I'm not interested in credit card travel hacks — I have an easier system for saving money on travel

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• I've never been eager to do all the work needed to get the most out of credit card travel hacks.
• I'm happy just saving money each month and getting the most out of my credit cards when I need them.
• I use my credit cards for everything from booking trips to paying for meals — and pay it off with my savings.

Full admission: I tend to give folks the eye roll when they talk about credit card travel hacking. Sure, what's not to like about potentially traveling for free? But the work involved in devising ways to optimize your earned credit card reward points, juggling multiple cards, learning the ins and outs of credit card travel portals, and remembering when I need to use annual bonus rewards? Managing all those details just isn't for me.

That being said, there is another way I make the most of my credit cards for summer travel. Instead of carrying balances on my cards for the summer, I save for vacation ahead of time. Here's how I make use of my credit cards and points for summer trips.

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I set aside savings every month

This summer, I have a writer's retreat in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, lined up to spend time with fellow freelance writers in the personal finance space. I might also take a weekend getaway with my family to Las Vegas and a potential trip to Portland to visit a few good friends.

Instead of racking up a balance on my credit cards, for business related vacations, I tap into money in my business savings account. For personal trips, I set up a vacation fund in my high-yield savings account and stash money into my account.

I don't really have a target date or specific amount I need to save for. Rather, I automate my savings and stash $200 a month without an end date in mind. I bolster my vacation fund when I can. That way, the money is there when I need it.

I use my credit card rewards to book hotel rooms and flights

I used to hoard travel reward points for no good reason. In the past year, I started to let myself redeem points for my vacations. My two go-to credit cards I used for travel are my business credit card for work trips, and my travel rewards credit card for personal vacations.

For example, I used points earned from my business card to book a hotel for a trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and also to book a flight and one-night's stay for my Jackson Hole retreat.

If I ever book a flight, car rental, or hotel stay using my credit card, I make sure to book it through my card's portal, which gives me extra points.

Depending on which card I use (and the type of booking), the points I earn are often anywhere from triple to 10 times the number of dollars I spend. I can also use points from multiple credit cards from the same company on a single reward.

I make the most of perks

Both of my cards come with travel-related perks. These include no foreign transaction fees, lost luggage protection, car rental insurance, travel accident insurance, trip delay reimbursement, and anniversary statement credits.

While I don't use all the travel-related perks that come with my credit cards, I try to keep them in mind when traveling. That way, I don't unnecessarily pay for things like car rental insurance or travel insurance if it already comes with my credit card.

During my travels, I put everything on my card. This includes meals, groceries, sundry items I pick up from the drugstore, tickets to concerts, museums, and local attractions. Some expenses, like Lyft rides, give me extra points when I pay for them with my credit cards.

After the trip, I use the money saved in my vacation fund to pay the balance in full. That way I don't have to owe any interest fees, but can enjoy all the benefits that come with using my credit cards.

While I don't employ credit card travel hacking tactics for my summer travel, my preferred approach of using my credit card points, booking through the travel portals, using my card for purchases on my trips, and then paying my balances in full after my trip helps me make the most of my credit cards.