How to Have a Frugal Vacation

March 7th, 2007 • Related • Filed Under • by admin

I’ve never been a big fan of going on vacations, mostly because when I’m not at work, I prefer to relax at home rather than rushing to get to the airport or going on a long drive only to have a week jam packed full of different activities. Vacations are also a very great way to spend a lot money that often times you don’t have. Instead of making $600 at work for the week, chances are you’ll spend $1000 or so on vacation for a week. I have a hard time financially justifying that to myself very often, which has made honeymoon planning be quite a task for me! Fortunately there are ways to have a very frugal vacation and still have a lot of fun. Here are some great ideas:

1. Make Use of the Grocery Store – Going out to eat for every meal while on vacation will get real expensive real fast. It could easily be $75 a day for a family of four if you don’t pay attention. Instead limit yourself to going out to eat once a day, and buy the rest of the food you need from the grocery store. You wouldn’t eat like that at home, so don’t eat like that on vacation!

2. Get a Deal on Your Hotel Room – Don’t just go to your destination and get a hotel room at whichever hotel has a room available. Instead plan ahead and compare prices on hotel rooms through places like Price line, Hotels.com and Travelocity. This will enable you to get the best price ahead of time rather than trying to make phone calls at a gas station in hopes of finding a decent price.

3. Consider a “Hotel” Alternative – If you have friends that live in the city that you are visiting, see if you can stay with them. This is a great way to save a lot of money while on vacations. Paying $0 for a hotel is a lot better than paying $100 a night! If there’s a place you can camp in that town, consider that as an option too.

4. Drive When Appropriate – If the distance to your destination is less than 12 hours or so, usually it makes sense to drive there rather than fly. When you drive, you don’t have rent a car, saving more money. Chances are gas for a family of four is also a lot less than plane tickets to the destination. This way you won’t have to deal with the TSA either.

5. Be Smart with the ATM – Make sure that there’s an ATM from your bank in the city that you are visiting so that you don’t have to pay ATM usage fees, if not pay for your purchases with a debit or credit card.

6. Choose The Right Destination – You don’t need to go across the world to have fun. Just go to a different city and enjoy yourself. You’ll save a lot more money by going to a major city five hours a way rather than across the country.

7. Drive Smart – Make sure your car is in the best running condition. Make sure your oil filter is clean, your tires are fully inflated, and your oil is okay before leaving. If you’re going on a major trip, have your mechanic give your vehicle a once over before taking off.

8. Don’t pay “Movie Theater Prices” at attractions – If you’re going to a place such as Disney World, a theme park or a sports stadium, bring food in a cooler. You’ll save a lot of money compared to paying the outrageous prices at the concession stands.

9. Choose Some Frugal Activities – Don’t just do all of the expensive things there are to do in the town such as theme parks, theaters, and sporting events. A few days on your vacation choose inexpensive entertainment, such as going to malls and state parks.

10. Go During Off Season – You can save a lot of money on vacations by avoiding going during the mid summer when everyone’s going. Rates will be cheaper during the winter. If you can make it work to go then, do so!