5 Ways to Save Money on Your Summer Vacation

Written by adminMay 7, 2019
Credit & Debt , Saving

As we roar through May, the summer months are only a few weeks away! Soon, the kids will be off for their summer vacation. Maybe you’ve already planned your vacation and have everything saved up. That’s great! There are still ways you can save some extra money, especially if you’re a procrastinator.

If you have a lot of debt or are trying to save money, enjoying a cheap summer vacation isn’t a bad idea. You don’t have to waste a lot of money on frivolous stuff. For the most part, getting away from the office and spending time with your loved ones doesn’t have to be expensive. It’s the quality time that matters, not the amount of money you spent.

At the end of the day, saving money will better protect your family. That’s why we’ve written this blog. Here are 5 ways to save money on your summer vacation:

1) Do Your Best to Plan Ahead

Airlines like to sell seats the same way stores sell merchandise. Money savers know this trick well. You don’t buy swimsuits in the spring or during the summer months. You buy them off-season when they’re the cheapest. Stores are eager to get rid of extra merchandise, especially as the new season comes in. It’s like buying your Christmas decorations on December 27th when they’re half off.

Airlines do the same. There are slow times of the year when not as many people are flying. There are peak times during the holidays and summer months. People are reserving flights, booking hotels, and renting cars if they’re not doing the drive themselves. So, the best thing to do in order to save money is plan ahead!

Right during the slow season, you can get some amazing deals. If you want until things start heating up again, you will be paying through the nose.

2) Avoid Popular Destinations

Just like airlines have off-seasons, so do popular destinations. Booking certain weeks of the year will be a difficult task if you want to save money. When everyone is trying to get down to Florida, tickets and rooms will be much more expensive than during the off-season. Same for anywhere else really.

3) Use Your Rewards

If you’re looking to save more money, don’t forget about any reward packages you might be subscribed to. Your customer loyalty points and credit card rewards might be helpful enough to bring down the cost for your summer vacation. If you don’t have a rewards credit card, then perhaps you should get one to save you money down the road.

4) Eat Basic Meals

Eating while on vacation can get expensive. Of course, you’re on vacation and don’t want to cook, either. But rather than chowing down on expensive seafood just because you’re in a tropical paradise, cooking yourself meals will save a ton of money in the long run. A lot of hotels have in-room kitchens. Many others have free breakfast.

Another trick for saving money is order your food to go! Don’t have it delivered and don’t dine-in. By going to pick up your food, you avoid tipping drivers or waitresses and that’s extra money that definitely adds up during a week-long vacation. Grab your meal and take it back to the hotel or just eat in the car!

5) Don’t Go on Summer Vacation Alone

When you were younger, you might’ve had roommates. Or, maybe you have roommates right now! Either way, you know it’s cheaper for a bunch of people to rent a place together. The same can apply to your vacation! Why not join with a relative or friends and rent a house together? By doing that you skip the overpriced and overcrowded hotels and can stay in a comfortable home with loved ones.

Your summer vacation doesn’t have to be expensive. Remember, it’s about the memories! Find cheaper places to spend quality time with loved ones. They’ll cherish the memories and forget everything else. Enjoy your summer without spending the rest of the year kicking yourself as you work to pay off the debt.

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How I Saved A Lot of Money Taking a Family Vacation

Written by adminAugust 6, 2018
Saving

As we enter the dog days of summer, back-to-school commercials are already blasting on every TV channel. Preseason football is making us think about fall. So, you might be wondering if I’m a bit late with this article. If you had a family vacation this year, it was probably in the summer months before now.

But, as a rule, we at Financial Helpers understand that the best way to save a lot of money! And vacations don’t have to be summer mainstays either. If you’re a family with a tight budget, then this article is for you!

Some trips can cost thousands of dollars, depending on the size of your family vacation. Admission to theme parks, hotel, car rental if you choose to fly, airfare, and food can all vary depending on the time of year.

One of the first things I did to have a great vacation for cheap is by doing a season swap. Various destinations have busy seasons where the price to stay there is extremely expensive. You can be forced to $300 per night at a hotel that only charges $70 in the offseason. Mark ups can be incredible!

Attractions More Expensive for a Family Vacation

My sister lives in a tiny town in Northern Michigan that’s very touristy in the summer months due to all the amazing outdoor activities near Lake Michigan and its proximity to Traverse City, one of the state’s top attractions. I know when it’s summer, I won’t even dare to book a room unless I want to spend over $150-$200.

