Maximize Your Vacation Budget

Going on vacation can be a real drain on the bank account. Even if you’ve saved up the money ahead of time in a special vacation fund, there are a variety of expenses along the way that can nickel and dime your budget down to almost nothing. But, if you think a vacation is beyond your wallet, then here’s some good news for you. With a little planning and some compromise, you can have a fantastic vacation and not go into massive debt. A few simple steps can make a vacation possible for just about anyone!

 

Stay closer to home

Sure, when you think of vacation you might dream about going far away to some luxurious location. However, the farther you roam from home, the more you are likely to pay due to transportation expenses (airfare or gas money for the car) and accommodations. To get away from it all doesn’t mean it has to be hundreds or thousands of miles from home.We often overlook some amazing attractions that are practically in our own back yard!  Consider a getaway with a drive-able distance like a three to five hour radius. Driving that far doesn’t require multiple tanks of gas, which will lower your overall vacation cost.

 

Take the time to comparison shop

Whether its airfare or hotel rates, price ranges vary widely depending on location, days of the week and many other factors. But, with the internet, it is easy to go on websites like Google, Orbitz, Travelocity or others to compare prices. Is it time consuming? Yes. Still, it’s better to invest the time to find the best travel deals than spends hundreds of dollars more on your trip than necessary.

Don’t eat out every day

One of the things most people love about vacation is going out to eat. However, eating at restaurants two to three times a day for an entire family is expensive, even if it’s just fast food. Whether your driving to your location or flying, Most hotels have a fridge and microwave in their rooms and many have mini-suites with kitchens. Picking up some basic groceries such as bread, cereal, milk, snacks and sandwich meat can alleviate up to two meals out a day, which can lead to much more money in your pocket to spend on other things!

Watch out for those souvenirs

Speaking of spending money on other things, picking up souvenirs is a fun part of a vacation. But, let’s be honest. How many of those dust collectors like magnets or hats do you really need? Perhaps deciding on one, nice item to display in your home might be a better idea. Because, those little knick-knacks add up fast. The next thing you know, you’ve spend hundreds of dollars on key-chains, t-shirts, figurines or other stuff you’ll probably wind up regretting you brought home.