How to travel home for the holidays without breaking the bank

Amid the travel, gifts and extra food, the holiday season often isn't a joyous time for your budget. In fact, ahead of what should be a time focused on festivities and togetherness, 31% of Americans said that they were concerned their holiday travel would "place a strain on their budget," Bankrate revealed in a survey released mid-October. Further, nearly a quarter of holiday travelers disclosed that getting home (or elsewhere) for the holidays will result in them carrying a credit card balance, per the Bankrate survey.

Already, the realities of "rising prices and inflation this year are likely to have caused 77% of holiday travelers to modify their plans," Bankrate reported. While that certainly can be a good way to cut costs, here are some other moves you might consider so money stress doesn't sap the joy from your holiday season.

Set a flight tracker

If you're planning to fly to your holiday destination, setting up a flight price tracker is key to ensure you get a good deal on airfare. Google Flights is a great tool for this, per The Points Guy, as it allows you to "quickly scan for the cheapest travel data'' and even offers "a tool that recommends when you should book a flight based on past data trends for your specific route and itinerary." You might also check out price alert tools like Hopper and Skyscanner, which allow you to "set up alerts for the best time to book" if you have your destination already determined, explained The Points Guy.

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Be flexible on travel dates

Another way to save on holiday travel is to have some flexibility around when you come and go. As The Points Guy noted, "certain days around the holidays will experience higher demand and, therefore, come with higher prices." Just bumping your travel around by a day or two could lead to some pretty sizable savings, especially if you're booking for the whole family. 

According to The Points Guy's reporting on the Hopper "Christmas in July" report, the cheapest days to fly around Thanksgiving are the Monday before the holiday and any weekday the week after. For Christmas, it's anytime outside of the peak days, which generally are around Dec. 20-22 (though these can vary depending on which day of the week Christmas falls).

Strategize about which credit card to use

Using the right credit card to cover your travel can also lead to savings and other perks. As Nerdwallet highlighted, "many travel cards offer extra points when you book travel, annual statement credits for travel purchases, or reimbursement for the cost of programs that allow you to get through airport security faster or easier (like Global Entry or TSA PreCheck)." 

You might even realize you've racked up enough points throughout the year to score a free hotel stay or a discounted flight. And if you were considering getting a new card, this might be the time to do it, as holiday-related spending could help you meet the threshold required to score bonus rewards.

Pack some food

Between packing clothes, gifts, and anything else you need for your holiday stay, food might be the last thing on your mind. But by planning ahead, you could save. As CNBC Select noted, "it's often more affordable to just bring a snack from home" rather than paying for marked-up snacks at the airport. And to avoid unnecessarily paying for bottled water, consider packing a reusable bottle, CNBC Select suggested.

Have a plan to repay debt

To ensure your holiday debt doesn't extend into the new year, establish a plan for paying off your credit card balance, especially given how quickly interest can accrue. To do this, first determine how much you can set aside for repaying credit card debt. In an ideal world, you'd be able to both save and pay down debt, but if "you have high-interest credit card debt, or you’re feeling anxious about your debt, prioritize paying down your debt over savings," Bankrate advised.

From there, choose a repayment strategy. You might use the avalanche method, where you pay off the balance with the highest interest rate first. Another option is a credit card balance transfer, which could allow you to score a lower interest rate.