How To Be Financially Savvy When Planning Your Summer Vacation

We can't wait for summer

! This means BBQ’s, picnics, swimming, and vacations. Most likely you’ve been planning your summer vacation since last year, while some choose to take a last minute approach. So what are the benefits for those of who plan a year advance?

Travel and consumer experts say that you should start your planning now to discover great deals, start saving money and ensure that you’ve made all the required arrangements so you can enjoy a memorable summer break in a location you’ve always wanted to visit.

You can never start too soon in researching discounts and deals for your next summer trip. Some destinations require booking months advance, so it’s extremely important to stay informed.

Here are nine reasons why you should start planning your summer vacation right now!

Early bird gets the worm. When you sign up for emails from travel-deal aggregators such as BookingBuddy or TripAdvisor, you’ll have plenty of time to wait for that just-right bargain to land into your inbox. Airfare deals and hotel discounts go on all year, and you never know when the next deal will come. Some resorts and destinations offer early-bird discounts, up 50% or more.

It’s smart to start saving early.

Thinking about summer now will help you create a vacation budget and start saving up. You’ll do less damage to your overall financial picture if you do this. Saving gradually will help you stay ahead of the curve.

Lay Away Plans

Another way to lessen the giant blow to your pocket is to consider layaway plans. Not all resorts offer this, but it’s definitely worth the research. Paying in small increments overtime and interest-free are a perfect financial approach.

Consider using frequent-flyer miles.

U.S. airlines are known to start filling up frequent-flyer seats more than 300 days before a particular first day of travel. Each flight has a very limited number of seats for frequent flyers.

You’ll be able to travel together with loved ones. If you’re heading out with family and/or friends, you’ll have a better chance of being seated with them by securing flight arrangements early. This is especially important if young children are involved. Finding seats that are all together becomes more difficult the closer to departure you get.

Save on Lodging.

Apartment/home rentals are a fine alternative to hefty hotel rates, and they offer home-style conveniences such as kitchens that’ll help you avoid multiple restaurant bills. There are fewer homes or apartments available than hotels in a destination, and the good ones go fast.

You’ll have time to arrange pet-care services. Keeping a dog at a kennel can be a costly expense, but a quid-pro-quo arrangement is free. Start your research early to see if you can work out a deal with a friend or neighbor so you can avoid pet-boarding and/or sitting services entirely.

You’ll get the most out of your experience.

There’s so much to learn about any destination, so it’s best to do in-depth research at a relaxed pace in order to discover everything you need to know before your trip. This can include free days at museums, city passes that offer discounts and alternative modes of transportation that are cheaper than taxis. You can also see if they have meal plans that are included in their package.

You’ll have something to look forward to.

Think of this approach as a survival guide for the remainder of the school year. It’s a way to channel warm, summery thoughts during the chill of winter. Researching exotic destination photos online is a great way to spend a cold, dreary day. Having something to look forward to is half the enjoyment. The sooner you start planning, the longer you have to look forward to your trip.