Extra Bang For Your Buck – Stretch Your Vacation Dollars
What if you could stretch your $5,000 budget into a $10,000 vacation? Imagine how
much more you could do and enjoy: a nicer hotel, better food, or maybe you would
change your plans all together. It can be done. With some research and planning,
taking a nicer vacation than you think you can afford is well within your reach.
Try these ideas to turn your vacation funds into more fun:
1. Airline Tickets. You can save a lot of money on airline tickets if you’re flexible
with your travel dates. A day or two earlier or later can make a huge difference
in the cost. Tuesdays – Thursdays are usually the cheapest days to travel by air.
- Consider alternate airports, too. Sometimes, flying into a different airport
can save hundreds of dollars if you have to purchase several airline
tickets. Larger cities typically have multiple airports.
2. Hotels. If you’re going to a popular destination, you’re likely to find hotels that
offer coupons or even free tickets to popular attractions.
- Search online for the lowest price hotel room that meets your needs. Also
consider joining a hotel points program. - You can save a lot of money on food by getting a hotel room with kitchen
facilities. Food is usually a major expense when traveling. A kitchenette
can save a ton of money, especially if you have kids and are staying for a
week or more.
3. Consider a cruise. Cruises offer spectacular food and a lot of entertainment for
a relatively small amount of money. There’s always the option to sign up for
off-ship excursions, which aren’t free, but usually aren’t too expensive either.
- You’ll need to include the cost to get to the ship from your house and back
again, but cruises can offer a tremendous value for the money.
4. Go in the off-season. Most travel locations have a peak and off-season. This is
usually dependent on weather and when travelers are most available to travel
there. By going in the off-season, there is much less demand and prices will be
lower. This is true for air-travel, car rental, lodging, and most entertainment.
- You also have the benefit of fewer crowds to deal with.
5. Group travel. Traveling with a group can really cut down on expenses. Larger
groups can get better rates on everything, from transportation to lodging, food,
and entertainment.
6. Condos. Renting a condo for a week can be much less expensive than staying in
a hotel. You’ll also have the benefit of kitchen facilities. Condos can be very cost
effective if you’re traveling with several people. A basic hotel room fills up
quickly if you have several people.
- Again, the off-season is when you’re going to find the best deals.
7. Pack carry-on luggage only. With nearly every airline charging for bags now, if
you can limit yourself to carry on items, it’s an easy way to save a lot of money.
8. All-inclusive. All-inclusive resorts can be a great way to cut your expenses. As
long as you stay at the location, all your food and entertainment are already
paid for.
- Though they might seem expensive on the surface, if you really add up all
the costs you’re likely to incur with other type of vacations, all-inclusive
resorts can make a lot of sense.
Stretching your vacation dollars is easy if you do your homework.
Consider that your major expenses are likely to be transportation, food, and lodging.
If you can do something to minimize each of those, you’ll be well on your way to
dramatically reducing your vacation expenses.
