In our mission to find the best, cheapest and most value for money travel deals (and there are many), we can spend hours trawling the web in search of offers that suit our budget and style. However, the internet as we know it today is all eyes and ears, crafty in tracking our every move and past and present searches.

Before embarking on your next vacation, try these five effective web hacks which may just save you both time and money.

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Go incognito with Chrome

Browse the web in private with Google’s Incognito mode, handy for keeping your search history under wraps and removing most private data after each session. In normal browsing mode, cookies can be used against the user to store your searches, which often results in price hikes on the exact same air routes and hotels moments later. Chrome Incognito is a tried and tested solution to help you dodge raises in prices based on your search history, helping you score the cheapest tickets and bookings for your next vacation.

Use DuckDuckGo



Protect your data, block advertising trackers and maintain a private search history all at once with DuckDuckGo, a non-tracking search engine which doesn’t store your IP address or cookies. It also offers the option to delete all your browsing data at once. But more importantly, and much like Chrome incognito, as the engine doesn’t track your movements you have a better chance at sourcing cheaper flights, hotel rooms and other deals, regardless of your previous searches and website visits.

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Google Flights

A tool used by many travelers, Google Flights instantly scans the web to surface every option on your search, identifying not just the cheapest, but the most optimum deals on the web. Another nifty feature is its tracking ability which keeps a watchful eye on your searches to alert you of price drops. Google flights also displays a price graph of how flights might compare over the coming months, useful for those flexible on dates, and offers snippets of information such as average seat legroom and if there’s WiFi on board. All in all, it’s a one stop shop for flight searches to help you source the best flights for your travel dates.

Search for Startups



Travel startups are flooding the market, which is good news for scooping a bargain every step of the way when booking your vacation. For example, LastSeat lets users live-bid on last minute airfare, also alerting you to ticket price drops and providing options for special flight packages across global destinations. Once you’ve booked your flight, use Roomer to save on the cost of a hotel room. The marketplace is advantageous for buying discounted hotel rooms from travelers who no longer require them, saving you a chunk of money to spend elsewhere.

Use Coupons

Discounts, deals and special offers are for the taking if you’re willing to put in the time and effort. However, as a time crunched population, why not save yourself the hassle by sourcing money savers on websites such as Ebates, offering money saving cash back deals from its free-membership loyalty programs in the US. Travel and vacation coupons can be found on everything from plane tickets and hotel bookings, to car rentals and more. Simply shop, validate and purchase to receive your cash back, paid to you by check or via PayPal.

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