Tips for saving money, sanity on holiday travel

Traveling can be a challenge during this time of year, especially if the weather is iffy or if children are involved. Here are some tips on saving money -- and your sanity -- when it comes to holiday travel.

92 million people will hit the road this holiday season. Here's how to save some money whether you're driving or flying.

First, pack food for the trip. Having sandwiches and snacks on hand will significantly cut costs. If you're traveling by train or car, bring your own drinks too.

Getting there by air? Before you get to the airport compare the cost of shipping presents ahead of time versus how much baggage fees are. If you're a heavy packer, fly with AirTran, Alaska, Frontier or Southwest.

After the last week in October every week you wait to book plane tickets usually tacks on $10 to your ticket.

Contact your auto insurance company if you have to rent a car. See if your current policy applies to rental vehicles so you don't have to pay through the agency itself when you're already covered.

If you're not staying with family, book a hotel room well in advance and check travel sites to get the best deals.

Finally, research gas prices and plan to fill up where it is cheapest. Three good online tools for researching gas prices: AAA.com, GasBuddy.com and GasPriceWatch.com.