Cheap cruises with airfare

Some have accused me of being a tightwad among tightwads. I say I'm not cheap, just thrifty. To me, the distinction between cheap and thrifty is significant. Thrifty travelers' main goal is a fun vacation. But they also look for value and want their dollars to stretch farther and work harder. Cheap travelers, on the other hand, have but one vacation goal: to spend less money. They choose the lowest-priced option on everything, looking more at the price tag than the product itself.

If you're a frequent reader of our Travel section, you've probably noticed that we write about a range of places and activities with prices that vary from "Everyone, dinner's on me!" to "I'll have some croutons and a water." The common thread that connects these stories is not price, but value. If we don't think the restaurant, hotel, or activity represents a good value for the money, it doesn't appear in Southern Living.

To determine that value, look at the total package. For example, staying at a hotel central to major attractions can often be more expensive-but then, you might be able to get by without a rental car. Some restaurants are so good, we'd be willing to eat cheese crackers for a day in order to splurge on a dinner out. So our advice? Don't be cheap; be thrifty. Good luck out there. -MORGAN MURPHY

Follow these suggestions to get the most out of your vacation dollars.

Tip #1: Ask and Ye Shall Get a Bargain

I learned the polite phrase "Is that your best price?" from Macon Riddle, a notable antiques hunter in New Orleans. Macon's unflappable charm and endearing manner usually land a great bargain on fine furniture. But the technique also works on rental cars, theater tickets, and hotel rooms. Don't be afraid to tell the clerk that the price is beyond your budget. And if they give you a flat-out "no," keep at it by inquiring, "If you can't help me on the rate, could you swing a room upgrade?" If you are a member of travel clubs (such as AAA) or qualify for a senior, military, government employee, or company discount, you may snag a significant deduction. And, perhaps most importantly, a friendly tone never hurts either.

Tip #2: Be Flexible

If you can be flexible, bend a little. Luxury hotels often run weekend discounts for leisure travelers. Some airlines, too, discount Saturday night stay overs. Sites such as LastMinute Travel.com offer discounts on hotels, cruises, airfare, and package deals and allow you to sort the results by a variety of options including the hotel's star rating.

Tip #3: Use the Web and the Phone

A rash of Web sites are fighting it out for customers: Priceline.com, Expedia.com, hotels.com, hotwire. com, Orbitz, and Travelocity are the biggest names in discount travel. Upstarts such as FareChase, Mobissimo, Quikbook, and Qixo have also entered the fray. They make good places to start your research. But my advice is to call the hotels or airlines to double-check before you book. For example, when I was traveling from our headquarters here in Birmingham to New Orleans, one site gave me a "bargain" rate of $397 in airfare. Another, booking on the same airline, came in at $229. A quick call to Southwest landed a fully refundable direct flight fare of just $194. Same story with hotels: One site suggested I bunk down in a "deluxe room" at the Holiday Inn Express New Orleans-Downtown/French Quarter for $451 a night. A call to the hotel itself netted a room for just $145.95. Going on Web advice alone might have cost me an extra $600.

Sign of the Month

Reader Sheryl Kiefer of Clinton, Missouri, shows that money doesn't necessarily lead to happiness.

Have a suggestion for Travel Tips?

Do you have a photo of a funny Southern sign? Know a savvy travel tip? Send them to me at Travel Editor, Southern Living, P.O. Box 523, Birmingham, AL 35201, or e-mail tips to morgan_murphy@timeinc.com. Be sure to include your name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address. For each item published you will receive $25.