The stark reality is that every time you book a hotel or flight these days, the price has soared since your last journey. Travel writer Joe Udo of US News lists a bunch of ways to fight back. We especially agree with two of his suggestions we’re giving our own take on the subject.  

1. If you don’t have to, don’t venture out during peak travel season. From June through Labor Day, prices for everything on your trip will be at their highest, especially gasoline, airline tickets, hotel rates and restaurant menus. When your kids were in school, you didn’t have much choice. You had to travel when all those greedy guys played gotcha.

If your kids are now on their own and you’re retired, get smart and do your wandering when everyone else is working or studying. Best times are mid-September through early November, and early January through mid-May.

When you feel the urge to travel and have selected a destination keep the dates flexible, and check regularly with your hometown or online travel agency for bargains. They typically happen during the slow season. For example, if you get real smart, you’ll book all your flights at night and Tuesdays or Wednesdays, when there’s the least traffic and lowest prices.

Additionally, hotel weekend prices are often twice what they charge Monday through Thursday nights. For example, Strip resorts in Las Vegas often charge $50 a night weekdays and $150 for Friday and Saturday nights.

2. If you’re adventurous and want to get in on some real bargains, try last-minute booking. Make yourself available to fly or sail within a day or two. Cruise ships and resorts are loaded up during top travel seasons and charge as much as they can. However, they offer great bargains at those special senior-friendly times of year.

Cruise lines don’t like to have ships depart with empty cabins, and hotels hate empty rooms. The savvy senior can often get off-season bookings for half price or less. If you’ve a good relationship with a hometown travel agent, be sure to let it be known you can sail or fly on short notice. You may want to keep a full travel bag ready, just in case that notice is very, very short.