Whether you're traveling far this spring break or spending your staycation, NBC Responds spoke to consumer experts to narrow down three big ways to save money.
First, if you're driving somewhere far away, or staying nearby and checking out local spots, your car may be due for routine maintenance if you've racked up some mileage over the winter. There is a gender.
But before you ask for a quote, be careful what you're asking for, says Kevin Brazler, editor-in-chief of Consumer Checkbook.
“Many consumers, when they call a shop to request a scheduled maintenance package, they just say, 'I need 30,000 miles of maintenance or I need 60,000 miles of maintenance,'” Brassler said.
In a recent study, the team at consumer nonprofit Consumers' Checkbook found that repair shops are more likely to give you a higher quote if you request maintenance based on mileage. .
Instead, look at the automaker's recommended services for different mileage and request that specific service, Brassler says.
“I don't really understand why a shop would charge you more if you just say, 'I need 30,000 miles of maintenance or 60,000 miles of maintenance,' than if you told them what work was needed. Maybe they… Most customers don't know what kind of work needs to be done at such a service interval, and even though modern cars don't actually require that much maintenance, it's a lot of work. “I think they know they're assuming it's going to take a lot of effort. They've done it before,” he said.
Consumers Checkbook suggests that you can save money by not buying travel insurance when traveling by plane.
“None of them are worth buying. They're a bargain for the companies selling them. These are huge profit centers for retailers. But for most consumers, they contain too many policy exclusions. They are bad deals because they claim they are actually worthless,” Brassler said.
NBC Responds reached out to the American Travel Insurance Association for this opinion. There was no reply.
However, a spring break tips article on the company's website says, “Travel insurance provides peace of mind because it covers you in case the unexpected happens, such as emergency medical expenses or lost or stolen luggage.'' It says, “It will help.”
Whichever you choose, be sure to read the fine print.
And if you're looking for a place to stay, Brassler says it's not always beneficial to spend time shopping around for the cheapest hotel.
“The reason is that the hotels themselves and all these different hotel booking websites spit out the same price over and over again for the same stay,” he said.
According to Consumers' Checkbook, to find the lowest hotel prices, look for “price breakers” or “hot rate deals” offered by Priceline or Hotwire.
But these come with a surprise, and although you won't be told the name or exact location of the hotel before you book, you could get up to 20% off.
