4 Tips for Saving Money on Holiday Travel
It’s that time of year again. Thanksgiving and Black Friday are behind us and the cold weather is setting in. The holiday season is here.
With this season comes lots of shopping, social events and mingling with friends. For many Americans, it also brings travel. Unfortunately, taking a trip during the holidays can mean dishing out a lot of money. However, you shouldn’t let the thought of these holiday expenses turn you into a scrooge. Instead, try these four tips for bringing down your holiday travel bill.
1. Be strategic about flights
Chances are, you know where you’ll be celebrating the holidays far in advance. In other words, you can potentially book flights several months ahead. But if you haven’t taken care of that part yet, now is the best time to start looking for flights, since prices will skyrocket as it gets closer to Christmas.
If you’ve got a rewards credit card with airline miles, start by checking to see what your miles cover and, if necessary, whether you can transfer them to the airline you want to book with.
You can also use a fare predictor tool like Google Flights to see what dates the tickets will be at their lowest and set an alert for price drops. If that still doesn’t get you a price within your budget, consider staying home for the holiday and/or taking your trip shortly after the holiday rush.
2. Don’t travel with gifts
With the holidays come holiday gifts, but carrying extra packages on a flight can mean pricey luggage-check fees. Instead of towing your gifts aboard and racking up more expenses, save money on checked-bag fees and shipping by buying gifts online and having them shipped directly to your destination. Alternatively, you can forego all the hassle by giving gift cards instead.
4. Be flexible about flight times
No matter what time of year, flying at inopportune times and on unpopular travel days is always cheaper. Instead of booking a comfortable mid-day flight, consider booking an early morning departure. It may not be the most convenient option, but rolling out of bed before sunrise could save you hundreds of dollars. You can potentially save even more if you depart on big travel days like Christmas, instead of a few days before.
5. Avoid airport parking and rideshares
Airport parking can add a significant cost to your trip. So before you start packing your bags, make a plan for where you’ll leave your car during the trip. Perhaps you can park in front of a friend or family member’s house and have them take you to the airport.
Of course there’s always Uber or Lyft, but traffic can get congested around big holidays so fares are likely to be extra pricey. If you use these apps to get to and from the airport, for both your departure and arrival, that’s a total of four expensive rides.
You could potentially save money by offering to pay a loved one for their trouble in getting you to and from the airport. Or, instead of shelling out the big bucks for a rideshare, set aside some time to look into public transportation options or book a complimentary airport shuttle.
Like with any expense, whether it’s holiday-related or not, planning ahead can be your best cost-saving strategy. Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed by your expenses this holiday season, or searching for ways to improve your finances all year round, an NFCC-certified counselor can help you come up with more ideas. Before you lose all of your holiday cheer, schedule a credit or budget counseling session to make a better plan for saving money in the new year!
