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Budgeting Tips for 2019 Trips

The New Year is here! This is the perfect opportunity to plan trips for the upcoming year. Last minute trips can be fun and exciting to plan, but that planning method does not work for everyone. Taking time in advance to plan your trips means you have an opportunity to create a budget and save money. You also have a better chance of landing coveted reservations at hard-to-get-into lodging.

We came up with a list of ideas on how to budget and plan trips for 2019. We hope it will be your best travel year yet!

• Book Credit Card Reward Travel- There are a ton of great credit card options these days providing travel benefits you can actually use. Do your research and find the one that will give you the most benefit. For example, most hotel chains and airlines have credit cards as well as the general travel perk cards.
• Use Airline, Car Rental, and Hotel Points- There are benefits to being a member of reward programs that airlines, hotels, and car rental companies offer. If you’re not a member yet, join now, as you can use these perks to book free travel. It can often be difficult to actually use the rewards, so flexibility with price, timing, and location are key.
• Travel during Off or Shoulder Season- The cost of travel can be up to half the price or more during the off and shoulder seasons. Depending on where you want to travel, this can be a great time to visit other countries. Locals aren’t overwhelmed with tourists, which means you may enjoy a more authentic experience.
• Join Email Lists for Favorite Airlines and Lodging- Email clutter can be maddening, but it is one of the easiest ways to learn about specials and sales offered only to subscribers. To avoid unnecessary email congestion, only join email lists for airlines and hotels you want to reserve in the future.
• Take Advantage of Deals but Buy Travel Insurance- Planning travel in advance can save you money and allow you to get just the right dates and accommodations; however, advance reservations leave you open to having to cancel. You can never plan for what life has in store, which is why travel insurance is a great idea when you book travel far in advance. This way you are covered in the event something forces a trip cancellation.
• Make a Travel Wish List- Start the planning process early with a brainstorming session of where you want to visit and what you want to do. Once you have a good idea of what you want to do and when, it is much easier and faster to search for deals.
• Book a Place with a Kitchen- This is one of the best ways to save money and eat healthy when traveling. Most places you visit have a grocery store or market where you can pick up essentials for one or two meals a day. What’s more is that you may discover some local or regional cuisines in the process.
• Start Saving Now- Don’t put off creating a budget or savings plan. Even if you don’t have travel booked, you can still start saving money. Skip the fancy coffee, pack lunches, drink only on the weekends, or do whatever works for you to load up the piggy bank.

Do you have additional tips and tricks on budgeting for travel? Where are you headed in 2019? Tell our team at Eat, Heal, Travel via our Twitter or Facebook page. Eat well, live long, and travel far!