Travel Tips

Planning a Cheap Summer Vacation: How to Lower the Cost of Flying

If you are like many other Americans, you may consider giving up your annual summer vacation. Due to the poor economy, many Americans dont have the money to spend. Those that do have the money are starting to think it may be best to save it. Yes, you shouldnt plan a trip that you cant afford. With that said, you dont need to give up your summer vacation. Instead, just cut a few corners. Reduce your expenses whenever and wherever possible. A great place to get started is with airfare.

So, how can you reduce the cost of flying when planning a summer vacation on a budget?

Dont fly unless you need to. Of course, if you live in New York and want to travel to Hawaii or the Caribbean, you need to fly. However, if you are living in Upstate New York and want to vacation in New York City, it may be easier and cheaper for you to drive. If your vacation destination is within driving distance, compare the cost of driving with flying. Which is cheaper?

Price compare airlines. Unless you have a favorite airline and if you belong to their frequent flyer program, price compare. Whether you are traveling to New York, Florida, California, Europe, or the Caribbean, you should have multiple airlines to choose from. Opt for the one that gives you the better rates.

Experiment with your dates of travel. The summer is already a peak travel season. For that reason, you will find fairly high airfare rates. Still, there are ways to lower their costs. Did you know what when you fly and when you book your tickets could mean a difference of $100 or more? It can. In most cases, it is cheaper to fly in the middle of the week, like on a Wednesday. You may have intended to depart for your summer vacation on Friday, but see if it would be cheaper to leave on Wednesday instead. As for booking your tickets, most travel experts claim the best time to book a flight is early Tuesday or Wednesday morning.

Pay with a debit or credit card that rewards you for making purchases. PayPal has a debit card where members can receive up to 1% cash back. This is just one simple example. Different cards have different rules, restrictions, and rewards. Since most people can easily pay $200 for a ticket, get something in return. Whether it be cash back, extra airline miles, gas, or a new suitcase, get rewarded for a purchase you were going to make regardless.

Arrive at the airport early. Missed flights are rare, but they do happen. Unfortunately, many airlines have rules and restrictions. If you miss a connecting flight due to a late arriving plane, you will be taken care of. However, if you miss your first fight because you were late to the airport, you may be out of luck. In fact, you may have to buy a new ticket or pay extra fees. Dont risk it. Arrive early.

Bring your own snacks from home. Your hands are still tied with drinks. Many airlines still provide travelers with free soda or water. You can also buy a soda, water, juice, or coffee from an airport store past security. As for snacks, you can bring snacks from home and you should. It is a lot cheaper to buy a bag of chips or a box of crackers from your local grocery store than an airport convenience store. The more food you have, the less likely you will need to eat a meal at an airport restaurant. Avoid the extra costs and long lines.

Limit your luggage. To help compensate for the huge financial losses airlines have been experiencing, many started charging extra airline luggage fees. Most airlines charge you a set fee, like $25 one way for a second checked bag. Unfortunately, many have also started charging you for your first. To lower extra luggage fees, pack only what you need, condense luggage with family members, use space saving travel bags, and make good use of your carryon bag.

As you can see, there are many ways to lower the cost of flying for a summer vacation. Whether you are traveling alone or with a group of friends or family, implement these steps. They could save one traveler at least $100.

PPPPP

Word Count 726

Due to the poor economy, many Americans are foregoing their annual summer vacations or at least significantly cutting back. If you are on a budget, but still want to plan a good summer vacation, you should take three steps. They involve determining how much money you have available to spend, estimating the cost of your trip, and cutting corners when needed. Out of these three steps, estimating the cost of your summer vacation is the most important, but it can also be the most difficult. Continue reading on for a few helpful tips.

Estimate the cost of everything. Your goal is to plan a summer vacation you can afford. To do that, you must know how much you can expect to spend. Are you driving or flying? Honestly, it doesnt matter. Estimate the cost of travel. Where do you intend to stay? Unless staying with friends and family, estimate the cost of a hotel or resort. You want to account for each dollar you are likely to spend. If you will buy souvenirs, estimate the cost of them. If you attend to pay for activities and attractions, estimate their costs. Since you need to eat, estimate the cost of food, snacks, and drinks.

Do more than just a general estimate; create a detailed one. For example, you may think I can spend $50 to eat on the first day of my trip. This is good, but created a detailed list. Start with breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner. A good example is to plan to spend $5 for breakfast at a fast food establishment, $15 dollar for lunch at a casual restaurant, $5 for snacks a local convenience store, and $25 for dinner at a nice sit-down restaurant. This approach is best as it later allows you to cut corners. If your estimates have you going over your vacation budget, forgo the dinner at a fancy restaurant. Reduce the cost from $25 down to $12 by opting for a casual restaurant instead.

