5 Ways to Save Money While Traveling During the Holidays
The holidays mean a lot of things for families. You spend time with friends and family, you exchange gifts and you take time to rest and recuperate. Many of these involve one key component: travel. Travel, especially when you have a family, can be expensive. There are many things to spend money on, from transportation to lodging and more.
The Bureau of Transportation Statistics reports a 23 percent uptick in travel more than 50 miles away from home during the Christmas holiday season when compared to other times of the year. If you are traveling during the next few weeks, consider some of the following ways to keep your costs down without sacrificing your enjoyment level.
Ship Your Stuff
Are you flying to a vacation destination this year? If so, you're likely aware of the role fees play in flying. Many airlines, according to TripAdvisor, charge at least $20 to $25 for your first bag and on up from there. These expenses can add up when you have multiple bags or family members.
A great way to lower your cost is to ship your items to your destination. This admittedly can be a bit of a hassle, but is a great way to lower your costs as shipping will likely cost a lot less. Simply pack your clothes and gifts and ship them to your final destination, only taking a small carry-on bag on your flight. You have what you need, you don't have to lug around your bags and you save money.
Bring Your Food on Board
Airlines like fees because they are a great way to get you to spend money you normally wouldn't. Food, drinks, baggage, seats with extra leg room, boarding priority -- these are all things airlines love to charge feeds for. When it comes to food, many airlines don't provide anything unless your flight is at least three hours long and when they do, they charge exorbitant rates for it.
There is a simple way to beat this cost: Bring your own food. You can bring packaged food such as nutrition bars, snacks and fruit with you to take on the plane. This method allows you to have the meals and snacks you need without the higher cost. Don't forget to bring an empty water bottle to use in the airport or on the plane either.
Don't Buy at the Airport
You are a captive audience at the airport. Unless you have an extended layover, you're likely not going to leave the airport, thus you're victim to the higher prices at the airport. Anything you may want to buy will be more expensive. It's pretty much a guarantee.
If you plan ahead, you can have the items you may want or need for a fraction of the cost. Do you like to have access to any of the following: travel pillow, batteries, books or headphones? If you don't already own these items, consider buying them prior to leaving on Amazon or at the store for much less.
Take Alternate Transportation Options
Do you need to rent a car while on vacation? The average rental car costs (for an economy car) at least $45 per day. If you need a larger car, the price goes up significantly from there. Even if you don't need a car, taking a taxi can be expensive as well. There are other options if you have transportation needs during your travel.
The best option to consider is using a ridesharing service such as Uber or Lyft. Pricing between the two varies from city to city, but they're often significantly cheaper than a taxi. If you have minimal need for a car this can be a great way to save money. If you've never used Uber or Lyft, make sure to look out for discount codes as they both commonly offer them for first-time users.
Save on Your Parking
Parking at the airport can be expensive, especially if it's on a lot managed by the airport. This expense, of course, will only add up if you're taking an extended vacation. If you need to park your car at the airport consider looking into long-term lots provided by private companies. They are often going to be significantly cheaper and will likely provide a shuttle to take you to your terminal. Remember to look for coupons for such lots as well. My wife and I were able to find one for where we live for our last trip and were able to save an additional 25 percent off the already lower price.
Traveling during the holidays can be fun, but it can also be stressful, not to mention expensive. With a little planning you can make it not so stressful on your wallet.
John Schmoll is the founder of Frugal Rules, a finance blog that regularly discusses investing, budgeting and frugal living. He is a father, husband and veteran of the financial services industry who's passionate about helping people find freedom through frugality.
