The Jetpacker

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?