For many of us, the thrill of preparing for a vacation is exciting, but we have concerns about the affordability of our travel plans.

Certainly, a vacation can be expensive, but doing a little research and following some simple guidelines can save you hundreds of dollars and actually be kind of enjoyable.

The first thing you need to do, if it’s possible, is be flexible on your travel dates and times. Both hotel and airline prices are very volatile. You can find significant differences in prices just days apart. This, of course, is caused by the basic business principle of supply and demand. Peak travel periods will lead to higher prices, so your search should begin by seeking out periods of time when flights and hotel rooms are not in high demand.

We’ll start with your airline search. There are numerous online brokers that will display flights, but the two you should start with are www.orbitz.com and www.southwest.com. Orbitz is partnered with many of the major carriers and condenses all flights down to a simple search on their website. Southwest is the one major carrier that is not affiliated with Orbitz, so you won’t find their flights listed there. However, Southwest typically has some of the best prices, so you would be remiss by not checking with them before booking a flight.

For best rates, your travel days should include Wednesday, along with Sunday or Monday. These are habitually the days you will find the cheapest rates, as many travelers seek flights on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Tuesdays tend to be expensive because airlines prefer to run less flights on the least popular travel day to save on fuel cost.

Hotel prices fluctuate even more than airline prices, and there are significantly more options. Decide what amenities are important to you, and what location is appropriate for your stay. www.hotels.com is the biggest and probably the best website you can utilize to narrow down your options. Hotel rates can change daily, so check frequently and don’t be afraid to book something when you find a price that meets your needs. Unlike airfare, hotel bookings can be canceled at no cost to you, so if you find something better, simply change your reservation.

Also consider booking airfare and hotel stays as a bulk package. In some instances, this can save you money. Planning your vacation can be a lot of fun, if you embrace the search as a challenge. Every vacation is an opportunity to create memories, and planning the vacation is the first step and part of the excitement.