Cheap Vacations

Need a vacation? Here are some low-cost ideas:

Stay at a friend’s vacation home.
Know someone with a timeshare, their own cabin or beach house? Free is great, or even renting on the “friends and family” discounted rate if you can swing that. Either way, you’ll likely pay much than you would for a hotel or renting a vacation home on your own. If your friends/family are kind enough to let you stay free, be sure to leave the place as neat and clean as you found it and at least send a thank you card and/or gift.

Get away with friends or another couple or family.
Vacation with other people and split all costs several ways. This can be a very affordable way to see great places and have a lot of fun!

Vacation to see friends or family.
When you vacation to family and friends’ places, you get away from home and you’ll (hopefully) be staying for free at their home. If you’re fortunate to get to stay with them, be good guests, keep their home neat and everything intact, and give them a thank you card and/or gift. And if your home is large enough to accommodate them, offer to let them stay with you sometime.

Don’t bring a lot of stuff.
If you’re going on an extended vacation and flying, pare down your list of necessary things to take along. Bring a few days worth of clothes and wash them while on vacation. Try to take the “less is more” approach and you’ll likely thank yourself for not being burdened with heavy, awkward luggage as you travel. Do your best to pack everything into one large suitcase and put the rest in carry-on bags since most airlines now charge for each bag checked. Or, don’t check any bags at all. Fit as much as you can into the largest carry-ons you’re allowed to take on-board at no charge.

Even if you’re not flying, the freedom of a “less is more” approach can translate into a more relaxing vacation.

Camp!
Surround yourself in the outdoors. Many campgrounds have great amenities: showers, toilets, and potable water. If you’re not interested in sleeping on the ground for a week, check out cabin rentals.

Make reservations early.
After finalizing your vacation plans, book the flight, rental car, and accommodations right away. You’ll get the best deals and you’ll have one less thing to worry about.

Tips
1. Pack food. Bring as much of your own food and drinks as you can. You can avoid a lot of vacation expenses if you eat packed food instead of restaurant food. (Plus, eating out all the time during vacation can wear thin after a while—and it should be a thoroughly enjoyable experience since you’re paying so much more for restaurant food!)

2. Don’t go very far. Generally, the closer you stay to home, the less you’ll spend on plane tickets. If traveling by car, you’ll definitely save on fuel costs if you don’t go very far.

3. Vacation when it’s “off season.” You’ll get the best deals if you travel during non-peak season. If you’re thinking about traveling somewhere internationally that you’ve not been to, find out when the destination’s off season is, and make plans to travel then. Not only will you get the best deals, you’ll also avoid a lot of crowds and the hassles that can be associated with them. It’s a win-win!