FrugalMonkey Discount Travel News

Tag: travel advice

  • i-SITE Tourist Centers Give Visitors Free New Zealand Travel Advice

    Visitors to New Zealand need only remember one name when seeking travel advice: i-SITE.

    i-SITE is New Zealand’s official network of tourist information centers.

    More than 80 i-SITEs scattered around the North and South Islands are dedicated to providing advice about local attractions, accommodation options, and transport. Best of all, the service is completely free to use. Unlike many tourist centers in other countries, the staff at i-SITE centers go the extra mile, booking tours, trips, and travel for their guests and sharing a few local secrets. In fact, the centers must achieve a certain level of staff training, services, and other standards before being selected as a prestigious i-SITE. i-SITES have everything you need to plan your trip, including brochures and maps to browse in store, and maps and guide books to take on your journey. You can also purchase gifts and souvenirs, and stamps and postcards for your friends back home. Most i-SITES also have internet facilities, and many have cafes so you can relax with a coffee while e-mailing loved ones about your adventures. You can make i-SITE your first New Zealand stop, with centers located at both Auckland and Christchurch airports. While there, visitors can pick up a map showing all New Zealand's i-SITE locations. Or if you're super organized, you can print the map from the i-SITE website before you leave.

  • FrugalMonkey Resources

    You’ve probably spent some time scouring the Internet looking for web deals and specials, but here at FrugalMonkey we have it all in one place!


    Take a look at some of the resources available on the site. Each and everyone of them makes travel planning interesting, easy, and fun! We even have destination guides to help you plan your trip. Take some time and find out exactly what you can access by just a few clicks through FugalMonkey.

    First and foremost, everything on FrugalMonkey is free of charge. From blog posts to our free weekly travel newsletter, when you visit FrugalMonkey you can rest easy knowing that everything you read is up to date, accurate and of course, free, free, free!

    Destination Guides

    We read that a larger and larger portion of travelers are looking for travel deals online before they even know where they want to go! To us, it seems crazy, but it makes sense if you want to get away and your budget is your first concern. If this applies to you and your travel pocketbook, then take a look at some of our destination guides. We provide free online travel resources for different countries and top travel locations like Mexico, South Africa, Argentina, Greece, and Australia. We also provide travel information including city guides, hotel recommendations, and seasonal activities for places like Hawaii and Australia. You won’t have a  hard time finding a place you want to visit on FrugalMonkey, but you might just have a hard time narrowing down your favorite pick!

    Travel Jobs

    Some want to travel for a week or two out of the year, but there are those who want to travel as a career! On FrugalMonkey we see the travel industry not only as a great way to getaway, but also the perfect way to launch a new job. Take your career to new heights with information on working in the travel industry. We outline ways in which you can work full-time or just seasonally as a travel industry employer. Learn about working in the cruise ship industry, or, in a resort job. Find out about teaching English abroad, or landing a volunteer position. All of these are ways of enjoying travel but doing so through work, rather than a vacation. Find it all on FrugalMonkey!

    Travel Advice and Blog

    You will also notice when stumbling around, that the FrugalMonkey blog gives you weekly advice on the week’s travel industry news. Here you will find special flight and hotel deals, last minute travel ideas, and amazing web discounts. We’ve done all the hard work for you, so sit back and check out the blog. You will learn about the growing trends of Ecotourism, and about the best travel deals for that week and the upcoming season. It’s all here!

    Lastly, don’t forget to check out information like traveling as an Air Courier, or travel auction sites where great last minute deals can be found. These are just a few of the excellent resources available to those savvy travelers who visit FrugalMonkey for their destination travel deals! Check it out!

  • The Best Flight Advice Yet

    Everyone is always looking for the best travel deals, and we found one incredible travel tip that is just too, amazing not to share. A recent flight study showed that after holidays (Fourth of July, Labor Day, etc.) that flight prices drop significantly. It’s easy to see why. With so many people booking travel on the same weekend you can save hundreds by planning a vacation when airlines are slow: the week or two after! Southwest airlines is classic for throwing special deals the day or two after a big travel weekend. With the approaching Labor Day weekend, perhaps hold off on plans until a week or two after. You will be pretty happy with the amazing flight deals that turn up!


  • Beware of the Fine Print

    Online travel shoppers are getting pretty spoiled. With so many deals available due to the lull in the economy, it seems like all the chips are with the consumer. Beware! This isn’t always the case.


    Many online travel sites like Expedia and even airlines like American Airlines have travel policies like awarding travelers free flights if they can find a cheaper deal. Others include refunds on trips if a traveler wants to book that same vacation at a cheaper price with another carrier. Although this seems very customer friendly, the truth is that within the fine print there are some serious regulations. Expedia for instance requires that you make your claim within 24 hours of booking if you find a better flight and American Airlines’ cut off is midnight that same day. While there are some sites that offer more time, like Orbitz, Kayak, and Hotwire, keep in mind that your free for all purchasing might not equal the savings you have in mind.

    Keep an eye out for regulations that might back you into a corner. You don’t want to get stuck with a more expensive flight then you’re willing to pay. As a general rule, we recommend booking only when you’re sure you want to travel, especially when it comes to luxury or family vacations. Remember, offers might not include cancellation refunds and have other strict regulations, so be a wise shopper.

    For a full list of cheap travel sites, like Kayak and Orbitz, see the FrugalMonkey Travel Deals page.

    We’re here to help!