When I visited the family over the Christmas holiday, it only cost $30, which was a good deal. This tells me that I can save a lot of money visiting destinations during the times of the year when these places are practically begging for business.

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Here’s the thing: booking early has the same effect. If you wait until the last minute to buy a plane ticket or book a hotel, you will pay A LOT more than booking your family vacation a year to six months in advance.

Food is also another major expense that needs to be planned ahead of time. You can easily save a few hundred bucks by choosing a hotel that offers free breakfast. Some of the pricier hotels might offer breakfast service, but you can expect anything you purchase, like room service or anything from the mini-fridge, has been marked up considerably.

Free Is Always a Good Deal

If you get free breakfast from the hotel, the selection might be limited, but it will save you a lot of money over the life of your trip.

It’s also important to remain realistic about when you fly. It doesn’t matter when you book your tickets if you try to fly out around a holiday. The fares will always be expensive during peak times of the year. But if you’re not flying on a holiday, there are days of the week that tend to be less pricey than others.

For example, weekends are a peak time for flying, so fares on a Friday might be higher than flying out on a Wednesday when there’s less traffic.

Cheapair.com did a survey and found that travelers saved $200 on Thanksgiving travel. They left on Monday and returned on Friday rather than the typical timeframe. So, if you hope to save money on travel, choosing infrequent days can save a lot of money.

Just because you’re on a tight budget doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a nice family vacation. Get away from the grind! Just make sure you plan early. Sign up for alerts, book tickets to fly out during the week, and choose destinations during non-peak times. You’ll save a lot of cash in the long run.

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1 in 4 Americans Won’t Take a Vacation this Year

Written by adminMay 23, 2018
Saving

After the brutally cold and snow winter, the days are finally getting longer and the warm weather is making its gradual return. As Memorial Day creeps up on us, so does the first day of summer.

Prom season is upon us and graduation is around the corner. This time of year is a busy, but exciting time all around. Families mostly look forward to summer for the numerous recreation opportunities that abound.

The problem is, a lot of families still won’t be able to afford a vacation. According to a new survey, 1-in-4 Americans can’t afford to go on a vacation, even if they have paid vacation days. The situation is so frustrating, that only 36% of people said they don’t even plan on using all their days this year. 13% said they won’t use any days at all.

It’s not all about being unable to afford a trip, either. In a lot of cases, the economy is booming and businesses are experiencing a labor shortage. If there’s not enough help, then workers may decide to take advantage of the need and work through their vacation time to earn more money. Some strongly feel falling behind at work will cost them in the end.

But not taking a vacation is as good as leaving money on the table. While a lot of Americans seem reluctant to take vacations, they’re very important for a variety of reasons. If you get paid to take days off, then you should do it!

Vacations, even long weekends, are great for your health, will prevent burnout, and can increase your productivity. The problem is, these benefits only work if you actually take a break from your work.

61% of people claimed to do work while they were on vacation and reported all sorts of ill effects, such as higher levels of exhaustion and burnout, compared to people who took a real break they considered “highly recuperative”, even to the point of feeling more satisfied with their lives.

Whiling taking a vacation is highly suggested, if you’re the 1-in-4 who simply can’t afford a vacation, here are a few ways you can save throughout the year to ensure you get some necessary time off:

1) Don’t Choose Heavily Populated Areas

Sometimes, the best places to get away to are off the beaten path. Going on a long weekend camping trip up the road might be best. It gets you out of the office and communing with nature while allowing for family time.

You might consider theme parks or areas where a lot of other people go, but those types of places tend to be expensive to visit. Choosing the right location can save your bundle and have the same desired effect.

2) Plan Your Vacation Well Ahead of Time

Don’t be that person who waits until it’s almost summer to start planning that vacation. If you can plan well ahead of time, it gives you a better chance to save more money knowing what to expect. Also, you can book tickets cheaper the further out you go.

3) Use Cash

It might be tempting to put everyone on credit, but that will make the vacation much more expensive than you might realize. Not only will you have to pay the interest, a lot of credit cards have extra fees for using your card away from home. This is especially true if you leave the country. Cash is best so you can budget exactly what you need and not break the bank.

4) It’s Great for Your Health

Again, a lot of people fear taking vacations for a variety of reasons, but usually at a cost of lost production and increased burnout. Scientists discuss the benefits of getting that much needed break and they include better heart health, higher production when you return, better quality of life, and an overall reduction of stress.

Taking a vacation is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Most people who end up skipping it, even if they don’t think they can afford it, often regret it. Even if you can’t afford to leave on a trip, do yourself a favor and find time to relax. You won’t be sorry.

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