Jamaica Vacation Travel on a Dime: Three Stage Budget Tips for the Penny Pincher

So you want to go to Jamaica on a budget mon? This three-section guide will break down everything you need to know for money saving travel tips in three easy sections:

a) FREE RESOURCES FOR PLANNING YOUR TRIP - ZERO IN ON WHERE YOU WANT TO GO

b) ALL- INCLUSIVE PACKAGES - WHY THEY WILL SAVE YOU MONEY

c) BUDGET IDEAS FOR WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU GET THERE

A) FREE RESOURCES

There's a few basic things you have to do when tailoring down what part of Jamaica it is you wish to visit. Start with the basics like Wikipedia: Jamaica, then onto the Jamaica Official Tourism Site called VISIT JAMAICA.

Look up other's experience on VIRTUAL TOURIST and narrow down the places you wish to go. Also make sure to check out the customs regulations for that country, so you know what you will need to adhere to when bringing things in and out of the country.

Check the weather, and trends for the time you are planning to go. Both Jamaica "JAMAICA GUIDE INFO" provides up to date weather information and the WEATHER CHANNEL offer free up to date information on weather conditions. Your husband or wife won't be too happy about the rock bottom price if you get caught in a hurricane.

Utilize people (who have gone) friends or family (who know the hot spots) and the web to read online stories to see what to do, and where to go on a dime!

Lastly, be ready to COMPARE. A great idea is if you have a particular hotel or place in mind, read the trip reviews on other websites even if you aren't booking though that site. In other words, if you are ready to book thru TRIP ADVISOR to the FICTIONAL WEBB MOTEL, check on Expedia for travel reviews of the very same hotel to ensure they are indeed favorable. A little extra checking can save you a hassle if they have changed ownership or have some horror stories.

B) PLAN YOUR TRIP WITH ALL INCLUSIVE PACKAGES - MAXIMIZE YOUR SAVINGS

An all-inclusive package combines savings when you book your hotel, airfare, and additional accommodations up front. Overall it's a much better value. However, even with this there are loopholes to save you more money.

You must remember first off, there are off seasons and prime seasons when booking to Jamaica. Check into the best times to go, when everyone else isn't! This may save you money, but you want to ensure all the "tourist trap attractions" that you wish to visit will be open during your stay.

Additional money saving tips:

• Certain days of airfare flight and hotel check in and checkout will be cheaper than a Saturday thru Sunday stay. Play around with the dates and length of time for rock bottom prices. Rumor has it Tuesday trips are cheaper, but this could have changed.

• READ THE FINE PRINT - All inclusive may or may not be all inclusive. Some of these won't cover all meals. Certain hotels have restaurants that are off limits and typically offer a buffet style set up for the all inclusive. If you drink alcoholic beverages, make sure this is included or else you will be spending an arm in a leg. Sometimes you can earn "hotel dollars" or "upgrade" based on the package you book.

• WATCH OUT WHEN PRE-BOOKING SIGHTSEEING AND ACTIVITIES - Do your homework first-let's say you have a great deal on Trip Advisor and the scuba package is a real bargain. Make sure to investigate the company (perhaps even call the company to see if indeed the tour or activity is still available. I have read and heard so many horror stories, that people booked scuba diving or sightseeing tours only to find upon arrival these programs were outdated or discontinued. Sometimes it is hard to obtain refunds or you are given forced substitutes that you can't use if you are not staying within the specified use dates.

ALL INCLUSIVE WEBSIGHTS FOR JAMAICA TRIP PLANNING

The following websites offer all inclusive packages. CHEAP CARRIBEAN offers many specials and packages to fit your needs. Another site, BOOK IT also has great packages to Jamaica also. EXPEDIA, ORBITZ , TRIP ADVISOR, and TRAVEL ZOO also offer all inclusive vacations/upgrades also. ALL-INCLUSIVE dot com also offers inclusive packages to Jamaica.

SECTION 3: WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU GET THERE (ON A BUDGET)!

LET'S START WITH ACTIVITIES:

First off, trust other tourists who know and have been there also. There are great resources on the web to help you plan cheap and fruitful activities based on where you are going.

My absolute favorite is VIRTUAL TOURIST by the tourist, for the tourist, and an essential site you'll want to visit.

Find out if there are state or national parks in the area, public museums, or perhaps fairs and festivals going on the same time you are going to be there by doing searches in the city you plan on staying, and the week you are going.

Another site for checking out the best happenings is called 10 BEST DOT COM, and you would do a search for where you are going. Right now the top things to do in Jamaica as listed on their site with helpful links (most inexpensive if you do your homework) include the following:

• Bob Marley Experience • Montego Bay Museum • Doctor's Cave Beach

• Montego Bay Marine Park • Cornwall Beach • Coyaba River Garden and Museum

• Dolphin Cove • James Bond Beach • Green Groto Caves

• Sun Valley Plantation • Kingston - Bob Marley Museum

• Kingston - Royal Botanic Gardens • Negril - Royal Palm Reserve

To find your own events, use keywords such as "Jamaica Events, Fairs, Festivals, or Happenings, " in addition to the city you are going and the month you are going. Perhaps there's a special fair or event happening when you are going to be there, that you would not have otherwise known of.

MY SECRET: Ask housekeeping . Although the hotel concierge can provide helpful information on what to do and see in the area, those brochures or referrals may pay a commission to the hotel. When you offer the maid a few bucks in exchange for useful information, you may find out all you wanted to know about the "good" connections. It's always worked for me (except when I don't speak the language, that is where the hotel concierge comes in, get him to translate, and now you offer them both a few dollars and get twice the information.)

LET'S FIND CHEAP PLACES TO EAT:

Do a good old Google search with keywords on "Cheap Restaurant Jamaica" or "Places to Eat Jamaica" or "Restaurant Reviews Jamaica" and you will get thousands of hits, some written by vacationers who know. You will want to narrow this down to the area in which you are going for instance, "WHATEVER CITY LOCAL RESTAURANTS" or "WHATEVER CITY CHEAP EATS" to find the best in value. Make sure you obtain the restaurant's name and see if they have an online website. The two previous mentioned sites, TEN BEST DOT COM and VIRTUAL TOURIST DOT COM also have numerous dining guides.

DEDICATE YOURSELF to the cause, as education and a few hours of web surfing can cut hundreds off your trip, even thousands. Involve your loved one and it can be fun time for the whole family doing the research and planning your trip. You may just save enough to stay a few more days.......and whatever you do, enjoy Jamaica MON!Budget Travel to Jamaica : How to Plan your Trip and Events to Save MoneyTraveling to Jamaica Mon on a Budget!Ways to Save when Planning your Trip to JamaicaA little time planning can save you big money on your trip, in this case, JAMAICA MON!