Summer is creeping up on us and before you know it, it’ll be
sunny and the kids will be out of school and you’ll realize you haven’t
starting planning a summer getaway yet. Don’t wait until the last minute,
because that’s when you’ll pay the most. Airfare alone can jump as much as 40% during the summer months, so
here are some tips to help keep you in the black this year and have an amazing
time:
Shop
for airfare on Tuesday and Wednesday and look for flights that
depart on Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday for the lowest fares. New fares are
posted every Tuesday and Wednesday are the perfect time to get the best deals,
and when you fly on less popular days, you can pay less and have a better
chance of not getting bumped off your flight due to overbooking. One thing that'll make you happy is that this summer, flights will be the cheapest they’ve been in seven years. Of course, that doesn't mean you should slack and leave booking until later. You still need to get on that ASAP.
Go
early. If your kids get out of school sooner the rest of the
country, take advantage of your good fortune and vacation before the second
week in June. Many schools have release dates in May, so if you can take time
off before Memorial Day weekend, you can save a ton. The middle of June through
the middle of August is going to be the most expensive time to travel almost
anywhere, and the most crowded.
Go
somewhere different. Your kids are always going to want to go to
theme parks or the beach during the summer, but by changing up your
destination, you can actually save a little or a lot of money. If they insist
on going to the beach, look for lakeside resorts near where you live. Most
still have a beach and everything that goes along with it, unless surfing is on
the agenda. Other ideas are to visit cold-weather destinations or South
America. The Southern Hemisphere experiences winter during our summer, making
it a less desirable place to vacation. Less desirable equals more affordable.
South America is close, but there are so many different places to choose from
that are amazing, tropical and super budget-friendly.
Drive.
Airfare can become a costly burden if there are many of you traveling. If you
can spare the extra travel time, take a good old fashioned road trip to get to
your destination. Make sure to plan fun stops along the way, like to see the
world’s biggest ball of yarn, ghost towns or museums. It makes the whole trip
seem like an adventure if you don’t just drive straight through.
A pic from our boat tour of Portland |
Plan a
staycation. If everything just seems too far out of budget
this time of year, opt to do things around your own town and take your vacation
over holiday break. Prices will be lower, most destinations will be less
crowded and you will be able to see and do more than in the summer. Need some ideas for your planning? See my staycation post and check out my staycation board on Pinterest.
Don’t
forget your cash back! Help keep a little money in your pocket or
stretch the dollars you have by using Ebates to book your flights, hotel rooms
and rental cars. You can even get cash back for buying essentials like
sunscreen and shorts! It's totally free to join and it's super easy. In fact, they give you a gift just for making your first purchase. How can you beat that?
Plan ahead. Start planning for a cheap summer trip next year by picking up my Secrets to Summer Savings ebook. I give you all my travel saving tips to make summer travel cheaper and packed with more fun.
Where will you be going for your Summer vacation?
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