Planning Early for Holiday Travel Savings.

I know, summer is barely coming to an end, but it’s never too early to start looking ahead to your next trip, especially if you want to keep costs within a budget. Fall is the perfect time to start thinking about the holidays and planning a trip to visit family or have an excuse for why you can’t make it this year. Why not take the kids to Disneyland on Christmas or arrange a low-key Hawaiian holiday? 

Book as soon as possible – When traveling around the holidays, the further out you can book, the better. The closer it gets to Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve the higher the prices for everything will creep, even if you aren’t flying until February. That means right now is the optimal time to start looking at airfare for your chosen destination.

Visit busy summer destinations – By doing the opposite of what everyone else is doing, you can get fantastic deals. While most people are visiting relatives, you can fly and stay cheaply in destinations like Cairo, Rome, San Francisco or even the Bahamas. We've left on Christmas day and done Disneyland (as well as Universal) in the past and it was crazy empty, so no waiting in long lines! We touched down, dropped our bags at our hotel and made it to Disney just in time to have dinner waterside at the Blue Bayou. 

Go south – It may be cold here in North America, but countries in the Southern Hemisphere are having spring and summer. This makes them ideal locales to get away from it all and not having to wear seven layers. Just remember to pack your sunscreen!

Bundle up – Many times you can find package deals to your chosen destination for much less than what you would pay separately. In fact, sometimes you can get up to half off this way. With a little comparison shopping, you could save huge. I have found great package deals on BookIt and Hotwire, but do your research, because they aren't the only two good bundling sites out there.

Start a new tradition of winter travel. Your whole family could come together to celebrate the season in a different location each year, or move the holiday to January or February, so you can all take advantage of all the fabulous sales after December. With shorter hours at stores and attractions and fewer tourists, you’ll get to see and do more and then still have plenty of relaxing family time. 

For even more tips on how to save over the holidays - My Holiday Travel ebook is available on Amazon. You can also see what to pack for style and comfort on Krisztina Williams' earlier guest post.

5 Stylish Pieces for Fall Travel

Today's guest post comes from my blog friend Krisztina Williams. She runs a great lifestyle blog (links at the bottom) and is bringing her awesome style to us for some inspiration for your fall travel wardrobe.

When you need to pack for a fall trip, it’s about picking stylish pieces as well as pieces that can keep you warm and dry. You also have to account for the lingering summer weather - chilly mornings and potentially warmer afternoons. With a few key pieces, you can travel in style and be ready for the changing fall weather.

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A shirtdress is a great transitional piece for early fall. A boho-chictunic dress, for example, looks great with either summer sandals or boots, and you can layer it with leggings or skinny jeans on a chilly day. For a more fall-inspired look, go with a long-sleeve denim or plaid shirt dress that you can pair with riding boots.

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A sleek pair of dark wash jeans is something I always travel with in the fall and winter. They’re great with a summer tank on warmer days, and of course look great with sweaters and winter coats. They’re also nice enough to pair with heels and a dressy blouse for a night out.

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I can’t make it through the fall without my knee-high riding boots, so I wouldn’t dream of traveling without them. They go with everything and come in handy during yucky weather. When I lived near D.C., they were the perfect pair of shoes for walking around all day in comfort as well as in style. I know they can take up a lot of space in a suitcase, so just don’t pack them. Plan them into your travelling outfit to free up space in your luggage.

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I won’t go anywhere without my blanket scarf. In the summer it comes in handy inside cold air-conditioned buildings; but in the fall, it adds a nice layer on a chilly evening or if I’m on a boat or near water where it can get extra chilly. The time I took a ferry boat out to The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island in NYC, my large blanket scarf came in quite handy. I try to find them in warm but light fabrics so they can easily fit into my satchel.

A sleeveless dress is another great piece specifically for travel if you know you might have some cold days and some warm days. You can wear a tank dress on its own with comfy flats, and you can also layer it with thick tights and a long-sleeve tee underneath.

About the Author: Krisztina Williams is the owner and editor at krisztinawilliams.com where she writes about fashion, beauty, and lifestyle for women. You can see her latest posts here, or follow her on Instagram.

8 Ways to Stretch Your Travel Budget

Sometimes to travel you need to make some sacrifices. Those sacrifices don't always have to mean a less awesome vacation, because when you cut corners, you may find that you found a new creative way to travel. If your next trip seems like light years away, because you haven't saved enough, try these 8 tips to make your dollars stretch and go sooner.

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What are your favorite ways to save money to travel more often?