Travelling for the holidays? Here's how to save and still have fun
Planes, trains and automobiles. No matter your method, it’s more costly this year than in Christmases past.
If you’re planning on escaping town, here are six tips to keep your expenses in check, while still enjoying your time.
Plan, plan, plan
You don’t need to program every minute of your adventure, but a solid plan usually results in saving money. Your plan should include the following:
A budget: Ideally you’re paying for your travel with money from your short-term savings account (and from all the travel points you’ve been building up), and avoid sources of debt like credit cards or lines of credit. Include all travel costs, accommodation, food and entertainment.
Location(s): Where you’re going, for how long, and specific routes you want to take to get there.
Dates: My best advice is to be flexible, because shifting a few days forward or back could save hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Tightening up the time you're away can also save you money; from seven days to five days, as an example.
Specific goals: Activities you want to do or people you want to see. You can even plan for spontaneity by earmarking money and time for the "what-if" discoveries that happen on your trip.
Time your travel as off-peak as possible
Did you know that travelling on stat holidays, and at weird hours, can save you money? Especially if you’re flying and booking entertainment, avoiding peak times of day and high-demand days of the week can reduce costs. For example, mid-morning or late evening flights smack dab in the middle of the week, and booked in advance, tend to be priced less. Keep this tip in your back pocket for future travel, too — book out of season, like visiting Hawaii in July; accommodations are much less, and so tend to be the flights. If you have the flexibility to wait, fill your car up in advance of your road trip on a day when pump prices are lower. I always fill up where I get cash back and/or points.
Think about your lower-cost commuting options when you’re there
Taxis. Ubers. Lyfts. These will be many times the cost of public transportation. Access to transit might help guide where you book accommodation, and riding the subway somewhere else might be kind of entertaining. One of the best holiday busking sessions I've seen was on the subway in Manhattan. Overnight trains are another option to get where you want to go, and enjoy a rest. And, if you’re staying with friends and family, carpooling is a great money saver.
If you know you need to commute the expensive way, hit that little “ride-share” icon in your app, and split the cost with a stranger.
Offset your food costs by packing your own snacks and meals
I love trying new food wherever I go. In fact, sometimes I plan my trips exclusively around menus offered at famous restaurants or regions of the world. To make my culinary experience top-notch without breaking the bank, I balance buying meals with packing my own food. Whenever I get to my location, my first stop is the local market to grab core essentials like snacks, coffee, milk, cheese, bread, picnic foods, etc. Especially now with two young kids, I ensure there won’t be any instances of "hangry" when we’re on a walk or playing at the park. This leaves plenty of money in the budget for occasional great meals. This same technique applies when visiting family and friends this season. Rather than ordering in or going through the drive-thru for everything, meal plan. You’ll save a bundle and probably enjoy the food more too.
Enjoy all the free events, activities and festivities this holiday season offers
Skating, tobogganing, light shows, sleigh rides, visits with Santa, campfires, roasting chestnuts, crafting, hiking, markets and more. Enjoy it all.
And, if you’re going to incorporate a paid activity, work it into your budget, book in advance, and see if you can find a coupon.
Look into the nitty-gritty benefits your credit card and bank offers
You might have travel insurance built into your credit card. Your bank might have ATM fees waived as a part of their perks. The exchange rate could be more favourable using one card versus another. The goal here is to try to avoid unnecessary fees if you’re going abroad, and to determine the best way to pay for things — cash, credit or debit. And, if you don’t have travel insurance through your bank, or your work, speak to your insurance professional that sold you your life insurance to get a quote for coverage.
The more thoughtful and financially mindful you are about your plan for travel, the more you’re going to enjoy it.
This article was originally published in The Star. Lesley-Anne Scorgie is a Toronto-based personal finance columnist and a freelance contributing columnist for the Star.
