Don’t procrastinate. Book your plane tickets as soon as possible to save money and secure your spot. Image courtesy of Michael Miley.
Holiday traveling can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be super expensive. Here are 5 tips to save on holiday travel.
Book tickets, flights and rentals as soon as possible. I’m a procrastinator myself, but waiting until the last minute to make travel arrangements is something you don’t want to do, especially during the holiday season. Flights can fill up quickly, and if you need a rental car upon arrival, go ahead and book those too. The word is that on the Atlantic coast it will be tougher and more expensive to rent cars this season thanks to Superstorm Sandy.
Be flexible on your travel days and locations. Tuesday and Wednesdays are typically the cheapest days of the week to flyPlus, Christmas and Christmas Eve are generally cheaper days to fly compared to the days just before the holiday, and you’ll enjoy an airport that isn’t as busy. Also, check out fares at all your local airports. Sometimes prices are cheaper if you’re willing to travel a few extra miles.
Pack as light as possible. We’re all familiar with how insane baggage fees can be, so be sure to pack as light as
possible. Not overly weighing down the car will also help on gas mileage. If you have a lot of gifts you need to bring, it may actually be cheaper to ship them before you leave instead of paying fees or risking them getting lost. You may also not want to bring items like toiletries and instead opt to buy them once you arrive.
Utilize coupons, deals and promo codes. If you need to travel and stay at a hotel, check out package deals on travel sites to get the most bang for your buck. You can also often find promo codes for flights and hotel stays. Many restaurants have gift card deals this time of year where you purchase a certain amount and then get free gift cards or coupon deals with it. This is great if you’ll need to eat out while traveling.
What are some ways you save on holiday traveling?
Post contributed by Michelle Pegram of Money Savvy Michelle.
