Going Home For Christmas? Here’s How To Save
I love this time of year – Christmas trees, decorations, finding special gifts and spending time with family and friends. This year my relatives are coming to me, but if I were travelling, here’s the advice I’d give them.
Last Minute Travel
Planes and trains run all through the holidays, so if you don’t mind traveling on Christmas Day, you could save a fortune. Leave early Christmas morning, or late night on Christmas Eve and you could still be there in time to grab a turkey leg or some slices of roast beef. Plus, you won’t have to fight the hordes of people travelling at peak times.
Work Late
Volunteer to be the one who takes the late shift on Christmas Eve, but trade it for some extra time afterwards and you can avoid the crowds on your return trip as well. Traveling off peak will also help you to save, and it’s worth considering using alternative airports to avoid the crowds.
Stretch Your Travel Dollar
Make as many advance bookings as possible for accommodation – if you’re not staying with family – as well as restaurants and parking. You can save a lot by pre-booking off airport parking or using coupons and miles to make your travel dollar stretch even further. Some of the miles providers are offering extra incentives, so you might get an even better deal than usual.
Travel Light
One of my relatives always leaves a skeleton summer wardrobe with her relatives in the Caribbean, cutting down on the amount she has to pack. You can also try some of our recommended online packing list tools to help you cut the clutter. Consider having all your gifts delivered to the recipients so you don’t have to take them in your luggage. That means you can travel light on the outward journey and bring a collapsible bag for the return journey (just in case you get a few presents 
).
What are your top tips on saving time and money on Christmas travel?
(Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/deniscollette/2727189369/)
Tags: christmas, travel, Travel Tips
