Memorial Day Traveling Tips

I’m going out of town this Memorial Day and I have a plan.  I’m usually not much of a planner.  I like to leave my options open and fly by the seat of my pants, especially when it comes to traveling.  To me, part of the fun in traveling is just jumping in the car and seeing where the road takes you.  That’s not always the best idea though, especially if you’re budget conscious.  It’s never a bad idea to have some kind of strategy in your travel plans.  Here are some tips that I’ve researched to give me an edge this Memorial Day away from home… I hope they benefit you as well.

1) The earlier the better.  It’s a little late in the game now but you can save some serious money if you book up to a month in advance.  Duly noted for next year.

2) Flexibility.  You’ll generally get a better rate if you book on slower days of the week.  Travel a couple days before originally planned to save on hotel rooms or flights.

3) Shop around.  It’s always smart to compare prices of hotels and flights.  It’s also a good idea to look at different credit card options if you’re planning to pay for your trip in credit, which leads me to the next tip…

4) Use a credit card with rewards.  Many credit cards, like a Credit Union Platinum Points Visa, allow you to rack up points for free travel opportunities.  You can put a big dent in travel expenditures simply by going about daily life. 

5) Share your travel plans with card issuer.  Let your financial institution know where and when you will be.  Your Credit Union cares about you.  Don’t lead them to believe that somebody is making unauthorized purchases in the Dominican Republic like I did.  Keep them updated.

How do you CU saving money while traveling?  Are you going anywhere for Memorial Day this weekend?  We’d love to hear all about it.  Let us know in the comments below!