Yesterday we told you that about half of Americans don’t use all of their allotted vacation days.

And now CNN has taken the role of Captain Obvious to let us know that people are taking shorter and cheaper vacations.

One of the positive effects of this unfortunate circumstance is that travelers are becoming more savvy in order to get more for less.

CNN identifies the “new traveler” as a person who takes part in airline and hotel loyalty programs, uses points and miles before they lose their value, downsizes from luxurious to standard accommodation, and crams more sight-seeing and activities into a shorter time frame.

In other words, what frugal travelers have been doing all along.

Here are some of our favorite ways to make the most of a quick and inexpensive vacation (most of this stuff is pretty obvious, but, hey, we all need reminders):

–Travel during the low season. You won’t have to worry about pissing off your boss if you travel when none of your co-workers are taking time off.  Plus, everything is cheaper when there’s more supply and less demand.

–Travel to cheaper places. Some cities are pricier than others.  Take the road less traveled and save money.  If you plan on traveling internationally, find countries with a favorable exchange rate.  That’s why Bangkok is so popular.

–Get away from tourists. Sure, you’re a tourist too, but everything is cheaper only a block or two away from the touristy thoroughfare.

–Eat out less. You can save a lot of money by eating at a restaurant only once a day.  Go for the lunch specials or hit happy hour.  And definitely don’t order room service.

–Pack your room with snacks and water. You can buy a six-pack of waters for what it will cost to buy one in your room.  Pick up protein-rich and high-fiber foods to keep you full longer.

–Shop around. You shop around for everything else, do the same for rooms and flights.  A little detective work can save you a lot of money.  Check for prices on sites like Kayak.com and then compare them to the prices offered directly through the hotel or airline and see if you’re getting a good deal.  And don’t forget about low-cost airlines.  They’re called low-cost for a reason.

–Use coupons. Don’t be embarrassed to cut coupons.  Look through local papers and magazines for deals, and sign-up for discounts on Restaurant.com (which always has an 80% off sale featuring $25 certificates for $2 if you sign-up for the newsletter), Groupon.com, ScreaminCoupons.com and LivingSocial.com.

–Use your AAA card. Get discounts at some of the most popular tourist attractions, hotels, restaurants and shops.

–Couchsurf. If you don’t mind staying in a stranger’s home, you can make new friends and get a free place to crash with couchsurfing.org.  You won’t get the amenities of a hotel, and you might have to do a chore or two in exchange for a place to stay, but you may wind up having a more rewarding experience… as long as you’re not staying with a serial killer.

–Use buses instead of planes or trains.  Hey, they’re making a comeback for a reason: low prices.

–Walk. You get exercise, you see more of the city, you avoid traffic, you meet people and you save money by not taking taxis.

–Skip the souvenirs. Look, we love kitschy junk too, but it’s not like you need to prove you visited New York by wearing an “I Heart NY” t-shirt.  Plus, do you really need another novelty shot glass you’ll never use?  Didn’t think so.

What are your favorite frugal travel tips?

Do you distrust people with foreign accents?

Apparently so according to a new study published in the latest issue of the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.

The research found that people were less likely to believe a person was telling the truth if their accent made it difficult to understand them.  They concluded that the thicker the accent, the greater the distrust.

In one experiment, researchers asked a group of English-speaking Americans to listen to recordings of trivia statements read by nine different people and determine whether they were true or false.

Three of the speakers had no accent, three had mild accents (Polish, Turkish and Austrian-German) and three had heavy accents (Korean, Turkish and Italian).

The listeners had no idea some of the speakers had accents before hand.  They were simply told that the speakers were reading statements prepared for them, and it was up to the listener to determine the truthfulness of the statement.

When all was said and done, the listeners rated the readers with no accents as mostly truthful, the ones with mild accents as a little less truthful, and the people with thick accents as least truthful.

But when asked if they could identify which country the accents belonged to, only a few could.

Ironically, the research was conducted by two dark, very foreign-looking Israeli dudes — with accents.

