Summer will be here before you know it. If a fun-filled vacation is on your horizon, planning for it now is a good idea.

Thinking ahead will do wonders for making your trip as stress-free as possible. More importantly, it helps you save money to stay on budget and reach your goals. Here are some pointers for planning summer vacation like a real jetsetter.

Book Your Flights Strategically

One of the biggest expenses for any vacation is transportation, especially flights. Airfare can easily set you back hundreds or thousands of dollars, and you haven’t even started your vacation yet!

Being an expense with a substantial initial sticker shock, booking your flight in advance is a good idea. But when is the best time to lock in your fare?

According to Travel + Leisure, the best time to book a flight depends on your destination:

• For domestic flights (inside the U.S.), book between two weeks and two months before your trip date.
• For international flights (outside the U.S.), book your flight at least three months in advance.
  

Never try to book your flight a few days before you expect to leave. That’s just asking for drastic price increases. Booking this late also increases the risk of not being able to find a seat at all, which only gets more complicated if you need more than one ticket.

When you plan your trip, give yourself time to evaluate and act on better deals. One popular airfare hack is to use Google Flights to find the best deals on airfares. This app allows you to pick your preferred destination and travel dates. Then, you can use it to keep track of price drops and book when you feel the time is right.

Quick Tips for Saving on Hotels

Even with the popularity of homestay services like Airbnb, hotels remain an excellent option for travelers who need lodging during a vacation. If using a short-term rental isn’t for you, securing a deal by booking with a hotel is always possible.

Just like booking a plane ticket, reserving a room requires some planning. Book your room in advance to secure the best rate. Beyond that, there are some other avenues you can pursue to take your savings further.

NerdWallet has some tips to try. Some of the standout money-saving strategies include:

• Become a loyalty member and book directly: Chains like Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, and Best Western have loyalty programs encouraging travelers to book directly through them. Joining these programs is free and may offer discounted rates for booking through their channels. On top of that, they have incentives for continuing to use them on successive trips. These are worth checking out for the added value potential.

   

• Use booking sites to your advantage: Some hotel companies have a best rate guarantee, where they may offer a reward or incentive should a traveler find a better price through an online travel agency. They want your business, and using an online agency for the same room forces them to pay a commission. If you find a better deal on a room while perusing an online agency, try calling the hotel about it and see if they can strike a better deal. It could save you a bundle.

   

• Take advantage of on-site amenities: There’s more to a hotel than the room. These are supposed to be “homes away from home,” so why not get the most out of your stay? When choosing a room, review the amenities and make them part of your plan. For instance, you can reduce restaurant or grocery expenses if the hotel offers a complimentary breakfast.
  

Get Peace of Mind With Travel Insurance

The best-laid travel plans can unravel at a moment’s notice. Even if you’ve shopped around for the best-priced airline tickets and have your hotel room all booked for your dream vacation, a stray event may force you to cut things short or cancel altogether, which means you are out of your hard-earned money.

That is, unless you get travel insurance.

Travel insurance is a type of insurance that covers financial losses associated with traveling. It may come in handy should something unexpected put a stop to your trip.

Travel insurance policies vary, but some of the most common things covered include:

• Trip cancellations
• Lost baggage or personal effects
• Rental property and vehicle coverage
• Medical coverage and prescriptions
• Personal injury or accidental death
  

You might already have travel insurance through several sources, such as your credit card. However, it might not cover the exact items that you need. Look up travel insurance policies before or after booking your flight and room.

Some online travel agencies may offer travel insurance as a bundle item when you are about to pay for your flight. However, we recommend doing an independent search before adding a policy at checkout. You may save even more money by purchasing a policy separately.

When planning your summer fun, take advantage of your time to compare and find deals. Doing all the work now gives you more energy to enjoy your vacation and save money.

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