7 Ways to Save On Summer Travel with Your Credit Card

By: Jason Collazo

Summer - The sun, the sand, hopefully in some far-away vacationland. We save all year long just to ensure a few weeks of fun frolicking along some sublime shoreline, or seeing some ancient ruin through the lens of our digital camera. There is also a sort of tacit agreement with ourselves that it is fine to spend the money now on a vacation; this is what we’ve been saving it for. So yes, we loosen the purses strings a little in the name of well-deserved enjoyment, but still there are ways to save a little money even when traveling the globe and your credit card can help.

1: Frequent Flyer Miles: The most obvious way in which your credit card can save you money on vacation is using the frequent flyer miles program. Big credit card spenders and those who travel for business probably have no problem racking up those flyer miles. But even those who may not have a lot of miles in the bank can benefit now from the solicitations of many credit card companies featuring signup bonuses which offer frequent flyer miles.

2: Cash-Back Rewards Cards for Gas: While no one likes another rise in gasoline prices, using your credit card that gives you 5 percent back on gas can be a real money saver. Make sure to sign up for this perk if your card requires it. It would make sense to have this benefit in hand before you plan a road trip this summer.

3: Hotel Cards: Hotel programs can be a better value than frequent flyer miles. These programs can be offered with no capacity restrictions or blackouts, so do check out these great money saving programs.

4. Currency Conversion: Many credit cards will charge a foreign transactions fee for purchases made outside the U.S. Using a card which doesn’t charge this fee will not only save you the 1-3% fee, but you could also walk away with a very competitive exchange rate on goods purchased.

5: Avoid Gas Altogether: Not everyone flies across the pond on vacation. City dwellers often are content simply to drive a couple of towns over; their main concern being simply to escape the cacophony of the city. Gas prices being what they are, this can sometimes be as expensive as a short plane jaunt. Look for public transit options. Most cities and states offer some intrastate, as well as interstate transportation, and the pricing can be quite a big savings over gassing up your car.

6. Opt for Off-season: Another way to lower the cost of your vacation is to avoid traveling during peak times. Being a little flexible with your scheduling can lead to great savings. You don’t have to put off your summer vacation until the dead of winter, but avoiding peak holiday weekends and nudging your plans a little closer to May or September may put some extra money in your pocket to spend once you arrive. And booking your expenses with your reward card will earn you points for the next vacation.

7. Staycation: A new term to join the lexicon in these financially insecure times, a Staycation is pretty much what it sounds like: stay at home and enjoy. Save money on airline fees, hotel fees, just about everything by staying at home and planning all those things you always mean to do, but never seem to get around to doing. Treat yourself and your family to a nice dinner out in a place fancier than you normally would dine. See a show, go play tennis. Just be sure to avoid the temptation to fall into your daily routine, remember: you are on vacation, who cares if the carpets are vacuumed or the dishes are done?
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