I won’t get into all the problems with this experiment — maybe the questions read by the people with thicker accents were more difficult, maybe the participants aren’t good at true / false, maybe the listener had no prejudice whatsoever but simply couldn’t understand the statement (or hear it that well) — but I’ve got a few questions:

#1.  I sometimes have no clue what born and raised Americans from Boston or a New York who speak with a thick accent are saying.  Does this mean I don’t believe what they’re saying, or I’m just confused by the fact that they’re speaking English and I can’t decipher it?  They’re not foreigners, they’re just hard to understand sometimes.

#2.  Does this apply to trips abroad?  I mean, if I’m in Italy and I ask a native for directions, will I automatically assume everything they say is untrue?

#3.  If I’m visiting another country, will the locals not trust me because I’m the foreigner with the weird accent?  Should I worry that every Italian will look at me like I’m a bag of lies who can’t be trusted?  As a result, should I not travel at all?

Gimme a break.  The harder it is to understand someone, the more fun it is.  It’s like a game of charades without the competitive spirit.

Get out there.  Travel.  And trust the people with the accents.  Unless they tell you to walk down a strange dark alley with blood splattered on the wall.

J.D. Power and Associates, the people who rank and survey everything, just released a new study that found that people are more satisfied with hotels than they were last year.

The 2010 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study revealed that even though people are overall satisfied with hotel chains, they want more nice stuff and more free stuff than ever before (either we’re becoming prima donnas or this is a result of the bad economy).

According to the study, the top five things people expect from hotels are:

#1:  Wireless internet access

#2:  Free breakfast

#3:  Bedding and pillow options

#4:  Pillow-top mattresses

#5:  Free parking

The study also graded every major hotel chain in North America in seven different categories.  So who received an A?  Here are the Best hotel chains:

Economy Budget: Microtel Inns & Suites

Extended Stay: Homewood Suites

Luxury: The Ritz-Carlton  (Ironically, luxury hotels are less likely to provide free Wi-Fi even though their rooms cost the most.  Not cool.)

Mid Scale Full Service: Hilton Garden Inn

Mid Scale Limited Service: Drury Inn & Suites

Upscale: Omni Hotels

J.D. Power and Associates is too classy to draw attention to the hotels that scored lowest in each category, but we’re not.  Here are are the WORST hotel chains:

Economy Budget: (tie)  Knights Inn, Rodeway Inn

Extended Stay: (tie)  Extended StayAmerica, Homestead Studio Suites Hotels

Luxury: (tie)  Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts, Loews Hotels, W Hotels  (How could the W suck?  Rappers love the W.  And everyone knows rappers epitomize good taste.  Just look at Lil Wayne chillin’ at the Dub…)

Mid Scale Full Service: (tie)  Clarion, Howard Johnson Hotels, Quality, Ramada Inn

Mid Scale Limited Service: (tie)  AmericInn, Baymont Inn & Suites, Comfort Inn, La Quinta, Ramada Limited, Sleep Inn

Upscale: (tie)  Crowne Plaza Hotel & Resorts, Delta Hotels, Radisson Hotels & Resorts, Sheraton Hotels & Results

All of these hotels scored 2 out of 5 stars.  That’s a “D,” people.  That’s not passing, that’s on the verge of failing.  A “D” would you get dropped out of school.  Then you’d have to find work at Radisson… oh, that explains it.

You can view the full results and find out how well your favorite hotel chain ranked HERE.

What we found most interesting in this report was that people who book hotel reservations online through an independent travel website (like Expedia or Orbitz) were less satisfied than those who booked through the hotel brand’s main website.

Often times rooms are more expensive when you book directly through the hotel, but the director of global hospitality and travel practice for J.D. Power and Associates says, “Twice as many guests experienced problems with their reservation when booking through independent sites, compared with hotel brand websites.”

So there you have it.  Book through the hotels.  Ask for more.  And pay less.

A new survey by USA Today’s Hotel Check-In has found that most travelers DON’T unpack their suitcases.

Of the 4,200 people polled, 47% said they prefer to live out of their suitcase.

