Money-Saving Travel Tips - Save on Summer Travel

How to Save on Summer Travel - With Rising Gas and Air Prices Find Ways Save!

When traveling internationally:

• Visit destinations where the U.S. dollars is closest in value to the local currency (currency in the Caribbean is tied to the U.S. dollar, for example)
• Look for all inclusive packages, such as resorts or cruises and pay upfront in U.S. dollars
• Ask your travel agent about locations that may be less costly as they are in their 'off season'

Ways to save money on hotels:

• Ask your travel agent about upgrading your hotel reservation to a room with two king size beds instead of getting two hotel rooms when traveling in groups or with kids
• Ask your travel agent to find hotels where kids stay for free or cheaper when traveling with kids
• Ask your travel agent to find a hotel room with a kitchenette so you can take care of a few meals yourself instead of eating out for every meal
• Your travel agent can suggest properties that might offer complimentary breakfast or heavy hors d'oeuvres in the afternoon.

When traveling by car:

• Pack the car as light as possible - the more weight, the harder the car works and the more gas you use
• When renting a car for a large group of people, renting one SUV saves on gas mileage vs. renting two smaller cars
• Make sure tire pressure is accurate so that gas is spent efficiently
• Use only the grade level of gas that your car owners manual calls for, nothing more
• Use cruise control to run the engine efficiently and save on gas

Ways to save at home while you are away:

• Turn the air conditioning off or down
• Put your lights on timers
• Unplug large appliances like TV's and computers
• Turn off automatic sprinklers

Other Tips:

• Buy travel insurance: it may cost more upfront, but has the potential to save you thousands
• Fly in and out of airports that may be farther outside of the city to get cheaper flights then take public transportation into the city
• If a family member has a business trip, consider adding your vacation onto the end of the trip so there is one less plane ticket to pay for
• Consider a volunteer vacation--the volunteer portion of your travel may be a tax write-off

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