Tightwad Mom's Cheap Airline Travel, Car Rental Money-Savers

As a tightwad mom of four, I know about budget travel. Here are cheap travel tips to save money on airline and rental cars. Shop for cheapest air fare. Using Priceline's "Name Your Own Price" option, bid on airfare, rental cars and hotel accommodations. Buying flight plus rental car plus hotel packages may save but only if you're staying in the same city as the airport. I've done better bidding on each separately. Start with airfare. After buying tickets, you'll usually get offers for rental car and hotel deals. Check sales. Compare companies: Kayak, Orbitz, Cheap Seats, Expedia, Travelocity. Priceline "name your own price" has always been cheapest for me. I've gotten cheap upgrades with Priceline, too. We stayed in a 3-star hotel for $60. Watch for tagged-on fees. In order to say they technically got you the price you bid, vendors will sometimes pad prices. Even with added fees it may still be a better deal.  Read moreTightwad Mom's Cheap Airline Travel, Car Rental Money-Savers