Calling all frugal travelers! Have you vacationed on a budget recently? We want to hear about it.

Whether you've found savings while staying at five-star hotels or road-tripped with brown-bag lunches, we want to know how you cut costs en route. 

If you've found a way to see the world for less, please email us here. Include details about your trip — your destination, how you saved, the pros and cons of your budget. Selected responses will be used in upcoming stories.

AP

Southwest Airlines outdoes other low-cost carriers with more than 3,200 flights per day to 73 cities.

Checked luggage, something to snack on, a seat beside your companion. These conveniences, once part and parcel of the air travel experience, have been extricated and assigned separate price tags. The latest is legroom: Last week the Boston Globe highlighted the trend of airlines scrunching rows together and charging for extra inches.

This nickel-and-diming is by no means confined to no-frills airlines looking to keep fares low. Even major carriers have done away with so-called frills in the face of high fuel prices and other challenges. Ironically, some of the only airlines that don’t charge for the first checked bag these days are low-cost carriers. With the line between budget and legacy airlines blurrier than ever, frugal travelers are embracing the former.

Below are some of the best domestic budget airlines, based on research by Cheapism.com.

• Southwest isn’t sitting out of the movement toward less legroom, although it aims to cram in more passengers, not wheedle another fee out of long-legged customers. It doesn’t collect for onboard refreshments either and will check not one but two bags for free. The airline’s legions of fans cite these unexpected perks and excellent customer service in online reviews. Southwest outdoes other low-cost carriers with more than 3,200 flights per day to 73 cities. Note that this airline doesn’t assign seats, so be sure to check in online 24 hours ahead for a prime position in the unique first-come, first-served boarding process. (Where to buy)
• AirTran is merging with Southwest but earns a spot on our list in its own right. Reviews highlight courteous staff and complimentary snacks and (nonalcoholic) drinks. Even Wi-Fi is free on some flights. AirTran does charge for checked baggage and priority boarding. It counts more than 700 daily flights to more than 65 destinations, primarily in the East and Midwest. (Where to buy)
• JetBlue doesn’t always offer the lowest fares but scored highest in an annual survey of customer satisfaction (Southwest was a close second) on the strength of its aircraft and in-flight services. The airline offers beverage service and snacks gratis, and screens on each seatback broadcast DirecTV. JetBlue is shaving an inch of legroom off most seats on its smaller planes but generally still provides more space than most. Reviewers appreciate that the first checked bag is free and praise the customer service. JetBlue flies to 60 cities, with about 600 flights per day. (Where to buy)

The challenge with low-cost carriers is finding one that flies to your desired destination. Routes tend to concentrate in particular regions, leaving travelers elsewhere out of luck. All the airlines above have expanded to popular vacation spots in the Caribbean and Latin America. Be sure to note which airport turns up in a search, not just which city, as low-cost carriers often serve large metro areas from secondary airports. You may find it equally convenient (or even more so) to fly to Chicago’s Midway instead of O’Hare. However, most budget flights to the Miami area land in Fort Lauderdale, about 40 minutes away.

More from Cheapism:
Cheap airlines
Cheap kids clothes
Cheap diapers
Electric toothbrush reviews

Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas sails to the Bahamas.

Between outbreaks of norovirus, a robbery at gunpoint, a fire that crippled a ship, and the fatal crash of the Costa Concordia, wary vacationers are shunning the cruise industry. Bookings have dropped as much as 20 percent at some companies heading into the usual peak season, according to Time’s Moneyland, and cruise lines appear to have dropped prices in response.

Cheapism’s top picks for budget cruises start at less than $50 per person per night. They're based on analysis of reviews by passengers and industry experts, as well as features including entertainment and accommodations.

• Royal Caribbean’s Majesty of the Seas cruise is one of the company’s most affordable, taking up to 2,350 passengers on three- and four-night trips to the Bahamas from Miami. Consumers and experts laud the excellent service and broad selection of activities. Fares start at around $50 per night. (Where to buy)
• Norwegian Sky cruises seem to appeal equally to those looking to relax and those looking to party, with casual dining and flexible meal times. This 2,002-person ship also runs three- and four-night tours of the Bahamas out of Miami, starting at about $42 per night. (Where to buy)

Heavy competition tends to keep fares low on cruises to the Caribbean. The region’s proximity to the mainland allows for two- to four-night weekend cruises that cost less overall than longer voyages. Trips to far-flung locales such as the South Pacific and Antarctica command far higher prices. Generally fares include meals (if taken at designated eateries), but drinks, gratuities, on-shore excursions, and other activities often cost extra.

Frugal travelers can save more by booking a low-cost cruise during the shoulder season of May to mid-June. October, November, and December promise similar savings, with the potential tradeoff of less-than-perfect weather. The changing seasons also bring deals on so-called “repositioning” cruises, when a ship relocates to another region. For example, a cruise line might leave behind sweltering Florida and the Caribbean to cross the Atlantic, with a stop in the Canary or Azores islands, and spend the summer cruising around Europe. Keep in mind that these are one-way trips, so you have to factor in the cost of return transportation.

The cheapest fares buy an interior cabin without a view. If you plan to spend a lot of time lounging in your stateroom, you may want to spring for an outside cabin with more room and amenities, including a balcony or veranda. (Be aware that the advertised square footage often includes any outdoor space, so the room itself may turn out to be smaller than you expect.) Take note of where a cabin is on the ship. Steer clear of the upper decks if you fear that too much swaying may make you seasick. If you're looking to unwind, avoid noisy areas such as the pool deck and the lower levels, near the ship’s propellers.

More from Cheapism:
Cheap cruises
Generic vs. brand-name cleaning products
Best NYC apps for a cheap vacation
Cheap sunscreen

From airport food that is roughly 100 percent sodium to the roof of the plane potentially coming off to a sleeping air traffic controller guiding a plane, you’d think air travel is getting dangerous.

AP

A new study says it may be. Although not in the convertible-plane or narcoleptic-controller sort of way.

The study, released Monday in the Journal of Occupational Health and Environmental Medicine, says that frequent business travelers were more likely to describe their health as “fair” or “poor.”

More than 13,000 subjects were studied from data supplied by a corporate wellness program. It looked at three groups: Non-travelers, occasional travelers (80 percent of those surveyed) and “extensive travelers” who run at the George Clooney in “Up in the Air” pace of 20 or more nights a month on the road.

Those Clooney-esque road warriors are not a healthy bunch. And they certainly don’t look like him. They are 92 percent more likely to be obese, with high blood pressure and unfavorable cholesterol levels.

Several factors could contribute to this, the researchers said, including poor sleep, fattening foods and long periods of inactivity.

We’re no scientists, but we’d guess that doubles-for-$1-extra, migraine-inducing flight delays and blood-pressure-raising bag fees also have something to do with it.

How do you try to stay healthy on the road?