How to save money when you're traveling

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Ready to book that bucket-list trip, only to find your pockets don’t run as deep as you had hoped? Don’t despair – travel doesn't have to be expensive. Here's our guide to making travel money go further, so you have more to spend when you get there.

Tip 1: Drive!

The easiest way for families to save money when they travel is to avoid the price of plane tickets. Driving allows you to see more of the country and prevents you from having to pay for rental cars or ride shares when you get to your destination.

Remember to make sure your car is road trip ready before you leave, and make sure your insurance is up to date. Looking to save even more? GEICO could save you 15 percent or more on car insurance.

Tip 2: Use Skyscanner Alerts

If your destination is too far away to drive, use Skyscanner. Enter your departure and arrival destinations and it will email you when the price drops. Also explore prices by date and month to make sure you’re going when the flight is the cheapest.

Tip 3: Take advantage of “shoulder season”

The time between a particular destination’s peak season and off-season is known as “shoulder season.” Shoulder season allows you to experience some of the destination’s best offerings without the crowds, and for cheaper rates.

To determine when shoulder season is for the destination you have in mind, Google to find out when peak season is, then research months that bookend the peak. For prime family destinations, book during times when schools are typically not on break.

Tip 4: Buy travel insurance

Insurance will add to your budget but consider the cost of something going wrong. Even simply locking keys in a rental car can cost more than $200 to fix. Travel insurance will cover the cost of any unintended emergencies and give you peace of mind.

Have you ever purchased travel insurance?

Tip 5: Book with points

Travel credit cards allow you to earn points for everyday purchases to use toward booking travel. Look for cards specific to travel and be sure to have a plan to pay cards off at the end of each month.

Carefully crafted collaboratively between GEICO and Lonely Planet. Both parties provided research and curated content to produce this story. We disclose when information isn’t ours.