Saturday, August 27, 2011

Planning Cheap Vacations That Can Save Your Budget

By Adriana Noton


You want to take a trip but you can not afford to spend as much as you usually do. With the uncertain economy and the increase in gas rates, you need to look at options for cheap vacation packages. There are a lot of ways you can still have fun and save money.

One option is to plan your travel in the off season. Research your destination and you may find that there are certain times of the year when prices are lower than others. If it is a destination you have traveled to before, this is a good option because it allows you to see the familiar places in a different season, which can make it seem brand new again. If you usually travel in the summer, plan your vacation in the fall. The changing foliage will be an added bonus, and make the same old places seem brand new.

Another option to save money on vacations may be to travel with others outside of your immediate family. Get a group together and split the costs. Not only will this help with your vacation budget, it will give you the opportunity to make wonderful new memories that you would not have the opportunity for any other way. This is especially good for defraying the fuel cost of traveling.

You may have the option to spend time with family members or friends in another town. This will cut down your budget drastically. This will take some coordination though, as you will have to make sure that they have time and space available for guests. You may want to offer them the same courtesy and ask them to spend their vacation with you and your family. It is always a good idea to return the favor.

If you have pinched pennies and still can not manage to take a trip, you may want to plan a series of day trips instead. Find interesting places to explore close to home. This is a really good idea if you have young children. You can use the opportunity to teach them about their local area and the local history if you visit local museums and historical sites.

If you are up for a real adventure you may want to consider camping. If you are up for sleeping in a tent this can be a really budget friendly idea. The cost is only a small portion of staying in a hotel. It does require a lot more planning and packing though, as you have to take all of the camping supplies with you. Most campgrounds have friendly staff on ground and some even have washers and dryers available. If you rent a spot with electrical hookups you can even charge your cell phone or lap top. Some even offer wi-fi connections.

There are cities that offer really good discounts through their local tourism offices. Sometimes they will offer you a bundled or package deal that includes discounts for local attractions as well as discounts on hotel rates. Research the area you are going to travel to and you may be surprised at the deals that you can find.

If all else fails and you still want a cheap vacation, sign up for a timeshare seminar. This can really save you money and often you can get a free vacation if you agree to attend a seminar or sales event for a timeshare. Sometimes these deals are too good to be true and be fraudulent, so if this is something you decide to do, you should research it very carefully.




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