Stop: Do These 5 Things Before You Travel

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Last updated July 13, 2026 | By FinanceBuzz Editors

  1. Search flights using a foreign language & currency combo: Sometimes booking on a site’s non-English version (say, Google Italy + euros) can surface different fares.
  2. Book “hidden city” flights by choosing a final destination beyond your actual stop: Use Skiplagged to buy a cheaper fare that connects through your real destination — just don’t check a bag.
  3. Set your location to a budget-friendly country: Booking platforms sometimes show lower rates based on user location. A VPN set to India or Mexico could save big.
  4. Offer house sitting in exchange for free lodging: Join platforms like Nomador or MindMyHouse to stay abroad for free in exchange for caring for someone’s home.
  5. Book flights on Wednesdays at 3 a.m. (based on the airline's headquarters time): Weird but true — some airlines release new deals early Wednesday mornings. Try booking at 3 a.m. their time for the best prices.

These are practical, powerful tactics that regular people are using to travel better, cheaper, and smarter. And since you’re already thinking about how to maximize your money, check out these offers from our partners below — then take advantage of one (or all) today.

Earn a bonus worth $200 to use toward your next flight or hotel 

If you're planning a trip, apply for the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card (Rates and fees) here and you can earn 20,000 bonus points after spending $500 in the first 3 months — that's worth $200 toward travel!

There is no extra work beyond the spending requirement to earn the early spend bonus, no annual fee, and no foreign transaction fee. The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card also lets you earn 1.25 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day and 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. 

Redeem miles for flights, hotels, and car rentals, OR statement credits, gift cards, and transfers to over 15 airline or hotel partners! If you travel even once a year this card could is worth it and could net you with $100s in rewards to use toward travel. Don't delay — apply today!

Recommended for good or excellent credit.

Click here to apply for the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card now

Earn a $200 bonus with this incredible cash back card

The Chase Freedom Unlimited®(Rates and fees) lets you earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening

In addition to this welcome offer, this card lets you earn cash back on everything you buy. Earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

And it gets better (really): This card also gives you 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months. That means you could finance large purchases or pay down high-interest debt for over a year. After the intro period, the APR is 18.24% - 27.74% Variable. Oh, and the annual fee is $0

It's almost a no-brainer to apply. 

Good or excellent credit (typically 670 or higher) is recommended.

Click here to Apply Now to the Chase Freedom Unlimited®

Borrow from your home’s equity (even with a lower credit score)

You could get a good amount of money in your pocket just from your home equity alone. You just need to know where and how to compare home equity loan rates. If your credit score is between 580 and 679, a company called New American Funding could help.

More and more homeowners are tapping into their home equity due to how helpful it can be. And even with a lower credit score, New American Funding helps you compare top home equity options to potentially get you out of crippling debt, fund home improvements, and pay for large expenses. All without affecting your mortgage.

If you need money now, it couldn’t be easier to compare rates and see what you qualify for. Just go to New American Funding, answer a few questions, and check out their personalized options for you.

Calculate your home equity rate with New American Funding

Get out of $20,000 or more in credit card debt

If you have a lot of debt, getting out of it can feel stressful (and nearly impossible). Here’s the problem: the longer you put off tackling it, the harder it gets to fix. If you don’t take control of it early on, it can add undue stress to your life for years. But what if there was a way to get out of debt once and for all?

TurboDebt1can help. If you have more than $20,000 in debt from credit cards, medical bills, collections, or personal loans, their representatives might be able to assist you in consolidating your debt into one low monthly payment.

Best of all? There are zero fees until your debt is resolved, and you could be debt-free in as little as 24-48 months. To get started, just answer a few simple questions. It only takes 30 seconds to see if you qualify!

Try TurboDebt

Excellent for travel + intro purchase and balance transfer perks

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
4.0
info

on Capital One's secure website

Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months; Balance transfer fee applies
Regular APR
18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)
Annual fee
$0
Recommended Credit Score info
Good
670-739
Excellent
740-850

Why We Like It

Card Details