MANAGING YOUR MONEY / Earning More, Keeping More : TRAVEL TIMING : <i> You’ll find plenty of bargains, and far fewer people, if you can arrange to take your vacation in the fall or winter.</i>

During the peak summer months, throngs of tourists descend on scenic Monterey Bay and elbow their way into its fabled aquarium. The visitors snarl traffic in the nearby town of Carmel, paying up to $300 a night for a room--if they can find lodging at all.

But when fall and winter arrive, tourist traffic dwindles. The summer fog lifts, and rates at some hotels and cottages drop by nearly 50%.

“I think it’s a lot more pleasant,” said Ken Peterson, spokesman for the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where attendance now is but half that of July.

Indeed, the fall and winter months offer budget-minded travelers plenty of opportunities to save money while avoiding the large crowds of summer. Even some popular and pricey winter destinations have their share of bargains that appeal to recession-battered consumers.

Price-conscious vacationers know “they have to cut down on their travel budget, but they still feel the need to go,” said Kathy Traynor, a travel agent and manager of Associated Travel in Monrovia.

With all the planning that goes into their summer vacations, most travelers who live in sunny California are more impulsive when it comes to taking a fall or winter trip, travel agents say.

“People in colder climates plan months in advance (for winter vacations). We don’t,” said Rosemarie Parris, an agent for Carlson Travel Network in Walnut Creek. “We have people right now asking for Christmas vacations and are surprised to find that space is not available.”

Not everybody can or wants to take advantage of low-season bargains. Families may find it hard to take lengthy trips without pulling kids out of school. Cold or unpredictable weather in Europe and much of the United States turns off sun seekers.

And for many destinations--such as Colorado ski resorts or Mexican beaches--late fall and winter are peak season.

But if travelers can plan their trips around big winter holidays, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, they can find plenty of space--and low prices--for hotel rooms and airplane seats.

The holiday period is “when you will see business travel wind down and you start to see the hotel deals (for vacation travelers) start to appear,” said Michael Ribero, senior vice president at Hilton Hotels.

Hilton, for example, offers a “Winter-Saver” rate that allows guests to book rooms at some of its properties for less than $50 a night. Although a three-night stay is usually required, there’s no extra charge for children.

Kids can also stay free at participating Club Med resorts in January and February, Traynor said. The program means parents can save up to $400 for each child at Club Med resorts in Ixtapa, Mexico; Sandpiper, Florida, and elsewhere.

Besides all the fall and winter sales held by the airlines, travelers can buy even cheaper tickets from cut-rate travel agencies known as consolidators.

Consolidators specialize in international flights, buying tickets from scheduled and chartered airlines at bargain rates and then passing the savings to consumers. You can usually spot a consolidator by its advertising, which usually lists air fares but never the airline.

While consolidator tickets are limited in supply and often heavily restricted, the bargains are hard to beat--and prices are even lower during the off-season.

The Continental Travel Shop, a consolidator in Santa Monica, is offering winter round trips to London from Los Angeles on a scheduled airline for as little as $399, not including taxes. That compares to the most recent winter fare war, when airlines advertised the same round trip for more than $500.

You can also find bargains at some popular winter hot spots during the lulls in late November, early December and much of January. Pleasant Hawaiian Holidays, for instance, throws in a free night of accommodations or reduced hotel rates on many of its package vacations in early and mid-December.

Discounts also abound in Las Vegas between the holidays. The Las Vegas Hilton, for instance, offers discounted room rates and free tickets to Starlight Express, an acclaimed Broadway show, from Nov. 22 through Dec. 24.

In the Caribbean, many winter cruises are nearly sold out at peak prices. But cruises along the eastern Caribbean or budget vacations to Jamaica--for as low as $469 a person with air fare from Los Angeles--are more readily available and affordable, said Traynor of Associated Travel. The downside, she adds, are that those locations are often overrun by other bargain-hunting tourists this time of year.

Europe also offers some bargains during the fall and winter. British Airways is offering a seven-night London package that includes round-trip air fare from Los Angeles, lodging and a theater ticket for $812 a person.

You can even afford to visit high-priced Italy now through such deals as Love Holidays’ five-night package--including air fare and hotel--for $749 per person.

Of course, winter in Europe can be downright cold. “The benefits are the cheap prices . . . but you will be bundled up and walk around with a coat and scarf and umbrella,” Traynor said.

TIPS

Ticket consolidators are the airline equivalent of factory outlet stores, selling tickets at prices often below the discount prices that airlines advertise. You can usually spot a consolidator by its newspapers ads, because they usually advertise the destination and price but not the airline on which you’ll travel. Here are some tips if you plan to use a consolidator.

* Expect a discount of as much as 50% off the cost of unrestricted coach or economy tickets on domestic flights and up to 30% off the cost of international flights. * Business and first-class tickets are still expensive even if you purchase them through a consolidator. * Ask which airline you will fly, which route you’ll take and whether you’ll qualify for frequent-flier miles. After you buy the ticket or make a deposit, call the airline directly to confirm your reservation and seat.

* Use a charge card to make your purchase to protect yourself if a dispute arises later. You might be charged a small fee for using a card, but consider it an insurance policy.

* Understand all the restrictions on your ticket. Consolidators generally aren’t as flexible as airlines if you have to make a last-minute change in your travel plans. If the consolidator says it’s a non-refundable ticket that can’t be exchanged, you’ll probably be out of luck if your schedule changes.