The summer travel season is kicking off and given the inflation spike, fuel prices, and lingering pent-up demand due to the pandemic, it can be a challenge to reign in those vacation costs. Lots of us are fighting the urge to splurge on a fabulous vacation. Memorial Day officially launches the summer travel season. June is a very busy month with festivals, concerts, special events, weddings and many people taking time off while the kids are out of school. A good summer vacation or remote work trip doesn’t have to break the bank and bust your budget. Consider the following tips to save money.
Airfare is the big bugaboo this year with higher ticket prices, reduced routes, and fuel surcharges. It’s a major component of the summer travel budget. The airlines are masters at raising ticket prices to match demand during peak travel. Here are a few tips to help lower or avoid those costs: 1) book your ticket well in advance to take advantage of lower prices, 2) shop around; lots of routes and carriers have changed, 3) be sure to ask for senior, military, or any affiliate, credit card, or mileage member discounts, 4) consider not checking bags. Most carriers allow one roller bag and one carry-on bag per person. If your children are ticketed passengers, that should apply to them as well. You can save money on baggage fees and time by not going to baggage claim. Finally, consider using a combination of miles and money if you are a frequent flyer to reduce the ticket cost.
Skip the pricey hotel. We frequently use an AirBnB or VRBO to rent a home that sleeps a lot of people. By sharing our rental with other friends, we cut the cost per night per couple to much less than the local hotel rates per night. You don’t have to pack the rental with the maximum it will sleep, just find out how many other friends you need to share the cost and make it more affordable than the hotel rate. As a bonus, you’ll be more comfortable, can cook your own meals, and won’t have to deal with hotel room rates, resort charges, parking fees, etc., and everyone can come and go as they please. Another great feature is that many private home rentals also have Jacuzzis or pools!
Consider camping! If you’re the outdoorsy adventurous type, book a campsite well in advance. Camping is still very economical when compared to hotels, private residence rentals and even hostels in many cases. Plus, you can now rent a variety of RVs, campers, and even boats!
Beautiful Santorini in the off season.
Take vacations during the shoulder season. The shoulder season is that time of year between major seasons when many rentals, hotels, and campsites have lower prices due to lack of demand. You may find that you like shoulder season better than the prime travel season. This way, you avoid the most popular holiday weekends like 4th of July, Memorial Day and Labor Day. Pick weekends that are lower in popularity and enjoy more space to yourself. Nowadays, you can use Google to look up and research a destination or property and generally Google will tell you the peak times.
Set a budget and research destination activity costs and meal price averages in advance. By knowing these costs ahead of time, you can set a target goal for your vacation. In many cases, if you reserve activities in advance and stick to your schedule you can save on the activity price.
Be on the lookout for last-minute deals. If you are a member of an airline, hotel, or cruise company’s points program, be sure to sign-up for flash sales and deals. Many of these offers only go to loyal members and it can be worthwhile. Cruise lines in particular are good about offering last-minute unsold cabins.
Get creative! Rethink your travel dates, share accommodations with friends, and reconsider your approach to vacation. Many of these tips can save you money and if you combine the tips, you can save a lot of cash and maybe some of your sanity and still have a fabulous vacation!
As an independent CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, I can help you make financial decisions and budget for your summer getaway. Contact me and let’s get started. #talktometuesday #getstarted #HowIcanHelpYou #GetHelp #Hireaplanner #summervacation #vacation #CFPPro #savemoney