The PwC 2025 Holiday Outlook survey found that 44% of Americans have holiday travel plans. At the same time, 84% of Americans looked to reduce their spending in the next six months.
Whether you’re planning for winter travel or thinking ahead to spring break, a little extra work and flexibility can go a long way toward lowering your vacation costs and finding the best options.
In a recent video, financial expert George Kamel discussed nine ways frugal people save money on vacations. These useful tips came from his personal experience as a traveler.
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Have Flexible Travel Dates
Your vacation plans are likely more flexible than those for business trips or major family events. Kamel explained that staying flexible can help you land cheaper flights by traveling on weekdays rather than weekends and avoiding major holidays, like Thanksgiving and Labor Day.
When booking, try testing different days to see how the fares would change. Sometimes, traveling just a day earlier or later could lead to significant savings.
Consider the Off-Season
Not only do peak travel times come with more crowds and stress, but the higher pricing for flights, hotels and other costs can strain your wallet. Some key times include the summer months and major holiday weeks, such as spring break, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Kamel advised, “So, avoid them and instead fly during less busy times of year if you can help it, like mid-January to early March, late April to mid-May and September to mid-November.”
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Use Price Comparison Tools
While booking directly on an airline, hotel, cruise or car rental website might seem like the simplest option, it’s not ideal if you’re looking to save the most money on your vacation.
Kamel recommended using platforms like Skyscanner, Google Flights and Costco Travel, which allow you to compare prices across multiple competitors in one place. You may even find special deals and vacation packages for further savings.
Use Travel Arrow With Priceline Express
Priceline is known for its Express Deals, which offer steep travel discounts but don’t disclose the specific name of the provider until you officially book. While you could save a lot, you might hesitate to proceed with little information about what you’re paying for.
Kamel explained that you can use the Travel Arrow browser extension to see the name of the hotel you’re booking with via Priceline Express. He said he used this strategy to get a deal on a stay at the pricey Kimpton Hotel Eventi in New York City.
Rent a Car With Turo
Similar to how Airbnb lets you rent other people’s places, Turo allows you to rent various vehicles from locals and often pay less money than going the traditional route. It’s also a simple process to book the rental car, pick it up at the location and bring it back when you’re done.
Kamel added, “And my favorite part, personally, you get to skip the part where a guy wearing a golf polo and way too much hair gel tries to upsell you the Wi-Fi hotspot or insurance package.”
Pack Light
Kamel discussed how packing too much can increase your travel costs through checked bag fees. He recommended taking advantage of the free carry-on bag that most non-budget airlines allow and only taking what’s necessary.
When checked bags are unavoidable, you can still take some steps to save. In a blog post, Kamel advised sticking with a single checked bag, which often will cost $25 to $50, and ensuring the weight is below 50 pounds so you’re not hit with an overweight baggage fee.
Avoid Currency Exchange Traps
Kamel said, “Airport kiosks and tourist area exchanges often promote no commission, but they usually offer really poor exchange rates that leave you with less local currency.”
He also discussed how foreign exchange fees (often 1% to 3%) can add up for each international purchase and recommended using overseas ATMs for cash withdrawals and working with a bank that waives ATM and foreign transaction fees abroad to save money.
Additionally, he suggested sticking with the local currency for overseas purchases so you won’t have to worry about a markup for dynamic currency conversion.
Recheck Prices After Booking
You may have asked a store for a price adjustment after an item you just bought went on sale. You can also try something similar to score a better deal on your recent travel purchases.
Kamel included an example of a Southwest Airlines flight he had booked. Since the airline was offering a promotion, he used the “change” option to rebook his return flight at the lower price and receive a credit for the difference.
Since this process could be trickier or less effective for round-trip flights, Kamel suggested breaking your trip up into one-way flights to prevent potential issues.
Sign Up for Flight Deal Alerts and Mistake Fares
Kamel highlighted the Going website, which advertises personalized flight alerts and up to 90% in savings. While you can become a free member, the paid plans include extra features, such as international flight deal alerts and non-economy flight options.
Kamel explained, “It’s ideal for flexible travelers who want to save money without constantly searching for deals, which takes us back to our earlier tip of being flexible.”
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 9 Things Frugal People Do To Save on Vacations, According To George Kamel
