Travel on the cheap? Consider enlisting an agent, booking flights early

2020 is here, and with the new year, many people begin to get the travel itch and start thinking about where they’d like to have new adventures. If you’ve got the bug, this week I’m sharing a few tips about saving on travel.

Consider an agent

If you’ve never worked with a travel agent before, it can certainly save you some money. Yes, many agents take commissions, however in some cases the services are provided (for example, many Disney planners). The benefit is that although a fee is collected, agents have access to steep discounts that you wouldn’t be able to access independently. Double check this by trying to self-book online to ensure you’re getting a great rate working through an agent.

Discounts on the road

If you’re trying to decide where to dine or what attractions to visit on the road, I highly recommend using services like Groupon to help you score discounts while traveling. If you use these at home, they can also save you a lot of money. And, you have the added benefit of trying new things and creating memories in the process.

Book flights early

This doesn’t apply for every airline or every flight, but generally speaking, booking flights as early as possible saves you more. For example, if you book right when Southwest releases their flights, I’ve found that to be when I save the most on flights.

Although these are my top three favorite travel savings tips, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention I also love the savings that can occur on a road trip. Many families like to visit all 50 states, and if you’re among them, I recommend combining a few states into one road trip for the maximum experience for the money. Happy travels in 2020.

Kat’s Money Corner is posted on Dollars & Sense every Tuesday. Kat Hnatyshyn, when not blogging or caring for her little ones, is a manager with CommunityAmerica Credit Union. For more financial chatter, visit http://communityamerica.com.