The holidays may be well behind us, but with warmer weather on the horizon, you need to start preparing for the expenses of travel. Spring break is just around the corner, followed by Memorial Day weekend and summer vacation.
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Hammock on the Beach, Aruba © Salvatore Freni Jr
Therefore, it’s important to start thinking about ways to save on holiday travel now:
#1: Purchase Discounted Airfare
There are plenty of ways to save on airfare for your next holiday getaway. Booking your flight earlier in the week generally gets you a better deal, and flying on a Tuesday or Wednesday can reduce what you pay as well. Consolidating the kids’ luggage into one suitcase saves on baggage fees, and using a travel aggregator website such as BookingBuddy notifies you when the flight you plan to book becomes available at a lower price.
#2: Utilize Daily Deal Websites
One of the best ways to save on entertainment expenses is to sign up for a daily deal website and receive notifications regarding the city you plan to visit. Websites such as LivingSocial and Groupon often run specials on entertainment options in popular destination cities – just make sure you read the fine print on any deal, as many come with restrictions and exclusions.
#3: Set a Souvenir Budget
Souvenirs can take a bite out of your checking account without you even realizing it. In order to avoid this, consider instituting a souvenir budget, possibly for each child in your family. Reserve the beginning of the vacation for window shopping, and schedule a portion of one of the final days of your trip to make purchases. That way, both you and your kids can get an idea of the souvenirs you really want, and you can decrease your costs by avoiding impulse buys.
#4: Ask the Locals
Another great way to reduce the overall costs of your holiday vacation is to consult the locals. They can tell you about cheap eats in the area, along with little-known and less expensive ways to have fun.
#5: Open a New Credit Card Account
There are plenty of travel rewards credit cards available that offer significant cash back, and some that offer even better deals when the rewards are spent on travel. For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers a travel bonus worth $500 as long as you make $3,000 in purchase within the first three months.
Final Thoughts
Most of these ideas are things that you can do before your vacation starts. This can be advantageous because it allows you to enjoy your vacation more, having the knowledge that you’ve saved as much as possible. No one wants to pinch pennies during their vacation, so implement as many of these money-saving tips as possible and you can have the time of your life the next time you venture out of town.
What other ways can you think of to save on holiday travel?