All this week, the Fox31 Problem Solvers have been bringing you ways to save time, money, and energy during the holidays. Family travel certainly depletes all three!  We found new tricks to help, starting with WHEN you go.

When planning a flight, experts say, leave early in the morning.  You can also save money by traveling on the actual holiday and returning Saturday.

“Thanksgiving weekend is the most compact we have,” said Orbitz.com expert Jeanenne Tornatore. “The busiest and most expensive (day) is going to be Wednesday.  If you can leave early, Monday is going to be your cheapest day to travel.”

But don’t wait!  Tornatore said, if you find a flight that fits your budget, book it right away.  Don’t put off booking any holiday travel past December 15th, as prices spike in the ten days before Christmas.

You can also try saving money by booking a layover and checking smaller, alternate airports. Packages almost always cost less through booking sites, if you can bundle your flight, rental car, and hotel, for instance.

Think there are no coupons for travel?  Think again!  Sites like CouponSherpa and even warehouse stores like Costco sometimes offer discounts.

If you’re hitting the road instead of the terminal, you’d be surprised how much you can save by simply packing food!  Stopping along the way to feed the whole family can add hundreds of dollars to the cost of your trip.

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