Budget travel is important for everyone. Planning a vacation does not have to break the bank and by following these tips and tricks, travelers will be able to save money and book a vacation without a travel agent.

Air Travel

Many sites are now available for booking discount air travel. Priceline allows you to choose the price to pay per ticket, but you may not be able to get that deal. Southwest Airlines has many airports throughout the United States and offers cheaper fares than other airlines, without many of the fees associated with air travel. Other sites to try include Hotwire, Expedia, Orbitz, and Cheap Tickets.

Something important to remember is to check other nearby airports, and stick to international airports if possible because these are generally cheaper to use than regional airports. Sometimes, though, depending on how far you have to travel to the airport and the expense of fuel in your vehicle, the expense and time may be too much and using a closer airport is the better option.

Purchase tickets as far in advance as possible and shop around to find the best deal.

Finally, when booking your trip consider travel insurance to protect your financial investment.

Hotels/Hostels

Many of the same websites shown above have combination deals that will help you save on hotel rooms, too. Shop around and check out sites such as Hotels, Hot Stays, Booking Buddy, Budget Hotels, and Travelocity.

Book in advance, and see if the hotel offers discounts for longer stays, or offers a free night with a specific length of stay. Be sure to join any hotel rewards programs you may find to help save yourself more cash in the future.

Ground Travel

Whether you are renting a car or riding a bus, there are ways to save on ground travel, too. Check multiple rental car venues, and if you're under 25, use Enterprise, because they do not charge an additional premium for rentals based on your age. Other places to check are Hertz, Avis, Thrifty, Budget, and Rent-a-Wreck. When using Greyhound, check their specials and book at least 7 days in advance to get a discount fare. Consider gas efficiency and using tips to help you save gas to decrease the cost of your trip. Don't forget to check train rates, too.

Entertainment

There are free things to do in many cities throughout the country. After choosing your destination a bit of research will quickly provide free or cheap activities. Search for coupon or discount deals for the more expensive entertainment options, and consider purchasing an Entertainment Book for the area to get great deals. By typing in the zip code for the location you?ll be visiting you can also get deeply discounted restaurant coupons.

Another thing to consider is using a cash back website such as ebates to make your purchases. This site will open a tracking ticket for your purchase through certain merchants and will credit you a percentage in cash back and pay you each quarter. It won't help in the immediate future but it will save some money in the long run.