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Holiday Travel? Yeah, There’s An App For That

Experts predict the recession will leave most Americans spending less on vacations this summer. A third of those surveyed said they’ve already canceled at least one trip this year to save money.

That’s insane – travel is a good investment. It opens your mind, relaxes your heart, builds memories, brings relationships closer and relieves stress. Try these apps and tips to travel for less.

✔ Gas & Trip Planning
- Find cheap gas at gasbuddy.com or gaspricewatch.com
- Download the iGas iPhone app, which displays the 10 cheapest stations closest to your current location
- Travel with friends or carpool for more bonding time and $avings
- Make your life easier by using this app to find the next rest area
- Mapquest or Google Maps are great if you are using your laptop or try this app on your iPhone

✔ Food
- Have a rest stop picnic, stop at Subway for a $5 footlong
- Find a restaurant near you with this FREE App.
- Bring along individual refillable water bottles to save $$ and our earth

✔ Lodging
- Capitalize on the tons of empty vacation homes; find and negotiate a deal at lastminuteusvacations.com
- Pick up coupon books on the highway, they have huge hotel deals inside
- Use this app to call a nearby hotel
- Take it back to nature and go camping

Remember – time is money.
- Print your boarding pass at home, pack light and don’t check bags, get a ride to the airport
- Use frequent flyer programs for free flights later and if you have miles, use them!
- Remember how fun it was to spend a day at the hotel pool when you were a kid? Relive that memory
- Search online for free museums, zoos and events to enjoy close or far from home

One final airfare tip: book way in advance or last minute to find the best price. Search for deals on Mondays (after 3 p.m. ET) through Wednesday nights, that’s when airlines clear out their extra seats. Fare increases usually happen on Thursdays. Try to fly on Tuesdays or Wednesdays for the cheapest rates and stay a Saturday night to avoid business travel rate hikes.

What are some of your tips/secret vacation deals?