Ways to Save in 2018

All Great ideas, its a shame that in Australia we get slugged on our Credit Cards no matter what. It would be great if an Australian Bank would offer a good International Transaction Fee Free Credit Card.

So all you have to do to save on $3 ATM fees is have $10,0000-$15,000 in the bank at all times? Great advice! I'll pass it on to the 75% of Americans who have less than $10k saved.

My wife and I don't consider ourselves to be "savvy" travelers but we have been able to do s little traveling on a budget. It doesn't seem to be that hard. We research our destination thoroughly and plan our days. Most cities have some kind of pass that gives you discounts and, sometimes more importantly, often exempts you from lines. We become familiar with local public transportation. Hit the streets early and often - there is nothing like walking around a strange place to get to know it and enjoy it more. Eat at local neighborhood restaurants and buy local breads and pastries - usually a good treat. The locals know their city so pay attention to them. When we do go to a "good restaurant" we pick one full of locals and usually a bit loud - they're having a good time. ATM fees? My bank charges $3 on 300 euros. I can handle that. Finally, we try to travel off-season - the reduced crowds compensate for the weather for us.

How to save money: Oldster couple quit AARP for political reasons and AAA for monetary reasons -- using our car insurance coverage instead.

I'm from Puerto Rico, and while I support visits by tourists, visitors should do some kind of volunteer work, or bring donations - just going to take advantage of cheaper prices and luxuriating while most of the people are suffering is offensive.

Flight alerts are pretty useless unless you live near a major metropolitan area. For those of us who live in more rural areas, or near small cities, there are very few deal to be had unfortunately.

Fidelity Cash Management Account ( brokerage account repurposed for all common cash management transactions ) debit card is he original and resigning king of ATM fee refunds, worldwide.

In planning for our paddling and tent camping trips, I've found AAA website's travel itinerary planning resource invaluable. One can request campgrounds, motels, attractions, gas stations, etc. to be shown on the map when planning and routing options are easy to consider. Its hotels choices are limited, but I've found web searches produce smaller, often cleaner places. Caveat: print a copy of your itinerary. Last year, in Newfoundland and the Atlantic Maritimes, I could not access my itinerary online -- an AAA website glitch. Fortunately, we had copies of AAA maps (free to members). The current exchange rate should encourage more travel to Canada, although higher gas, goods and services may offset that advantage. We don't mind, paying the carbon tax, which most provinces now impose. Using a credit card which doesn't charge to convert US $ to Loonies is important, but in smaller cities, Visa and Mastercard rather than American Express are accepted. For quick meals, the deli counters of super markets offer more healthy meals than drive-throughs, sometimes introducing you to local favorites. Even small grocery stores carry salads (but check the expiration date). We used to fly into Canada, but since we now travel with our kayaks, our car trips have given us a deeper appreciation of the natural and human communities of our continent. But, flying is cheaper for two.

unless you travel constantly for business, the CITI prestige card isn't worth it. Costs $450/YR to get card, just to save $85 TSA PRECHECK?? Thanks, I'll stick w/TSA price!

This is a disappointing article! So much wrong with it. I find that the discounts offered by both AARP and AAA are usually not as good as discounts found elsewhere. Surprised this is mentioned as a way of saving money. And the idea of subscribing to newsletters to save money seems to assume that readers can jump on a deal and travel whenever there's money to be saved. It would have been better to find out how to save on accommodations, flights, etc. even when there aren't flash sales (that few get to take advantage of). Plus, usually on the ATM fees there are two entities taking a cut: the issuing institution (usually, but not always a bank) and Visa and Mastercard. In the cases when fees are waived, it's usually just the issuing institutions' fees and there still are a few left. Is that the case here or do all fees somehow disappear? Plus TSA PreCheck and Global Entry save you time, not money. Spurious filler as is the privacy section. Amazed the "frugal traveler" didn't have better suggestions than these.

