HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — With the official start of the summer season kicking off this week, more Americans are looking to book their summer vacations.
“This summer isn’t about skipping the fun. It’s about getting strategic,” said Stephanie Carls, retail insights expert for RetailMeNot.
We talked about traveling, especially if you’re budget-conscious.
WATCH: Experts share tips on how to save money on summer travel
“Even with 55% of people feeling more budget pressure and 31% concerned about affording their plans, travel is still a top priority,” said Carls.
Planning ahead is going to be crucial to saving money.
Carls is a fan of travel sites that offer packages, where you can book your flight, hotel, and even your rental car for discounted rates that often offer cash back.
“There’s money out there for you to save, and you don’t want to leave any of that money on the table,” said Carls.
She also suggested reaching out to a travel agent to make sure you’re not missing out on better prices.
“They have information and suggestions that you might not have found and, of course, deals that come along with that,” said Carls.
Other ways to help you save some cash on your trips this summer include booking early, being flexible with travel dates, considering different destinations, being open to creative routes, and making sure you utilize travel rewards and discounts if you have a credit card.
“The best way for travel that I’ve found is to have a rewards credit card,” said Lynn Nottingham, product manager for GTE Financial.
She suggested using the card for your monthly expenses and paying it off every month so you can get points for plane tickets and hotels.
“It’s free money, like if you use your reward points, you’re doing the spending anyway. So you just get a little bit of a reward for spending on a certain credit card, and then you can use that free money to go travel and dine out,” said Nottingham.
“Look at the benefits of your cards. There’s rewards points, but there’s also like airport concierge that you can get, some travel and lifestyle protections that are out there,” she added.
If going out of town isn’t an option for you financially, consider booking a staycation instead.
“It’s giving you this opportunity to still stay in your same city, your town, and just have something that’s very different but yet feels like you’re on vacation,” said Carls.
Experts also recommend comparing costs on trips and setting up travel alerts so you know when prices drop.
