Today David Brown joins me with a guest post:
“I am leaving on a Jet plane don’t know when I’ll be back again” -John Denver
As the mercury level rises, something inside you whispers that it is time to take a break, it’s time to rejuvenate your soul. So you start looking for places to relax and unwind for a summer vacation. However, the gloomy state of the economy and consequent financial insecurity may strip you of the liberty of an extravagant trip. So you need to plan meticulously to make sure that financial blues won’t follow a lovely vacation. Here are 5 tips which will help you to enjoy a great summer vacation without any monetary woes:
1) Budgeting is an integral part of your life in general and summer vacations in particular. It will help you to organize your finances and allocate your resources in a proper way. Calculate all the possible expenses. If the total cost of the trip exceeds what you can afford then better start dropping items from your list. You want a great vacation but at the same time you also don’t want to face financial crunch once you are back.
2) Look for new locations which are yet to become famous but are attractive enough. If you choose places frequently visited by tourists then you will need to shell out more bucks in terms of hotel charges and other trip related expenses. Remember that a renowned vacation spot is always an expensive place owing to its popularity. It is possible to save a considerable sum of money each year by travelling to lesser known but charming places.
3) The free tourism booklets are often accompanied by discount coupons. These coupons allow free of cost entry (or entry at much reduced rates) to theme parks and other similar attractions. Make sure that you take advantage of these coupons during the trip.
4) Eating out is one of the major expenses during a trip with your family. Well, it’s understandable that you don’t want to cook while you are out for a summer vacation. So, what can be a decent alternative? Perhaps local cuisine. Instead of continental and exotic dishes, you can try local food. It might be cheap as well as delicious. The local cafeteria, street foods are the other wallet-friendly options you have.
5) If you are planning to go out with a gigantic group, choose a vacation rental over a hotel. The rentals are far more cheaper than the hotels. You can very well find a rental at $500 per week if you are comfortable sharing the house with another family. Rentals provide you with a kitchen. So you can save money by cooking at home (at least the breakfast).
6) Look for special packages or discounts offered by the cruise companies and hotels. Internet will allow you to compare the rates and choose what suits you best. If you have membership with any hotel or airlines company then you might be interested being a part of their points club. More points would mean more discounts.
A great summer vacation can indeed boost up a tired soul. However it doesn’t make sense to spend a fortune over it. So, remember what you have read and you will surely enjoy a beautiful and frugal summer vacation.
David Brown is a content writer with File Your Bankruptcy.org. He writes on a variety of finance related topics.
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Hello there! I decided I would drop by with a short comment considering that I’ve spent the better part of the last 30 minutes reading through your posts. I’m really into what you’ve built yourself here with your blog and I trust you’ll keep writing it. Well that is all I have to say! Thanks again and very nice to ‘meet’ you
Keep posting stuff like this i really like it