Only 19% said they put their clothing in the closet or drawers, while the other 37% said it depends on why they are traveling (business vs. pleasure) and how long they will staying.

The reasons why people don’t unpack range from unclean conditions to bugs to not forgetting their clothing.

I can see their point, but the second thing I do after I get into a new hotel room (after searching for murderers/robbers hiding under the bed) is unpack my stuff.  I put all my clean clothes in the top drawer and all dirty clothing in the one below.  The system hasn’t failed me yet… though I will admit that I check the drawers for bugs and hidden microphones and unhygienic stains.

Do you unpack your suitcases or do you prefer to keep your stuff stowed safely away in your bags?

It’s one of those worst-case travel scenarios you never plan for: pick a destination, research the best deals on flights, spend months planning your itinerary… only to get sick by the time you arrive. Don’t worry, your trip isn’t a total bust. Here are 8 ways to be a tourist without even leaving your hotel room:

1. Look out the window. It’s sounds too simple but it’s true; you get a great understanding of how a city works by watching the locals live their daily lives. Take a look at how people move around: do they bike, walk, drive or use public transportation? Look at where and when they eat, how they dress, how they communicate, and acknowledge how it’s different from your life back home.  Plus, buskers are always entertaining… and you don’t have to tip ‘em from your room!  Of course, you’ll be curious about the weather too. If it’s cold and wet, you’re best indoors anyway!

2. Read all about it! Even if you can’t read the language of the local newspaper, scroll through and take a look at the pictures; you’ll probably see places you never knew existed. Check out magazines that give insight into your destination. Read pamphlets that advertise local events and museums. Often these pamphlets will provide info on popular attractions and plenty of pictures. If all else fails, read your totally bland and boring guidebook, which will inevitably put you to sleep.  But if you’re sick, you need the zzz’s anyway.

3. Watch TV. You should always watch the local news to see if there’s any breaking stories you need to know about. Plus, the news will show you around the city, especially human interest stories and local events. Watch the popular sporting events or check out the culture and entertainment programming to discover what the locals are interested in.  Just know that in many foreign countries, nudity and naughty language are permissible.  It’s like pay cable without the extra cost.  Score!

4. Order local food. The hotel staff will have plenty of recommendations for great local restaurants that deliver national or popular cuisine. Just call the concierge and ask if they can order you food that the locals eat. You might want to skip room service since the food is usually grossly overpriced and unauthentic.

5. Contact a tourism office. Even small cities have tourism centers with a staff that speaks some English. Ask them about events taking place around the city, or have them send reading material to your hotel room. Tourism centers will have plenty of information explaining customs and detailing cultural events, exhibitions and celebrations.

6. Meet the locals. Yes, you can do this without ever leaving your hotel room. Use an instant messaging service that allows you to search for people by city who are currently online. Go on MySpace or Facebook, look for groups about the place you’re visiting, and send some people a message. You can even go on Skype and talk or text with face-to-face with locals via webcam.  Many locals will want to talk with you to brag about their country and practice their English.

7. Read reviews online. Here’s another thing you can do online: go to sites like TripAdvisor or VirtualTourist and read about other people’s experiences. Live vicariously through other travelers by reading firsthand accounts of their experiences at places you planned on visiting. Better yet, check out travel blogs. Bloggers detail their trips like a journal and offer insight that you can’t get from a guidebook. Just search for “travel blog” or “blog list” in a search engine and you’ll come upon thousands of blogs (just like this one!) with articles about your destination.

8. Raid the mini bar. Hotels usually pack the mini bar with snacks and beverages that are available locally. Every country specializes in some kind of food or drink, and chances are it’s already in your room — everything from sodas to snacks.  Sure, it may not be great for your tummy, but it’s worth it for the yummy.

Being stuck in your hotel room obviously isn’t the ideal way to spend your trip. But sometimes it’s better to sacrifice one or two days of sightseeing in favor of fully recuperating so you can actually enjoy the remainder of your trip.  Have you ever been stranded in your room due to inclement weather or sickness?  What have you done to make the most out of your trip?