Dear Frugal Traveler: I do not understand your promotion of ‘Money Back on Your Purchases’ in connection with saving opportunities for travelers.

Regarding privacy protection for travelers, consider getting a VPN (virtual private network) to protect you when using Wi-Fi in public places such as hotels and airports.

Our frugal traveler seems to want everyone to use mainline banks and get more credit cards as a way to save. I would think traveling off season, taking fewer but longer trips, and eating from a market rather than a restaurant would all end up with more travel savings. I remember when a beat up copy of lonely planet and a few hundred dollars were the criteria for a frugal traveler. The times seem to have changed - not necessarily for the better.

The Charles Schwab Bank account that waives ATM fees has to be linked to a Schwab brokerage account, but the brokerage account does not have to have any activity in it or even any stocks, mutual funds or cash in it. In essence, it can just sit there, empty. One sets up the accounts online, and I have found the Schwab customer phone service reps very knowlegable and helpful in walking one through any minor glitches. My bank charges a fee for transferring money into the Schwab account if I initiate the transfer through my bank. However, there has been no fee if I initiate it through the Schwab account.

Some additional tips not mentioned in this article: - Reach out to hotels directly and see if they can beat or match the price you are seeing on booking sites. My experience has been that many hotels will try to match and may offer additional perks such as late check-out or a room upgrade - If traveling in Europe, check prices on sites that will pair together different airlines for the departure and return journeys. This can often be more cost effective than flying with the same airline for both legs - Claim your miles!!! I know so many people who say they don't bother claiming miles because they always go with the best fare and are not loyal to one airline. However, with so many alliances among airlines today, you can often get miles with one loyalty program if you fly with one of their partners. For example, I am a Virgin Flying Club member and earn Virgin miles when I fly with Delta (even if I book directly through Delta). - Again, for frequent travelers, take advantage of credit cards that allow you to earn more miles or get cash back from travel. I personally like the American Express Gold Card. Although it is not a credit card (in that you have to pay your balance in full at the end of the month), you get points that can be freely transferred to airline and hotel loyalty programs, which offers you much more flexibility. Happy 2018 and happy traveling!

Here is my best travel tip when going to major European cities: Most cities have a "city card". For example, there is the Paris Museum Pass, the Oslo Card, the Firenze (Florence) Card, the Roma Pass, the Vienna Pass, etc. For the most part, they offer free VIP (no waiting in line) admission to the best attractions in their respective city and in some cases, free public transportation. They are great deals for those who like to see and do a lot. Steve www.travelingprofessor.com

Also, for getting more money back on your purchases and on regular expenses, there's the credit card reward calculator at http://www.creditcardtuneup.com/ for finding good cards and sets of cards for your particular spending pattern.

First Republic Bank offers an ATM Rebate Checking Account with a minimum of $3,500 balance. https://www.firstrepublic.com/personal/checking/atm-rebate-checking Plus, their branches provide yummy cookies when you stop by any office. The service is far superior to Schwab's no-frills service.

Locals know that Sonoma County, NOT Napa, needs the most help. And it's a more scenic area (twice as large), more varied economy, lovely small towns on back roads, more affordable and satisfying food - oh, and the wine's just as good, too; especially if you're a Pinot Noir lover!

So I can get rid of "pesky ATM fees" if I maintain a $10,000-$15,000 monthly balance in my account. Anyone who has that much sitting around shouldn't be worried about pesky ATM fees. (I realize the Times thinks its readership is limited to the top 5%.)

In the category "Save Money While Doing Some Good" I was certainly hoping the author would be presenting various ways people could volunteer to assist with the rebuilding efforts. Guess not.

To totally avoid ATM fees while traveling, get a debit card linked to a TD Bank Premier checking account. The Premier account has no minimum balance, but you must maintain a minimum of $2,500 to avoid monthly checking service fees. I used my TD Bank debit card to withdraw money, 500 Euros per withdrawal, all over western Europe, never incurring a fee.