How To Save On Summer Travel

How To Save On Summer Travel

Summer means a lot of different things to a lot of different people, but one of the biggest questions we all face is how to save on summer travel. Camping, vacation, road trip, the beach – you name it – they all provoke the same concerns. If you are heading out of town this summer, let’s make sure you’re fully equipped with some answers!

Whether you’re driving a few towns over, flying across the country or across the globe, these tips will help you keep a little extra money in your pocket so that you can spend it on more important – or more fun – things!

Save Money While Traveling by Car

Whether you are planning a getaway that’s just a couple of towns over, or on the other side of the country, a road trip can be fun, but often expensive. These tips will help you save money while venturing around by car.

• Pack food from home in a cooler so that you aren’t tempted to stop at a fast food joint every couple hundred miles. Things like ingredients to make sandwiches, chips, trail mix, water and pop are great for road trips. You can also put together fun snacks like my Birthday Cake Fudge, No-Bake Truffles with Whoppers or No-Bake Sheep Grahams!
• Plan out where you want to stop for gas. There are apps for Android and iOS (like GasBuddy) that will tell you where to find the cheapest gas while you are on your journey. This adds up to a lot of savings if you are traveling a large distance!
• Be sure to get your car a checkup before leaving. You don’t want to find yourself in the middle of nowhere with a dead battery (or something worse!). Replace your windshield wipers and fill up your fluids. You should be able to find everything you need at Walmart before leaving town.
• If you are traveling across the country and will spend the majority of your road time on expressways and tollways, make sure to take advantage of cruise control. Keeping your vehicle at a constant speed will improve your gas economy and allow you to go further between fill ups.
• If you stop for a meal, local attractions or a hotel, look for savings on Groupon. You should be able to find discounts in most areas, so take the opportunity to try something new!

Save Money While Traveling by Plane

Flying can actually be cheaper than road trips if you make the right moves. A plane ride is necessary if you plan to go overseas and there are a lot of situations where flying is the only option. There are a couple of great ways to save money on domestic and foreign flights alike, so let’s get into those:

• If you have a date picked out for departure, try to purchase your ticket about a month and a half prior to your trip. This is when airfare will be the cheapest according to research.
• Travel during off-peak times. Days like Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays typically cost less money than weekend flights. Airlines don’t make money if they don’t fill seats, so it’s a win for you since their tickets will be cheaper just to keep the plane full.
• Be willing to travel at any time of day as well as choose flights with layovers. Being flexible allows you to choose the cheaper fares!
• If you have any airline miles or credit card points, see if you can redeem them for reduced plane tickets.
• Bring your own food and snacks. Airport food is extremely expensive and this will allow you to cut costs. Remember that these items will have to go through security, so make sure that your food is secured in Tupperware or sandwich bags.
• Pack an empty water bottle in your carry-on. You are not allowed to bring bottled water through the security checkpoint, but you can bring an empty bottle and fill it up once you get to the other side.
• Just like if you’re taking a road trip, if you stop for a meal, local attractions or a hotel in your vacation location, look for savings on Groupon. You should be able to find discounts in most areas, so take the opportunity to try something new!

Vacations are great and necessary – particularly in the summertime when the whole country is alive. There are so many sights to see during your summer travel that you shouldn’t have to let money determine all of the limits. Even following a few tips will cut the costs! Do what is right for you and your family and enjoy your vacation!