- The Friendletter
- Posts
- Save BIG on your next vacation - here's how!
Save BIG on your next vacation - here's how!
08/22/25 - Friday
We wouldn’t say Jen is a Disney Adult but…
When we got the opportunity to talk to AJ Wolfe from THE Disney Food Blog Jen was PRETTY excited.
AJ unpacked the small decisions that sneakily drive up costs, the Disney “deals” that aren’t actually deals, and where your money stretches further than you’d expect.
🤭 Psst: Speaking of deals…
We love tools that make frugal living easier, and Brad’s Deals is one of our faves. Their team curates the best online deals daily, from travel gear to luggage to hotels.
We recommend signing up for their alerts before your next trip. You might even score discounts on brands or hotels you're already planning to use. **
💵 Frugal Travel Tips That Actually Work
You don’t have to be going to Disney to save big on your next trip. These money-saving travel hacks work whether you're flying cross-country, road-tripping to the coast, or just planning a weekend away.
1. Use Google Flights "Explore" Feature
This free tool is a budget traveler’s secret weapon. Put in your departure city and let it show you where you can go for cheap. You can search by flexible dates or even set alerts for when prices drop.
2. Travel During Shoulder Season
Skip the crowds and the markups. “Shoulder season” falls between peak and off-season. Think early spring or late fall in many places.
🔍 Just search ‘shoulder season + your destination’ to find the sweet spot. You’ll save on flights, hotels, and even activities.
3. Book Flights Midweek
Tuesdays and Wednesdays tend to have the lowest flight prices. 💡Bonus: Flying on those days can also lower your hotel bill if you’re avoiding the weekend rates.
4. Search in Incognito Mode
Airline and hotel sites may use cookies to track your search behavior and raise prices if they see you checking the same itinerary repeatedly. Avoid this by browsing in private or incognito mode.
5. Book Lodging With a Kitchen (or at least a microwave)
Even just making your own breakfast and reheating leftovers can save you $50 to $100 a day.
🧐 Look for hotels or rentals with basic kitchen amenities so you're not stuck eating out for every meal.
This Week on Frugal Friends
Catch Tuesday’s episode, The Problem With Thrifting: What No One Tells You About Thrift Shopping Secondhand, for an eye-opening look at the realities behind secondhand deals.
For today’s episode, we chatted with AJ Wolfe from Disney Food Blog about all the insider Do’s and don’ts of a Disney Vacation. If you’ve got this destination on your bucket list, this one’s a must listen!
Tune in wherever you get podcasts and let us know what you thought of the episode over on our latest Instagram post!
Weekend Checklist
✅ Do: Use our Annual Spending Planner to create a dedicated vacation savings goal—and watch how budgeting ahead makes your trip stress-free and guilt-free.
✅ Listen: to a great road-trip playlist, like this Millennial Nostalgia Road Trip (or build your own!)
✅ Read: Ok I (Misti) admit… I haven’t read A Year Off by Alexandra and David Brown yet, but from what I’ve heard, it’s packed with gorgeous visuals and down-to-earth advice for anyone wanting a meaningful trip without a total life overhaul.
✅ Meal Prep: One of these 30 Make Ahead Recipes – Perfect for Road Trips!
Until next week!
Misti
**Means this is a sponsored or affiliate section. We may earn a small fee or commission when you choose to try one of our sponsor or affiliate partners. But opinions are still 1000% our own.