Travel Blog
News Stories Tagged Money Matters
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Allegiant Joins Spirit Airlines in Charging Carry-on Baggage Fees
Allegiant Airlines is the latest low-cost domestic carrier to begin charging customers for their carry-ons, following Spirit Airlines similar move in 2010. While you're still allowed one personal item, such as a purse or laptop bag, bringing smaller suitcases on board is no longer the guaranteed way to avoid baggage fees.
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JetBlue, Southwest Airlines Raise Fares; Others Follow
After JetBlue increased the base fares of its tickets earlier this week, several other carriers followed suit, raising prices by $10 a ticket.
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Explore the added benefits of staying at a Disneyland hotel in California
You can charge anything you buy at Disneyland or Disneyland California Adventure, such as food and souvenirs, to your room, so you don't have to carry around a lot of cash.
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Consider using cash instead of a credit card in Belize
Hotels, restaurants, shops, and tour operators in Belize sometimes levy a surcharge for credit card use, usually 5%, but fees can range from 2% to 10%.
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Don't forget this important tip before making purchases abroad
Before you charge something, ask the merchant whether or not he or she plans to do a dynamic currency conversion (DCC).
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Don’t worry about exchanging U.S. dollars in Panama
The dollar is the de facto currency; the Panamanians refer to it as the balboa, named for explorer Vasco Nuñez de Balboa who "discovered" the Pacific Ocean and claimed it for Spain.
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Garçon! Know your restaurant etiquette in France.
In restaurants you must ask for the check (it's considered rude to bring it unbidden) except in cafés, where a register slip often comes with your order. Gratuities (servis) are included in the bill, but leave some small change on the table: a few cents for drinks, €1 for lunch, or €3 for dinner.
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Planning multiple National Parks visits for this summer? Save with a parks pass.
Some park entry fees can be as high as $20. Each pass admits the card holder as well as all other persons in your vehicle (or up to three others at places that charge per person rather than per vehicle) to any national park and other designated federal recreational lands, such as U.S. Forests.
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Once you're in Europe, use the ATMs for the best exchange rate.
True, your own bank will probably charge a fee for using ATMs abroad, as well as the foreign bank you use. Nevertheless, you'll usually get a better rate of exchange at an ATM than you will at a currency-exchange office or even when changing money in a bank.
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Look for hotel price guarantees if you're paying in foreign currency.
For overseas trips, look for guaranteed hotel rates. With your rate locked in you won't pay more, even if the price goes up in the local currency.
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