

This card could help you earn $100s in rewards to use toward travel. Don't delay — this limited time offer won't last forever. Apply today!

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

Recommended Credit Score info
Good
670-739
Excellent
740-850

Find out how this free service is helping Ohio homeowners replace old windows

New windows could save you more money than you realize. This is because old windows drive up your home's electric bill. But if you live in Ohio and your windows are 5+ years old, you could save now. New windows could help you:

  • Lower your energy bill, since energy-efficient windows let less heat escape than older ones
  • Possibly add resale appeal, since energy-efficient windows are among the features buyers tend to look for
  • Give your home a cleaner, more modern look that makes rooms feel brighter

HomeBuddy connects Ohio homeowners with pre-screened local contractors who install energy-efficient windows. Answer a few quick questions to see if you qualify.

You can get started now if: You own a home in Ohio, your windows are 5+ years old, and you live in an available ZIP code.

Start by getting your estimate here - 100% free

See if you're paying for two Amazon Prime subscriptions (and save an average of $378 by canceling subscriptions you don’t need)

Finding and canceling subscriptions you forgot about is hell. It drains your bank account. And the worst part is you probably won’t even catch it, unless you try this.

Rocket Money is an app that reviews your spending daily to find subscriptions to cancel and bills to cut. Rocket Money has helped users save an average of $378 a year5by canceling unwanted subscriptions. They’ll even cancel subscriptions for you and negotiate bills on your behalf.

It’s not unheard of for people to download Rocket Money and find out they’re paying for two Amazon Prime subscriptions … two Netflix subscriptions … or more. Sneaky companies like it this way, but Rocket Money fights back.

Now, some insider info: Don’t go for the “free” version. Instead, choose the free trial of the Premium version. It unlocks the features that save you the most money possible, like “Cancellation Concierge,” that helps cancel subscriptions for you.

Once you have your free trial of Premium set up, Rocket Money connects to your bank in minutes and will identify bills that can be lowered and subscriptions you can cancel. Easy.

Start your free trial of Rocket Money Premium get back an average of $378

See if you qualify for this free service helping homeowners in Ohio get gutter guards installed

Your gutters are your home's first line of defense against water damage. But if they overflow, clog with leaves, or need cleaning every season, it might be time for gutter guards. And gutter guards do a lot more than just keep leaves out. They can also:

  • Help increase your home's value and protect your roof and foundation from overflow and water damage
  • Keep out leaves, pine needles, seed pods, sticks, and insects, since a fine stainless steel micromesh blocks common debris
  • Stand up to heavy downpours and resist rust and decay
  • Possibly save you thousands on new gutters, since the guards install right on top of your existing ones

Get started today - it only takes a few minutes: 1) Click the link below and select your approximate home square footage and click "estimate LeafFilter cost." 2) Complete the short questionnaire about your home. 3) Enter your name, email, and phone number to submit your request.

It's that simple! Complete the short questionnaire here to start the process

Not retired? You can still join AARP for massive discounts and your first year is just $15

Think AARP is only for retirees? It isn't. Anyone 18 or older can join, and your first year costs just $15 (about $1.25 a month)! An AARP membership gets you massive discounts on:

  • Restaurants (save up to $450 per year!)
  • Airfare, hotels, cruises and rental cars
  • Meal deliveries
  • UPS shipping
  • Eyeglasses and even prescriptions that aren't covered by insurance

Plus you'll also get insider info on health and wellness and you can add a partner for free. That’s twice the perks and potentially hundreds saved for just $15. It basically pays for itself.

Joining takes about two minutes:

  1. Click the link below, choose your free welcome gift, and select "Join Today"
  2. Create your account by answering a few quick questions
  3. Start enjoying your discounts and perks!

Join AARP for only $15 your first year (renews at $20/yr). Start saving today.

Excellent for travel + intro purchase and balance transfer perks

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
4.0
info

on Capital One's secure website

Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months; Balance transfer fee applies
Regular APR
18.74% - 28.74% (Variable)
Annual fee
$0
Recommended Credit Score info
Good
670-739
Excellent
740-850

Why We Like It

Card Details