Saving money to Japan

If you are making any travel plans to Japan, here are some ways to save money! There are several things working in favor of an affordable trip. According to a recent New York Times report, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's changes appear to be working, which inadvertently leads to a weaker yen. A weaker yen for Americans and others means more spending power when you visit.

In 2006, I remember the exchange rate being $1 US = 116 Japanese yen. As of today, it is $1 US = $98 Japanese yen. Also, my roommates found a $600 roundtrip deal to Tokyo in September, so it is possible to get a steal of a deal to Japan. My goal is to be there in 2014.

One website that I find super helpful when planning my foreign trips is Onetravel.com. I noticed that flight aggregate sites such as Kayak.com or Vayama tend to miss Asian or European carriers that could offer better rates.

For affordable places to stay, I chose Toyoko Inn, which has locations throughout Japan. This chain is awesome because they've got locations within walking distance to train stations, and the Shinjuku Kabukicho location offered free breakfast. Check to see if the one you select offers free breakfast.

Finally, researchers at Texas A&M University seemed to have debunked the belief that Tuesdays or Wednesdays are good days to book cheap airfare.

How do you find travel deals? How do you budget for trips besides eating ramen noodles or bringing a flask to a club then pouring it into your drink? Just wondering...