Need to Know: Cutting Vacation Costs

Everyone needs to get away from time to time, but the cost associated with vacations can be high, thus making them less appealing, or at least, less realistic for many. The following are a few practical suggestions to help you cut vacation costs without cutting vacation fun.

1. Vacation closer to home: The cost of traveling to your vacation can be high. Usually the closer it is, the cheaper it is. This is true whether you are flying, taking a bus, a train, or driving. There are likely several options for fun vacation destinations within a few hours driving or flying from your home. So, take advantage of them.

2. Stay in a condo. A condo offers a lot of cost savings because of things like having a kitchen, a laundry facility, as well as more space for less per night price. When you travel with your family or a group, a condo or renting a house, is often far less expensive than hotel rooms, and usually provides for more space, privacy, and fun. Look into it. Craigslist offers several vacation rental options, as well as house swaps for vacations, which can help you cut costs even more.

3. Play for free. One option for big vacation cost savings is to take advantage of free entertainment. For example, instead of spending the day at a theme park, spend the day at the beach. Instead of paying to visit a tourist attraction, visit the natural wild life and outdoors. There are always tons of free options anywhere you go, you just have to look for them. In some cases, it is simply a matter of taking advantage of what your accommodation has to offer, such as the pools, game rooms, etc. A day spent on your resort, taking advantage of the expensive pools and lounges, can save you hundreds and still provide you with a lot of fun.

4. Pack a basics kit. This is a kit with things like bandaids, asprin, sunscreen, aloe vera, chewing gum, water bottles, etc. One expense that is often overlooked on vacations and can add up fast is that of the little things you need like swim diapers for child. Instead of paying $3 a diaper in the hotel gift shop, buy a whole pack of 24 for about $10. Taking along some of these items that you likely already have at home, will help you save big.

5. Stay somewhere with free breakfast: Eat cheaper by taking advantage of continental breakfasts, kids eat free, buy one get one coupons, and any other discount or promotion you can. Food costs really add up on vacation, so if you aren’t staying somewhere with a kitchen where you can eat it, be sure to eat out smart.

These are just five simple tips for saving money on vacation costs. Other tips include taking advantage of time share promotional tours to get free stuff or discounted rates, vacationing off season to get the lowest prices, vacationing with big groups to get group rates, etc. If you look for ways to save, you will find them.