Summer conjures images of fun in the sun, family vacations, and...big expenses. After all, going on vacation can be expensive. From airfare to hotels to gas to food, it seems as though there is always something to spend money on. If you want to stretch your vacation dollars, it's a good idea to plan ahead, and consider your options. Here are some ideas for saving money on travel this summer:
Look for Discounts
Whether you are looking for a discount airfare, or trying to use your travel points at a hotel chain, it's a good idea to look for discounts. You can also look for discounts on local attractions. Find out if there is a free museum day in the town you are visiting, or if you can get two for one kids' passes at the local amusement park. And, of course, check the restaurants in town for kids eat free night. Look for ways to save money on some of the things you would normally do. You can also get discounts for traveling off-peak or going during the week (rather than the weekend).
Bundle Your Vacation
One of the best ways to save, especially if you have a destination vacation, is to bundle your vacation. You can get a discount for combining airfare, hotel and rental car costs. Not only that, but there are all-inclusive vacation packages that you can buy for Caribbean and European destinations, resorts and other options (like a cruise). These types of vacations can save you quite a bit, and it takes some of the worry out of trying to make disparate parts fit.
Fix Your Own Food
If you are staying for a longer period of time, you can rent a condo, an apartment or even a house. Often, if you are staying more than a week, this is less expensive than getting a hotel room. Plus you will have a kitchen at your disposal. This means that you can fix your own food, saving money on dining costs. Go a little bit deeper into town, getting out of the tourist neighborhoods, to find grocery stores that have better prices. If you are on a road trip, you can pack a cooler of basic fixins for sandwiches, drinks, and snacks. They have coolers now that will keep your food for five days, and you can refill with ice from a hotel or a gas station so that is extended. Bring a camp stove or hibachi, or go to a park with barbecue grills set up. Then you can cook some of your food, even without a kitchen.
Consider a Staycation
You can also consider a staycation. There is no need to go to an exotic locale to enjoy yourself. You can stay within a couple hundred miles of your home and enjoy yourself. Camping, a day trip to the lake, a visit to the next town over, or an exploration of your own home town, can be great ideas for getting away while not going too far. You'll save money, and have a good time.
Use Your Credit Card Rewards
While you're at it, you can make your vacation work for you. A rewards credit card can be a great help. Budget for the trip, keeping your money in a high yield savings account. Then, use your rewards card to pay expenses. Once you get home, take the money in the account and pay of the card. You'll find that your rewards points add up fast when you use one of the best Canadian credit cards. Then, you can save money on your next trip when you use your rewards points.
Image source: Farugue Abu Sayeed via Wikipedia.org
This post was included in the Carnival of Wealth at Personal Dividends.
Hello Janet, great blog post! These are some very useful tips for consumers. I personally always try to curb my vacation spending by not having to eat out for every meal.
In BC, when you book through a licensed BC travel agent you get the added protection of the Travel Assurance Fund. This means that if you don’t get the contracted travel services you paid for, you may qualify to get your money back. We all want to watch our money in terms of spending, and this is a good way to protect it too!
Ontario and Quebec have similar funds. We have more info on our website.
Happy travels!
Tatiana
Consumer Protection BC