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Holiday Cost Saving Travel Tips

Holiday Cost Saving Travel Tips



If you plan on traveling, take some time to determine how much it will cost you and don't forget these holiday travel planning tips.

1. Remember to budget for spending money. Equipment rentals, snacks, and gifts can add up quickly.

2. Seek advice from fellow travelers. Research online for recommendations from locals and learn from others’ mistakes.

3. Airfares to more remote airports are often considerably less expensive than airfares to more popular, and crowded, alternatives closer to town.

4. Always ask if hotels, restaurants, and attractions offer discounts — many organizations often negotiate discounts for their members.

5. Add 10 to 15 percent to your budget for unanticipated events —things like lost luggage, a flat tire or an Emergency Room visit. Make sure you bring along copies of your medical and auto insurance information.

6. The airport can be a zoo during peak vacation months and holidays. Get there even earlier than is suggested. It's better to wait after check-in than to wait after you miss your flight.

7. If you plan on buying souvenirs at your destination, pack a smaller suitcase inside a larger suitcase. That way you have an extra one to fill with loot. If this isn't possible, consider mailing or shipping your packages home.

8. No matter what your mode of transportation, traveling with children can best be done at night. Children are more likely to sleep at this time and less likely to get wound up.

9. Summers and holidays are incredibly busy travel times. Add to that unpredictable weather conditions and travel starts to look more like gambling. Check, double check, and triple check reservations and flight times.

10. Travel protection can be the difference between mishap and disaster. It can help in case of travel cancellation, lost luggage, foreign medical issues, and other problems. While not a necessity, the more complicated your travel plans are, the more you should look into this coverage.