Traveling Cheaply for the Holidays
One of the most popular times of the year for people to travel is the holiday season. Lots of people take this time to get out and take an extended trip, whether just for fun or to get to the rest of their family to celebrate the holidays.
However, this time of year can also be an exceptionally difficult, financially, time to travel, as the added demand of tickets and hotels causes prices to rise. However, you don’t necessarily have to put a dent in your finances in order to spend time with the people that you love, during the holidays.
There are ways that you can travel for much less, if you are willing to spend the time to plan and gauge your options. Here’s some tips for traveling cheaply during the holiday season…
A quick drive
One option to travel to your vacation getaway or family, assuming they are on the same landmass as you, is to pack up your car and drive as fast as you can to your destination. While it’s definitely not as quick as a flight, it is usually a lot cheaper to do this.
Particularly, if the only expense you have during your travel is the drive, the prices will stay pretty low. This is especially true for families, as you can pack the entire family into a car just as easily as a lone person, rather than have to pay for individual tickets. Also, gas is pretty cheap during winter, and gas prices are on the lower end of their natural fluctuation.
Switching off driving duties with a friend or family member help you get to where you are going in a timely manner, without having to worry about stopping for rest. You can get from one side of this country to the other in just a little over a day.
Just look at these guys who did just that! On the other hand, you could take your time to enjoy the road and all this beautiful country has to offer with our next tip…
Road trip
female driver in the car in winter
Rather than hurrying to get to another location, you can enjoy the journey itself as a great part of the vacation. A great road trip is embedded into the fabric of the mythic stature of America’s great landscapes.
The heart of this country isn’t in New York or LA, but in the many strange and wonderful small places that lie in between. There’s a freedom that comes with a road trip that is hard to match in an airplane. You can drive anywhere and see whatever you want to see. All of those roads connect, and they’re all open to you.
As we stated before, gas prices are usually fairly low during this time of the year, which will keep the actual costs of travel relatively low. And, While you will certainty want to stop and enjoy some great food in inner-America every now and then, you can help keep your food costs low by bringing a cooler with meals and snacks along for the ride.
Also, if you’re not terribly uncomfortable with it, there are many roadside stops where you can sleep in your car, rather than need to fork for a hotel. For more information about taking road trips in winter, check out this great post here.
Pack light
While our first tips on driving may be a possibility for you, it may just as easily not really be an option, due to things like your schedule, where you are going, or whether you even have a car.
However, even if you have to fly, there are many ways to avoid the mount costs that many airlines like to tack onto your bill. In order to avoid this expensive bureaucracy, one thing you can do is pack as light as you possibly can.
Different airlines will have different rules, regarding how many bags you can bring onto a flight, and how much they can weigh. Depending on these rules and restrictions, a traveling family may end up needing to pay hundreds of dollars in bag fees, if they are not careful. Get this information for whichever airline you are using. Really take into account how long you are going to be where you are going, and only pack what you know you will need.
Avoid hotels
As we stated before, staying in hotels can be an enormous cost when it comes to traveling. In many cases, it may even be the most expensive part of any trip. Every night adds up fast to make for a really expensive trip. Instead of doing this, opt to stay with family members and friends as often as you possibly can, wherever you are going.
This season is about spending time with family and friends, anyways, so staying with them as their guests is actually far more in line with the actual spirit of the holiday. It’s a great way to spread the cheer around and bring the family closer. Doing this can also do a lot to greatly reduce the financial burden that this trip may have on your family’s finances.
Use online resources
In the event that you are deciding to fly, don’t just call up the airline that you last flew and order tickets from them. This could trap you into needlessly expensive flights that could have been much cheaper. Instead, search around online for different tools to find the cheapest options available to you.
The online resources to help you do this are too numerous to name and keep up with, so you should be checking regularly amongst a variety of them when you are planning on taking a trip. There are many ways to get free flyer miles from airlines and their online offers.
By failing to look up these options, you may be passing up the chance to save some big money on your trip. Many online companies also offer travel packages that can reduce your all-around spending. Being education and doing your research about what is available out there right now can help you make informed decisions that will protect your finances during the holidays.
Category: Family Finances
