Summer Travel Tips That Save You Time & Money

Summer is coming, and if you're planning a trip you're probably wondering how you can plan an awesome vacation while saving both time and money. Travel isn't cheap, especially these days, but there are still some things you can do to cut down on costs and cut down on time spent planning for something that you can do while you're there. Whether you're traveling internationally or locally, everyone could use a few helpful tips on how to save money while traveling during the summer. Keep in mind that summer is a peak travel season, and you may need to exhibit some patience and flexibility when it comes to planning your trip. If you do that, you're likely going to have an easy time taking this advice and finding the best deals. We spoke to some top industry leaders on how to save time and money while traveling this summer. Keep reading for more information!

Be Flexible With Location and Dates

The first piece of advice we got was to be flexible with your destination. The more popular your end goal, the more you'll be competing for the road, hotels and campsites depending on what your adventure is. "Summer is the best time of year to travel in most parts of the United States, but that means that many popular destinations will be way too crowded to enjoy or even get a place to stay. Consider looking into less common destinations for a more relaxing getaway in a place that not everyone would consider to go. Plus, you won't be dealing with crazy markups on hotels, cars and activities," said Brett Estep, COO of Insured Nomads. 

You should also be willing to be flexible with the specific dates of your trip. "The more specific your travel dates are, the more difficulty and more money you'll end up having to spend on tickets, lodging and other expenses for your summer trip. If you can set yourself up to be flexible with your travel dates, you'll end up spending a lot less time and money finding a suitable place to get away this summer. This is also a great way to find out when the least busy dates are from year to year so you can plan ahead!" said Cody Candee, Founder and CEO of Bounce.

Avoid Peak Travel Times

The day of week you fly out or get on the road can impact how expensive your tickets are going to be or how long you'll spend in the car on the way to your destination. "To save money on airline tickets, try to opt for flying during off season or off peak days. Typically, early to mid week flights tend to be a little bit cheaper. If you're ok with flying redeye, that will save you even more money. The travel is a little more intense, but chances are you can find a great deal if you're able to fly on a less popular day like Tuesday or Wednesday. Avoid weekend travel days to avoid additional costs," said Chris Bridges, CEO of VITAL Card.

The same is true for travel by automobile. "If you're planning to head out on a weekend day, chances are you're going to hit loads of rush hour traffic and spend both more time and more money on gas getting where you need to go," said Lauren Singer of Package Free Shop

Start a Travel Bank Account

In the long run, having a travel savings account or credit card can help you save money by racking up points and monthly interest on your balance. "If you vacation often, it might be smart to open a travel bank account or credit card. This is smart because you can rack up points and interest over time so that you can save money on future plan tickets, hotels and other travel amenities. This also gives you a solidified place to put your travel savings in throughout the year, which can help you stay organized. All of which will help you save time and money for your summer adventures," said Rob Bartlett, CEO of WTFast.

Having a designated travel fund can also help you budget for your trips overall. "It can be difficult to save money throughout the year, but if you make a habit of sending a few dollars every month into your travel fund you'll be surprised at how much you end up putting away for your next vacation," Dan Frank of Wheels, Inc.

Use Public Transportation

The best way to save money on a trip is by using public transportation rather than renting a car whenever possible. "If you're planning to travel to a large metropolis like New York or Paris, save money by relying on public transportation. Car rental fees can get expensive, especially during the summer months and this is one way you can save tons of money on your trip overall. You'll have to pay transit fees, but those will only come out to a fraction of the cost of a car rental," said Drew Sherman, Director of Marketing & Communications at Carvaygo.

Search From Different Locations

For those looking for a sneaky way to get cheaper travel tickets, try this tip fromTavis Lochhead, Co-Founder of Looria. "Something that not many know is that website cookies can track your location and up the prices of airfare. If you use something called a VPN, you can change the location that your computer tags and sometimes get much cheaper results. It's worth playing around with, and it might save you tons of money!"

Use an Agent

This is a slightly old school tip, but it's just old school enough that it might work! "It might seem old school, but travel agents can help you save tons of time and money just simply by virtue of knowing about deals you might not be aware of. Travel agents can help you find exclusive deals that you might not otherwise know about. They're on the inside of the industry, so seek out the help of a travel agent to find you the best deals on hotels, car rentals and event tickets!" said Melissa Rhodes, CEO of Psychics1on1.

Oftentimes, an agent can help guide you towards low cost or even free activities to take part in in any given city. "Most cities and destinations have museums, attractions and activities you can take part in for free. Most museums have a free day every month and some public attractions like parks are completely free to visit and a great way to spend an afternoon in a new place. Do some research into where you're traveling and see what free activities are available," said Tony Chan, CEO and Co-founder of CloudForecast.

Saving money on your summer travel plans takes a little bit of patience, and a little bit of thinking outside the box. But with these tips, you can start planning ahead and getting ready for the trip of a lifetime no matter where you're planning to go! Start by picking out a few, less popular locations you'd like to visit. This is to avoid long lines, markups on food and merchandise and crowded tourist spots. Next, find a flexible time window to plan your trip. The more flexible you can be, the more likely you are to find something at a fraction of the cost of flying or traveling during peak days and months. It's also smart to start a travel savings account to help you save some extra money to spend on your trip. If you can swing it, having a travel credit card to rack up points is a great way to save money on future trips and vacations. Lastly, have fun planning your summer vacation! Wherever you go, enjoy a little time away from the stresses of work and have fun!