Saving Ideas For Your Next Vacation
In an article in Family Circle, Joanne Van Zuidam offered these
ideas for saving money on your vacation.
- Save in advance. Keep a pay-as-you-go vacation.
- Shop for the lowest airfare.
- If possible, travel off-season.
- Look for special deals, kids programs, etc.
- Cash in on airfare wars.
- Book your own accommodations and mention affiliations that may earn
you a discount, such as AAA.
- Reserve a suite if you need more than one room.
- Consider staying on the outskirts of town.
- Stay closer to home.
- Camp in a national/state park or forest.
- Vacation with another family.
- Double-check car rental costs, compare weekly rates.
- Beware of hidden rental car costs, such as tax rates, drop-off fees
and other surcharges.
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- Give your children spending guidelines.
- Don't nickel-and-dime yourself. Stay less nights if it will make the
quality of the trip better.
- If breakfast is not included in your lodging, stock up on muffins,
juice, and fresh fruits to eat in your room.
- Enjoy a picnic at a scenic spot or park, buy sandwiches and snacks at
local markets.
- Dine at non-peak times to take advantage of early bird specials.
- Avoid overspending at food stands by carrying your own fruit, snacks
and juices.
- Find coupons for area restaurants by reading free local papers or
stopping at a visitors' center.
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On the Road Again
Avoid Vacation Overspending
 When you take your family on the road for a vacation, you can go through a lot of money. Souvenirs, hotel rooms, meals out, recreating fees, and other vacation expenses can all add up in a hurry. That's why many families need a vacation budget.
Vacation travel is an expensive proposition even with a budget. According to a
Better Homes and Gardens Family Vacation Travel Report, you can expect to
spend about $1,100 on a family vacation -- and many families spend considerably more.
Here are some tips for avoiding vacation overspending:
- Cap your vacation spending. Decide how much you can spend and where all the money will come from. Vacation savings clubs are a great way to save money for your summer vacation. Start a vacation savings account at your credit union.
- Shop early. Wait too long to finalize your vacation plans and you
will pay more for a limited selection of hotel rooms and airline flights.
Start your vacation planning now by checking out travel agents or online
travel sites like
www.travelocity.com, www.expedia.com,
and
www.orbitz.com. Check with
friends and family who travel a lot and read travel books
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- Develop a vacation budget. Your vacation budget should be as
thorough as your household budget and include food, transportation, lodging,
entertainment expenses, toll-road fees, parking, gifts, sodas, snacks,
magazines and any other anticipated expenses.
- Pace your vacation spending. Don't run out of money three days into an eight-day vacation. The best way to avoid a vacation money crunch is to track your expenses carefully. Some families use a notebook to keep a daily tally of their expenses.
- Decide how to pay on your trip. Heading off with $1,000 in cash
probably isn't a good idea because you're out of luck if you lose it. Consider buying prepaid, reloadable Visa Travel Money cards. You
can load $100 to $5000 per card, and the cards can be reloaded up to
three times by phone or computer from all over the world.
- Create a credit plan. Limit your charges to the money budgeted for the trip and record your charges in your vacation notebook. When you get home, pay off these charges with your vacation account. In general, try not to charge any unbudgeted items you can't pay off within 90 days.
- Do a vacation review. Once you're back from your trip, review your holiday expenses. Total your notebook ledgers and receipts to see where you saved money and what you can do better next year.
Remember that planning is the key to avoiding vacation overspending. If you stick to your vacation budget, you won't still be paying for it in the fall -- just photos to help you relive your wonderful vacation memories.
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Summer fun with your kids
Looking for something fun to do with your kids that won't cost a
lot? There's all kinds of things you can do to create lasting
memories for your family. You can help with the "couch potato
syndrome" which affects so many youth by spending time outdoors
and encouraging new interests.
Nature Hikes
Going on a hike is a great combination of exercise, fun and
learning. You can take along Field Guides and binoculars and watch
for birds. Point out flowers, insects, plants, trees, and wildlife.
Talk about what the wildlife needs to survive. Have the children
collect small items they find (unless you're in a national park!)
like acorns, leaves, small twigs. They can use them to create leaf
rubbings, collages, bookmarks, and other art projects.
Visiting Fun Places
There's all kinds of fun places nearby: zoos. arboretums, museums,
parks, lakes, swimming. Create your own fun. On rainy days there's
always roller skating, bowling, and ice skating. Participating with
your kids will encourage them to try a variety of activities, even
if they're not so good at them. How could they not have fun watching
you wobble on skates for the first time in years?
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Gardening
Kids of all ages can help with watering, weeding, and harvesting.
While you work you can teach them about the garden,
responsibilities, the circle of life, plants, insects, nurturing,
the weather, nutrition, and about working together as a team to
create something meaningful.
Biking
Riding bikes together is a great way to encourage exercise and spend
quality time. You can ride in your own neighborhood, or load up the
bikes and head to a park.
Picnicking
A picnic doesn't have to be fancy to be fun. Just take your lunch
outside, sit on a sheet under a tree in the yard, and watch the ants
rally. Or you can pack up the cooler and head for the lake
Walking
Walking and talking go hand in hand. You can talk with your child
about their friends, their likes, their dislikes, and even about
your work. You can each point out things you see, like particular
birds, flowers, and trees. Maybe carry a Field Guide with you to
help with identification. Be sure and enjoy the silence together,
too.
Camping
There's nothing like spending time as a family in the great
outdoors. Cooking over a campfire, roasting marshmallows and
hotdogs, gathering firewood, putting up tents, fishing in streams,
enjoying stories under a starry sky. It's time to relax, let go of
the day-to-day concerns and frustrations, and just be together.
-Adapted from www.childfun.com
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If you are planning a trip, consider buying
prepaid, reloadable Visa Travel Money cards. You will be able to
purchase $100 to $5000 per card, and the cards can be reloaded up to
three times by phone or computer from all over the world. 
