As many families start planning winter vacations, travel expenses can quickly pile up. On a recent Money Matters segment, financial expert Barry Bigelow shared practical ways to enjoy a winter escape without emptying your savings account.
As many families start planning winter vacations, travel expenses can quickly pile up. On a recent Money Matters segment, financial expert Barry Bigelow shared practical ways to enjoy a winter escape without emptying your savings account.
One of the biggest mistakes travelers make, Bigelow says, is booking trips during the busiest holiday weeks.
“People want to travel between Thanksgiving and New Year’s and the rental car companies, the airlines and the hotels know it and prices skyrocket,” he said.
Instead, he recommends looking at late November, early December, or mid January travel dates, when the same trip can cost significantly less.
When choosing a destination, Bigelow suggests thinking beyond the most popular tourist hotspots. Rather than heading to well known ski resorts, travelers may find better value at smaller community ski hills or lesser known winter destinations. The same strategy applies to warm weather getaways, where smaller Caribbean islands or destinations like Puerto Rico can offer more bang for your buck.
Bigelow also encourages travelers to rethink traditional hotel stays.
“Oftentimes you’ll have a kitchen where you could cook a couple of meals and just doing breakfast, a couple of meals, and packing your own snacks and doing the grocery thing can save hundreds of dollars on a week long trip,” he said.
Other money saving tips include packing light to avoid baggage fees and bundling flights, lodging, and rental cars together for additional discounts.
With a little planning and flexibility, Bigelow says families can often enjoy the same vacation experience while spending thousands less.
Source: www.wdio.com
