Cut costs with canny, can-do approach to trips

Summer vacations can be debt-free with a bit of astute planning, and using clever apps

Whether you're planning a trip to a country across the globe or packing the car for a weekend road trip to a local camping ground, you can have a debt-free vacation with some careful planning.

It's easy to see how a vacation can blow up even the most carefully planned budget: In NerdWallet's 2018 Summer Spending Report, parents surveyed by Harris Poll planned to charge an average $1,019 to credit cards during their summer vacations.