We get it! Hawaii is an expensive destination, and you want to save money any way you can!! 6 mistakes people make when trying to save money on a Hawaii vacation!

On this episode of the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast for Sunday, February 6th, 2022, Yaling and Aloha Bruce talk about 6 mistakes people make when trying to save money on a Hawaii vacation. Whether it's booking your airfare to the wrong island, not allocating enough time to visit the island, or simply picking the wrong location, this podcast will help you with the essential budget concerns.

After bringing listeners up-to-date on Chinese New Year celebrations, Bruce and Yaling discuss our restaurant of the week: Keneke’s in Waimanalo, a favorite among locals for Hawaiian food and great local plate lunch selections. Out hosts offer an update on COVID news, which remains relatively unchanged. Bruce is confident that some restrictions will be lifted soon.

Bruce and Yaling also discuss a proposal at the State Legislature to restrict peer-to-peer vehicle rentals like Turo, and the tax revenue implications it brings. Bruce mentions Oahu’s Hui vehicle sharing service.

Our hosts get deep into the budgeting and planning process, primarily focused on mistakes people make over and over again when deciding to come to visit the islands. Bruce and Yaling share that it comes down to proper planning and understanding many hidden costs and complications in choosing which islands to stay.

Bruce shares the story of a client who found cheap airfare to Kauai for three days but failed to research rental cars and accommodations and blew her budget up. Our hosts agree that booking such a short stay on Kauai severely limits the activities and amenities available. “People want to save money, so they book a shorter trip,” Bruce says. “But they end up not having a very good time.”

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Next, Bruce and Yaling talk about the importance of budgeting currently and considering “incidentals” like tipping, resort fees, gas prices, debit card deposits, and how many businesses do not accept pre-paid credit cards. “Have some emergency funds available for a Hawaii vacation.

Bruce moves on to discuss potential confusion about Hawaii’s airports for visitors who travel to multiple islands. The Big Island, for example, has busy airports in both Hilo and Kailua-Kona. “It just depends on which islands you’re going to!” Knowing your arrival and departure airports on each island can eliminate that confusion.

The conversation moves on to discuss booking “cheap hotels”. Bruce says even cheap hotels average about $160. Yaling notes surprise cleaning fees and other charges like parking and resort fees. Even if you can find a “cheap hotel” you’ll likely be faced with considerable additional fees.

Our hosts then get into talking about arranging transportation and discuss ride-sharing options like Uber and Lift. “It’s costly!” says Bruce. “To Uber everywhere is ridiculously expensive.”

Finally, Bruce and Yaling agree that the most common mistake people make when booking a Hawaii vacation is waiting until the last minute. A room that comes at a reasonable rate on one day may be much more expensive on the next. “The same thing happens with airfare,” Bruce says. “You’ve got to be very careful with all of this.”