Summer vacations are nearly as iconic in American society as the backyard barbecue. Warm weather arrives, and with it; the urge to go somewhere else, see something different and do something beyond the realm of regular habit. We are driven by tradition, nostalgia and a desire for change to get away and explore; to abandon the mundane and go out to play. Short economics do not have to sound the death knell to summer dreams.
Ingenuity often increases possibility, and innovative solutions to the expenses of a getaway can make a trip a reality even when money is tight. Regardless of where the wanderlust may lead you, there are ways to vacation economically but the degree of savings is dependent upon one primary rule to remember. The proportion of savings is directly tied to the amount of effort you are willing to invest. If someone else is doing things for you, you will pay for it.
Vacations are made wonderful largely by attitude, which costs little but some concentrated effort. Determination to have a good time renders the inevitable kafuffles inherent in any trip unimportant. Getaways, by their very nature are venues for expanded experience. Start by looking close to home. People live all their lives near places others come from far and wide to see and yet often never go there themselves. With modern transportation options day trips can take you to some wonderful places. Short trips are easy on tempers and the pocketbook and you can sleep in the best bed in the world…your own.
For adventures farther afield, start with affordable transportation. If driving is less expensive than a flight, break up the trip with side trips along the way. Hurry to get to a single destination misses much of interest between point A and point B. Camp along the way and save on hotel bills. If camping is not your style stay in modest hotels or Bed and Breakfast establishments rather than five star hotels. If you must fly, check out discounted prices well ahead of time and lock in your rates.
Hit the grocery stores in faraway places for breakfast and lunch food and save eating in restaurants for dinner. The effort of fixing food yourself has benefits. The family will eat what they are used to and like, making waste of food and money less, and the novelty of eating in a restaurant does not pall after the first day out.
Travel souvenirs can be free if you think outside the box. Prices on tourist – shop items are generally expensive but stones, shells, pressed leaves and embossed napkins are free. Check local laws and travel restrictions first, however, so that what you choose to take home is legal. Pictures and memories make the best souvenirs of all.
Once arrived at a destination, check out the local museums, botanical gardens and nature preserves. These are often inexpensive, free, or have a free day you can plan into your schedule. Visitor centers are usually listed in the local phone book and the resident staff are always happy to direct you to areas of interest. Absorbing a bit of local history always makes memories of a place stronger and more interesting. Some of your favorite vacation memories may arise from visits to places you never knew were there.
The most important way to save money on a getaway is to plan ahead. Organization saves not only money on transportation and accommodation but those extra costs incurred when you have to buy things you forgot. The purchase of a sun – hat at an amusement park will cost about three time what it would have at home. Plan your itinerary, think of the climate in your destination and make lists. Check things off as you pack. Because this is a focused activity, this exercise will often trigger the remembrance of something and allow its inclusion so you do not have to buy it later.
Summer getaways are important to us. They are the essential playtime in our lives; something we never outgrow and find necessary to our soul. Economic conditions may change their extent of possibility but they will always be with us in one form or another. Budgeting makes a destination possible and a positive attitude makes budgeting friend rather than foe to enjoyment.
