How to Travel Cheaply

How many times have you wanted to get away from it all and visit someplace new, but could not afford it? Why should you have to charge your vacation now and pay for it later?

A tightwad vacation does not mean that you have to be cheap. You do not have to go camping in your backyard or go hiking to the local supermarket. There are many cost-efficient ways to travel, and tips to help you along the way.

Over the course of a year, many families are spending hundreds to thousands of dollars on extra un-needed small wants, instead of using that money wisely at a later time. Try keeping track of some of those wants and cutting back on them.

Think of the impulse purchases you make along the way. Snacks, drinks, souvenirs, tourist attractions, etc., and gas to get there may be more than a train or bus pass would have cost. Make plans a few months early to consider if you want to spend a lot of time doing activities at your destination, or if you just want to have fun getting there.

Do not travel during the holidays or mid-summer. Prices are always jacked up on hotel rooms, restaurants, and tourist attractions at most major cities. Instead, travel during the fall when school starts again, or early winter, when prices will be back to normal, if not cheaper than usual.

Take along your own food and drinks. Pack a large cooler with sandwiches, fruit, drinks, vegetable sticks, and so on. Also bring many types of food that will not go bad if they do not get eaten within the first few days. Crackers, cookies, dried fruit, trail mixes, and nuts are always good to snack on.

Bring plenty of extra clothes. You do not want to have to buy new clothes just because you do not have anything else to wear.

If you are traveling with young children, take a small bag packed with travel games, activity pads, tiny stuffed animals, crayons, and a coloring book to keep them busy. Even if you want the children to look around instead of playing in the backseat, it is always much better to have them, just in case.

Jot down every expense you make during this trip, and be sure to save those receipts. By keeping track of how much you spend on this vacation, it will be easier to make an estimate on how much you need for the next vacation, and to keep your family motivated from buying all of those small unnecessary purchases throughout the year.