Families often prefer travelling in the holiday season as children are off from school or college, and there are no official commitments. However, with increased demand for air travel and hotel accommodations, the prices also reach sky-high limits. However, there are ways you can make your trip budget-friendly.
Travelling is an excellent opportunity for multi-generational families who don’t get to spend quality time together throughout the year. Travelling in a budget-friendly manner makes opportunities more accessible to people. By spending less on travel, you can save up for another trip or spend the money on other things like sightseeing, entertainment, food, and more.
If you search for a way to travel on a budget, you’ve come to the right place. This blog post covers some simple yet effective tips to help you manage your travel expenses during the holiday season. So, read on to find out!
7 Tips to Travel on a Budget This Holiday Season
1. Plan Ahead and Set a Budget
The first and most crucial step in planning your holiday season trip is setting a holiday budget and putting that amount of money aside. Prices skyrocket during the holidays, and a huge pressure on supply chains may cause problems leading to a further increase in the process.
Therefore, keeping in mind these factors, set a budget and stick to it. Doing so will prevent you from overspending or wasting money. Consider last year’s travel expenditure as a benchmark for the holiday budget and assess your present financial situation.
To be more specific, you may prepare a list of all expected expenses, including food, hotel accommodation, transportation, gifts, etc. Once you’ve established a budget and created a list of expenses, begin saving and putting money aside for this purpose.
You can use mobile applications like Digit to establish money-saving goals without worrying about how to attain them. Another option is to create a monthly fixed dollar amount to save for holiday travel.
2. Make Your Bookings in Advance
Another tip is to make all your bookings months before you plan to travel. Doing so will help you get the best possible rates. So, we recommend booking your flights, accommodation, transportation, and other entertainment activities well in advance. If you leave bookings for the last minute, expect to encounter the highest possible rates.
3. Utilize Your Points or Miles for Flights
Several airlines have now relaxed their flight alternation and cancellation policies, especially if you make the payments in cash while booking. However, you still have to pay a certain amount if you want to make changes to your flight. If the flight prices rise, you will also have to pay the fee difference.
If you book your flight using miles, you may not have to pay more files in case of re-booking or flight cancellations. In this scenario, the cost is determined by the category rather than the monetary value of the airline ticket. Even if you change your mind at the last minute, the price in miles will stay the same.
4. Use a Credit Card Waives Off Foreign Transaction Charges
You may be forced to pay additional costs if you want to go overseas and do not have a credit card that waives international charges. Thus, each you swipe your card, a foreign transaction fee of a certain fixed percentage (typically 3%) of the purchase amount will be imposed. These costs may easily mount up and disrupt your budget.
However, you can prevent this by using a credit card that waives international transaction costs, such as no-fee cards. Check to see if your credit card already waives these charges. If it doesn’t, consider getting a card with no international transaction cost to save money.
5. Choose a Bank that Offers Refundable ATM Charges
When travelling overseas, you may encounter situations where credit cards are not accepted, forcing you to pay in cash. If your current bank does not refund ATM charges, you’ll have to pay double charges: the amount imposed by the ATM you are withdrawing cash from and the amount your bank will levy due to withdrawing money from a foreign ATM.
These fees might change and add unneeded expenditures to your journey. To prevent this problem, create a bank account that refunds ATM costs.
6. Be Flexible With Your Travel Dates
Another essential tip for budget-friendly holiday season travels is to be flexible with your dates. You can get better rates if you don’t fly on popular dates or times, such as the weekends. Moreover, you may also get better rates if you fly on the day of the holiday rather than a few days before.
7. Hire a Reliable and Affordable Airport Transfer Service
If you want to avoid the crowds at the airport and have your luggage handled, hire an airport transfer service. Go Comfort is the best Southampton taxi. They offer a wide range of transportation services, including cruise transfers, premium taxis for hire, and executive chauffeurs.
The company also understands the requirement for ease and flexibility while travelling with children. Thus, you can avail of their airport transfers and cruise transfers in Southampton to ensure a stress-free travel experience with your family. They have licensed and experienced drivers who take care of your luggage and ensure your comfort and safety. Click here to book a ride to get started today, or contact them to learn more about their services.