April 30 - Cost Savings for Travel Tips & Tricks

How to Save Before We Start Planning

With all the uncertainty in today’s financial climate, it’s completely understandable to want to be mindful of your spending—but that doesn’t mean putting your travel dreams on hold. There are several simple and strategic ways to keep costs down before we even begin building your itinerary, helping you travel smarter and with confidence.

Here are some smart strategies to reduce the cost of your next adventure:

Be flexible with travel dates.

Sometimes leaving on a Monday or Tuesday instead of a weekend can result in significantly lower airfare. Flying mid-week or returning on a less popular day can help you save on both flights and accommodations.

Travel off-season.

Traveling in off season times (like Europe in January or February, for example) can save hundreds on flights and accommodations, and you'll likely experience far fewer crowds.

Book early when possible.

Flights and boutique accommodations (especially in peak destinations) tend to go up in price the closer you get to departure. The earlier you start the planning process, the more options—and savings—you’ll have.

Pack smart to avoid extra fees.

Check your airline’s baggage policies in advance and pack light to avoid checked bag fees. Packing cubes and a digital luggage scale can help. Keep in mind that paying for laundry services in destination may be cheaper than checked bags!

Be open to group tours.

Escorted tours don't have to mean stuffy bus tours. By joining an escorted tour, you can often save money because the tour is priced very favorably compared to if you pieced it together on your own.

Watch for airfare deals.

Joining subscriptions like Thrifty Traveler or Going, or watching your preferred airline of choice's deals can be very lucrative. I just had clients who utilized an amazing Skymiles deal to Australia!*

*Once you purchase your flights at a deal, you can come to me to plan the land portion of your travels. This is a great way to utilize credit card points as well, while still having an expert plan and manager your trip.