5 Tips For Making Summer Plans From Your Phone

Mother Nature has been serving the East Coast some hot, balmy days recently, which reminds me that summer is here — and I have zero trips planned. I’m the kind of person who doesn’t do so well in the summertime: Outside is too hot, and nothing irks me more than sweat-dampened clothes clinging to my body. On the other hand, though, being inside with just me, myself, and my AC gives me a serious case of FOMO.

So come summer, my wanderlust is fully activated: Give me any *enjoyably* warm, breezy locale, preferably by a body of water, and I’m a happy girl. And while my more proactive friends and family have had trips planned for months now, I’ve got a few strategies up my sleeve — all developed from experience — for booking a last-minute vacation in the most convenient way possible (read: without even opening my laptop). The Chase Mobile app (or as I like to call it, my secret travel weapon) is a great tool for booking and managing a trip, all from my handy dandy smartphone.

All this to say, it’s never too late to put together an epic summer getaway. Scroll on to see my roadmap for stress-free planning right on your phone, then download the Chase Mobile app and start on your own. Bon voyage!

1. Be Flexible With The Destination

To lock in a seriously great rate, get adventurous! Now’s the time to explore locations you’ve never been to before (or bonus: never even heard of). Many travel sites have a search option where you don’t have to filter by destination. Rather, enter your budget and available dates, and see all the locales that fit the bill — you never know what hidden gem you’re going to discover.

Speaking of budget, the moment you decide you’re going to plan a trip — no matter how late in the game it is — it’s a good idea to start setting aside some cash. Chase’s Autosave feature helps you move your money from checking straight to your savings account, no effort required on your part. Just choose the amount and frequency that works best for you and, voilà, you’ve got a vacation fund.

2. Splurge On Accommodations

You won’t regret this one. Ask yourself what you’ll be doing the most at your destination, then book a hotel, resort, or rental nearby. For city-based trips, you’ll be glad you stayed in a central location that’s walking distance of the main attractions; for an island oasis, make sure your temporary abode is on or close to the beach.

Sure, this tactic is likely pricier than an off-the-beaten-path location, but if you can swing it, the convenience is king, especially for a last-minute trip where you may not have the time to research transportation and routes. Plus, there are tools that can make this splurge more manageable: Chase’s Pay Over Time feature lets you set up a payment plan so you can pay for your big expenses in installments. That means if you’re an eligible credit card holder, you can pay off a little each month instead of all at once.

If you have a Chase credit card, you can also use your reward points to book your trip and help pay for it, all through the mobile app. This method offers competitive prices for hotels, flights, vacation rentals, and more.

3. Split Up Your Stay

Booking late means accommodations may not be available for the full time frame of your trip. Don’t panic: That’s no biggie! Consider splitting up your stay at two or a few different places. This move lets you explore different areas and neighborhoods, while squeezing that many more experiences into your time away. Just be sure to pack light to make those transitions easier: A carry-on suitcase is all you need. Concerned about running low on clean clothes? You can always bring some laundry detergent in a TSA-approved shampoo bottle and hand-wash essentials in the sink or tub, then air dry.

With all that moving around, you can keep your money safe by keeping tabs via the Chase Mobile app, where you can check your transactions, lock your card if it gets misplaced, and set up Account Alerts.

4. Search Social Media For Recs

Use your favorite social apps as search engines to find restaurants or experiences that interest you. Just enter exactly what you’re looking for into the search bar (think: “rooftop Cuban restaurants in Miami”) and get instant access to user-generated reviews and recs from travelers like you. The map app on your phone is also helpful here: Look up places of interest and save them to a list (create one for restaurants, bars, sights, etc.) so you can easily refer to them once you’re at your destination (and likely overwhelmed by the options).

Once you’ve hit the ground running, keep track of how much you’re spending with Chase’s Snapshot feature in the mobile app, which gives you a daily glance into your spending so you never have to worry about going over budget.

5. Make Splitting The Cost A Breeze

If you’re traveling with others, assign categories for each person to be responsible for covering upfront: One person pays for the hotel or accommodations, one person is in charge of food and drinks, one handles experiences, and so on.

And when it comes time to pay your friends or family back? You can request and send money with Zelle® right from the Chase Mobile® app to people you know and trust who bank in the United States.

Download the Chase Mobile app today and start planning the summer adventure of your dreams.

Zelle and the Zelle related marks are wholly owned by Early Warning Services, LLC and are used herein under license.

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC