It’s about time for the sun to come out and the temperature to warm up. Winter and spring are both great, but summer means no school and vacation time! Woo hoo fun in the sun and swimming in that nice cool water, suntans and those balmy nights, oh yeah. Okay, you guessed it by now, it is time to start thinking about your summer vacation. There is no doubt that you are looking forward to a little rest and relaxation with friends and/or family. The question is, how do your ensure that you will have enough money to fund your adventure and still make it home safe and sound? Read on for some cool information.
Start saving up early
The best way to have enough money saved up for your awesome summer vacation, is to actually start saving up early. You could start saving for it the day after you come back from vacation! Sounds a little goofy but it works. If you save a little bit all year long, when vacation time arrives again, you will be financially prepared. One tip: Give up one thing you normally would spend money on everyday/week/month, and put that money into the summer vacation fund.
Pack snacks/drinks
On the road and even while you are on vacation, it is a good idea to bring your own snacks in order to avoid paying the high “tourist” prices. Why spend so much money on eating out? Order a pizza or better yet, buy a few easy to fix microwave meals at a local grocery store. Part of the fun of vacationing is eating out, but do so in moderation. You might be surprised that half of your vacation finances are spent on food. This suggestion is not saying you and your friends/family should go hungry in order to save a few bucks. The idea is save money by shopping and choosing your restaurants wisely.
Shop around for deals
Before you head out for vacation, get on your trusty computer and look around for deals on accommodations, restaurants and events in the area you will be visiting. You will be amazed at all of the crazy good deals and discounts you will find by simply shopping early. Most places that offer coupons will allow you to print them out so you will have them on hand when you arrive at your destination. Tip: many hotels offer package deals like a two night stay, ghost tour, restaurant voucher, breakfast and a souvenir for one price. These kinds of deals are always cheaper than booking a room, then hunting for a restaurant, etc. Also check the area you will be visiting for a list of free stuff to do. Many cities offer lots of cool summer fun free of charge.
Avoid weekend trips
Especially during the summer you want to avoid weekend trips if at all possible. The reason for avoiding weekends is that most places hike up their prices then. Another good reason is the potential for congested traffic in areas, plus the party crowd is in full force on the weekends. If you are a party animal, then dismiss the last sentence since you are one them! If you are going to be vacationing with children, then you want to be as far from party central as possible.
Limit the souvenirs
One of the biggest problems with going on vacation is all of those awesome gifts and souvenirs! It is just so unfair that those mean people put all of that cool stuff right out in front of you, isn’t it? Want some good advice? Forget the cool souvenirs and settle on one or two really neat items at the end of your vacation. Yes, wait to purchase souvenirs until you are ready to head home and then if you must, only pick one or two that really commemorate the trip for you. So often people shell out their cash for pretty things and then discover that they are running short on money before it is time to go home.
Take lots of pictures
Grab your awesome cell phone and take lots of really nice pictures. If you have a nice camera, then use that too. The pictures are free to take and will download to your computer in a neat file labeled “vacation”. Seriously friends, pictures are snapshots of a moment in time that will live on forever. Talk about reliving the awesome memories each time you look at those photos!
The wildly anticipated summer vacation is a time to have a ball and not worry about anything for awhile. To make sure you have a worry free trip, plan ahead of time and spend smart while out and about. There really isn’t a good reason to buy one of every cool souvenir you come across and why spend more on tickets/admission to an event? Simply shop early for package deals and actually enjoy your vacation.