Traveling at the last minute used to be a stressful and expensive enterprise.

These days, there are so many deals that you can get, it almost seems better to wait until the last minute to leave. You might even be able to save as much as three fourths of the cost of pre-planning your travel.

If you are on a budget and plan on taking a trip, you may be able to save a considerable amount of money by reading tips on how to get a cheap last minute travel deal.

One of the reasons why you can save on things like hotels, and air fare is because many people cancel their travel plans at the last minute or simply fail to show up on time.

This common phenomenon means that hotels and airports are forced to make last minute cancellations that can lose them thousands of dollars. Companies would much rather book rooms and fare at cheaper prices than lose out all together.

Since leisurely travel has decreased tremendously in the past few years, companies are forced to offer implement deals just fill the seats. Offering cheap last minute travel deals helps them to make up for the loss in frequent travel revenue.

The downside is that these cheap prices don’t last long so you should try to act as quickly as you can. Here are 5 quick tips to getting your travel costs cheap when you are working at the last minute.

1. Think of buying your travel package in a bundle as well since travel agents often purchase packages that way and if there are last minute cancellations, they will be eager to unload them. Take advantage of it. Call around and see what you can find.

2. Do your research. Calling airports or looking up deals online can save you a lot of time and money. Check various deals before deciding on one.

3. Be willing to fly standby or take a smaller rooms in exchange for your last minute planning because some companies are willing to work out a deal just to make a booking as opposed to losing their money all together.

4. If possible, look to travel to places that are off season. You can always find a cheaper rate when you travel somewhere during an off season because travel to that destination is generally undesirable to most travelers.

5. Take full advantage of any and all prepackaged deals. Usually when you are travelling you can find prepackaged deals that can save you hundreds of dollars. These packages usually include: hotel rooms, travel expenses and some amenities.

In the end, if you are willing to do your research, you can find excellent discounts when you just do a little bit of research. You don’t want to miss a potential savings bonanza just because you didn’t feel like sitting in front of your computer or making a few phone calls to inquire.

Sometimes bundles are cheaper and sometimes booking things separately will save you more. That is why shopping around and doing a bit of research is really worth the time.