Traveling Cheap | blog.firstffcu.com

Surprisingly, there’s no difference in airfare whether buying a ticket on a Sunday, Tuesday or any other day of the week. The cheapest fares are typically found when you book about 70 days before departure.

Bargain shopping? Try to monitor airfares for travel routes during the prime booking window (4 months to 3 weeks before leaving). Destination discount fare alerts can be set up on such sites as Hipmunk.com, Airfarewatchdog.com, GoogleFlights.com or an app like Hopper. The one factor that plays a significant role in price is the time of year you plan to travel.

Here are some tips on when to buy flights for each season:

Summer

The best summer deals are in August and September, with late summer offering the lowest prices overall.

The average best time to buy is 47 days (about 1.5 months) in advance.
Prime Booking Window is 14 – 160 days (2 weeks – 5 months) from travel.

Fall

If you’re traveling in the fall (excluding Thanksgiving), you can usually wait a bit longer to book air tickets and still not miss out on the good prices.

The best time to buy is 69 days out
Prime Booking Window is 21 – 100 days from travel.

Winter

Here are tips for general (non-holiday) winter travel.

62 days from your expected travel date is the best time to buy an affordable airline ticket in the winter months.
Prime Booking Window is 21 – 110 days from travel.

Spring

With Spring Break dates spanning March through April, finding a good deal in the spring can be challenging.

Exactly 3 months (90 days) from your travel date on average is the window to buy best airfare for spring air travel.
Prime Booking Window is 46 – 122 days from travel.

Happy vacationing!

Article Source: Myriam DiGiovanni for Financialfeed.com

Here are three tips on how to manage your money when traveling overseas, while still having an unforgettable journey.

Set a daily budget while planning your itinerary.

When traveling abroad it’s important to make the most out of your trip, especially if you are not there for much time. Everyone knows the value of having a game plan for things you want to do and see, but alongside that, it’s a good idea to set a daily budget. Consider how much you will spend on each meal, activity and attraction. If you do your research, you can find out ahead of time how much certain sites will cost you. This way, you’ll see what you can afford to do in advance.

Shop wisely for food and gifts.

Make a list before traveling of the items you want to purchase when on your trip. If you want to buy gifts for others, set an amount you are willing to spend on each person. Additionally, if you plan to buy drinks or snacks to keep with you or in your room, avoid purchasing them at busier sites such as train stations or near tourist attractions. Look for local markets or shopping marts, so you can buy things at a lower price and shop at stores where locals typically get their essentials.

Explore different means of transportation.

Sure, it may be quicker to hail a cab and be on your way, but first consider the cost. If you are in a city, check out their different forms of public transportation and compare the cost of each. Additionally, when going from city to city, you may find that if you take trains that make frequent stops, rather than a direct trip, it brings the cost down significantly. Therefore, although the cheaper way to travel may not always be the fastest, if you plan for the extra time, you’ll have more money in your pocket, and every little bit helps, especially when traveling abroad.

Planning to travel outside of the United States? First Financial offers Foreign Currency Exchange! Foreign currency exchange allows you to exchange our currency for another country’s currency when planning to travel abroad.* Give us a call at 732.312.1500, email info@firstffcu.com , or stop into any branch to learn more about foreign currency exchange today.

*You may purchase Currency Price Protection (CPP) for an additional $10.00 in order to protect the purchase rate of transaction. The protected dollar amount may vary based on selection of currency. There is also a purchase/shipping cost for $14.50 per transaction.

Article Source: Wendy Bignon for CUInsight.com