Most vacationers travel during peak travel times, but if you're looking to save money this year, make your travel plans for September.

For the most part, vacation sites come in two flavors:

1. Beautiful in the summer, but intolerable in the winter
2. Beautiful in the winter, but intolerable in the summer

The northeast, where I live, falls under the first category. The summers are absoutely beautiful with beach-lovers traveling to the coast and tourists coming to shop in the quaint New England towns. Summer is always busy, but by the time that first snowfall comes the beaches are closed and many of the shops have closed their doors.

The frugal vacationer travels in between the summer months and the cold winter. Not only can you usually find cheaper flights and cheaper gas during this time, you'll also find other great reasons to travel during the off-peak season.

Less Traffic
Sitting in traffic for hours on end is not the way anyone wants to spend their vacation; we do enough of that commuting to work! In fact, road rage has been known to ruin a vacation or two. Traveling during the off-peak season means there are less people on the road and less people in between you and where you want to go. The less vacation time you spend sitting in your car, the better.

Beautiful Weather
People usually think that the weather changes immediately after Labor Day, but this is not the case! For instance, Newport, RI has an average high temperature of 71 degrees in the month of September, according to weather.com. Now, this may not be ideal beach weather, but you can certainly enjoy the shops, bars, and many other events that Newport has to offer.

Discounts
Many businesses based in beach towns offer specials or have sales immediately after Labor Day. They have already made all the money they are going to make for the summer, and they are now in "stay busy mode" where they are desperate for your business. Do yourself a favor and get their goods while the price is cheap! The best deals can usually be found at stores that will close for the winter and don't want extra inventory, or activities such as tours or excursions where the owners are trying to squeeze in as much business as possible before the snow sets in.

Downside to Off-Peak Travel
Unfortunately, there is a downside to traveling in the off-peak months. Several businesses close immediately after Labor Day, so if you are travling somewhere to see something in particular be sure that it will be open when you get there.

Overall, I believe the benefits of off-peak travel outweigh the drawbacks. Next time you're planning that vacation during the peak travel months, stop and think if it would be just as nice if you left a couple months later. Your wallet will thank you for it!
About the Author
Chris Cole is an online financial advisor in his spare time and a software developer by trade. He lives in Newport, RI with his wife and daughter. His company, sayyessoftware, maintains Manage Your Dollars and Newport Nightlife.