Saving on Thanksgiving Travel

 -Ashley Baker

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching folks, and you know what that means, lots of food, time with family, and for many, travel. Of course Thanksgiving is the time to be with family and close family friends, but that doesn’t mean that it needs to cost a fortune just to get to your destination. By shopping smart, looking early, and being flexible, you’ll be able to save enough money on your Thanksgiving travel to still do your Black Friday (or Cyber Monday) shopping, and maybe even spoil yourself a little with those deals.

So your aunt and uncle want to have the family over their place for the holiday this year. They have plenty of room to accommodate, and the bright side is you don’t have to worry about your own home becoming a mess. But let’s face it; many people don’t want to be in close quarters for the long weekend with no escape. You love your family, everyone knows that, but if you don’t want to be stuck with them for more than a few hours at a time, there are easy ways to save on hotel rooms.

Whether driving or flying to your relatives, if you know you’re going to want a hotel room, starting your search early can lead you to diamond in the rough rice. It will also help your search to look at more than one hotel at a time. Sites like Travelocity, Hotels.com, HotelsCombined and Hotelopia USA, can help you search multiple hotels, and some can even help you bundle in your flight for cheaper hotel and airfare, and for all you Time to Save members, you save when you use these sites.

When traveling long distance by car, make sure all of your routine maintenance is up to date. A smooth ride will ensure a smooth trip. Also, according to CNNMoney gas prices have been sliding, and could continue to do so by Thanksgiving, so keep an eye on the prices before your trip to get the optimal price at the pump. Finally, make sure there is room in your travel for routine stops to stretch your legs, refresh and recuperate; being able to stay calm while traveling will make the optimal atmosphere for the trek.

So when planning your trip this Thanksgiving, make sure that you start your search early. Don’t be afraid to compare prices of hotels that are close to your destination. Take advantage of the sites that compare them for you and of the discounts for bundling if airfare is needed. For the driving travelers, just make sure the car is taken care of, and leave enough time for a relaxing unrushed ride. Following these tips will help to save you money, and lead to a vacation that actually is a vacation.