Use the internet to help you estimate the cost of your trip. As previously stated, you want to know how much you can expect to spend. This will help you determine if you can truly afford your dream vacation. It is easy to estimate the cost of air travel or hotels. Use the internet and request a free quote. As for attractions, activities, and food, use the internet as a guide. Visit a few websites for nearby restaurants and attractions. What are their average costs? Use them as a guide.

Overestimate. Using the internet makes it easier to estimate the cost of a summer vacation, but rarely are you 100% on. For that reason, always overestimate. If you come across a cute restaurant online that charges an average of $12 a meal, roundup to $15. This will help account for an unexpected price increase. Overestimating is better than underestimating. If you underestimate the cost of your trip, you may be left broke on the last two days. How will you eat now? With overestimating, the worst is you will have extra cash in your pocket. Splurge on a nice meal, buy a few extra souvenirs, or save the money.

Dont forget about free things. The best way to save money on a summer vacation is to take advantage of anything that is free. For example, your hotel may have free donuts or bagels available for guests. A warm breakfast is nice, but why pass up something for free? At the very least, intend on eating breakfast at your hotel half of the trip. By doing so, you have no costs to estimate as it is free. Do the same with activities and attractions. Use the internet to research those with low or no admission fees.

As a recap, if you are vacationing with limited financial resources, create a budget. Determine much money you have to spend, estimate the cost of your vacation, and compare the two. If your dream vacation is too expensive based on your estimates, work on cutting costs.

PPPPP

Word Count 672

Are you ready to start planning your summer vacation? If your vacation destination is within a reasonable distance to your home, you may consider driving. If so, continue reading on a for few moneysaving tips. With the poor economy and most Americans on a budget, dont pay more for your summer vacation than you need to!

So, how can you reduce the cost of driving when on a budgeted summer vacation?

First, you need to decide whether you want to drive your own car or rent one. This will be a tough decision. You may feel more comfortable with your own vehicle. It will be cheaper. You just pay for gas. However, is your car brand new? How many miles will you be adding and how much will it depreciate in value? What about wear and tear? Is it worth it? For most, it is a personal decision. Just be sure to keep the costs in mind, especially if you are on a strict budget.

Become an AAA member, also known as Triple A. This membership has many benefits. The greatest is roadside assistance. What if your car breaks down? Will you be left stranded in an unknown place? Not if you have a good membership. Yes, you could easily pay $100, but remember that you are covered for at least one year. Not only do you get roadside assistance, but many hotels, restaurants, and car rental companies have discounted rates for AAA members.

Get your car serviced beforehand. This may seem like an added expense, but it will be worth it if driving an older car. Make sure your vehicle will make the trip in one piece. If you are familiar with cars or know someone who is, opt for this instead. It will be cheaper. Check the pressure in the tires, change your oil, and so forth. A well serviced and functioning car makes it easier and cheaper to drive to your summer vacation destination.

Dont stop at the first gas station you see. Gas prices vary greatly. They are usually more expensive right by highways and interstates. You could easily save .10 cents a gallon by driving a few minutes down the street. Unless you are in a hurry or concerned for your safety, do not opt for the first gas station you see. In fact, if you stop for dinner, look at the gas stations along the way and compare prices. When heading pack to the interstate or highway, stop at the station with the cheapest prices.

Pack your own snacks and drinks from home. On extended road trips, many travelers opt for dinner at a rest stop. Yes, this is convenient, but very costly. Your best bet is to bring food from home. Pack a cooler filled with ice, drinks, sandwich meat, and condiments. Stop at the rest stop areas, but only use their picnic tables. You may be surprised how much money this saves! At the very least, bring your own snacks and drinks. These too are expensive at convenience store, especially near interstates.

Have a map, navigation system, or someone you can call for directions back home. Getting lost is common when on a summer vacation. You may want to drive around to find the cheapest gas or take a shortcut to avoid a traffic jam. That is okay, but not if you get lost. You may put your safety at risk and then there are the added travel costs. It is best to stay on your preset path, but only venture off if you have a way to avoid getting lost.

In short, there are many ways to reduce the cost of driving to your summer vacation destination. Luckily, these steps are easy to implement. Better yet, driving is usually the cheaper alternative for most. Airlines have been suffering financial losses for years. They are trying to avoid additional losses by charging higher rates and tacking on additional fees. Save your money this summer. If you can drive to your vacation destination, do it!

PPPPP

Word Count 672