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Not sure if you've heard, but travel is a great deal right now. That's a joke, of course. If you've ever read this blog (or really, a newspaper or any other news source) in the last eight months, you already know travel is a great deal! In fact, our first-ever Traveler Confidence Report confirmed what we at Travelocity long suspected -- that travelers are encouraged by price decreases in airfare and hotels and plan to take advantage of the deals available.

But what interests me is not the fact that prices across the industry are down (one exception: rental cars) but that there are a few easy steps anyone can take to shave big bucks off the total cost of a vacation. Here are seven easy steps to saving $1,000 or more.

Photo courtesy of IgoUgo.com member ripplefan2.  

1. Book a vacation package. A Travelocity study confirms that booking your flight and hotel together will save you $315 on average compared to booking the elements of the exact same trip separately.

2. Make your flight reservation online. Most airlines charge $20 for you to call and speak to a reservations agent. Now maybe $20 won't break the bank, but that's just annoying, Book online and save. (Travelocity now offers fee-free flights. Just saying).

3. Don't check bags. Most airlines recently upped the charge for the first checked bag from $15 to $20 and the second checked bag from $25 to $30. That's each way, by the way. So, for you to check two bags on most major carriers it will cost you a whopping $100 round trip. No thanks. I'll carry on. (Note: there are several exceptions to this fee, including international flights and members of the airline's elite frequent flier programs).

4. Stay on a Sunday. This works very well in cities popular with business travelers. Take New York City, as an example. A Saturday-night stay at a popular Midtown hotel is $269. The very next night, the rate falls to $180. For the same hotel and same room. 

5. Use promo codes. This is one of the easiest ways to save. Now, you won't find a promo code in every destination every time you want to take a trip, but a little legwork can save you some cash with the simple entry of the code at checkout. One valid right now: ORL100 ($100 off four-night vacations in Orlando; book by August 31, travel by December 31).

6. Take advantage of free nights. This is one of the most popular "value-adds" found among hotels. They tend to come for 3, 5, or 7-night stays and are commonly found among four- and five-star hotels. One example: The St. Regis Punta Mita offers a third night free promotion which represents over $400 in savings.

7. Look for resort and ship credits. This "free money" lets you pay for meals, activities and more without every reaching into your pocket. Right now, get up to $500 in onboard ship credit when you book a fall or winter cruise and use your American Express card.

I realize that every tip won't work on every vacation, but using a combination of the above can really add up. Booking a four-nt vacation to Orlando this fall? Book a vacation package ($315), don't check bags ($100), use a promo code ($100), make your flight reservation online ($20) -- those four easy steps add up to $535 in savings.