How to Vacation on a Small Budget
The high cost of traveling had many families resigned to the “stay-cation” in recent years. But not leaving home tends to leave you with a lot of the day-to-day issues you’d like a vacation away from, like cleaning the house, running kids around, and the in-laws dropping by unannounced. You need to get away, but you don’t have a lot of money to spend. So figure out what you can afford and look into getting some advance cash from Money 4 You Payday Loans before you trek that first mile.
How to Vacation on a Budget
The price of gas at the pump has plummeted from more than $4 per gallon to around $2 and that opens the door for the open road. Remember Chevy Chase and the Griswold’s in the ’80s movies National Lampoon’s Vacation? Yes, we’re talking about reviving the great American tradition of the family road trip.
Loading up the family and driving from one stunning destination to another can be a lot of fun. There is a sense of freedom when you’re cruising down the highway and enjoying quiet off the beaten path hamlets and awe-inspiring sights like the Grand Canyon. One of the great things about a family road trip is that you’ve slashed your travel costs before stepping out the door.
Airfare for a family of four traveling from say Salt Lake City to San Diego would cost about $200 per person or about $800. Plus, you now have to rent a car when you arrive or pony up for inconvenient cab rides. If you vacation for 10 days, you’ll either be stranded at the hotel or pay another $400 in car rental fees. It adds up quickly. On the other hand, a family drive would run about $600 total, or about half the cost if you get as little as 25 miles to the gallon on the highway. Plus, you’re not restricted to one stop. Road tripping gives you an opportunity to see other points of interest along the way.
Maximize Your Food Budget
Another terrific cost-saving aspect of the road trip is the lower cost of food. We all know how pricey meals and snacks are at the airport. But traveling in the family ride means stocking a cooler full of goodies or keeping a portable grill in the trunk. Either way, you’ll be reducing food costs considerably.
This doesn’t mean you have to eat every meal at a park, beach or national monument. What it does mean is that you can take some of those saving and apply them to doing things you’d most enjoy, or popping into a really fancy restaurant or an extraordinary meal. That strategy beats 30 meals at national chains.
Things to Avoid When Vacationing On a Budget
It’s no secret that small town prices beat those downtown fees any day of the week. Save money by staying at hotels or motels outside of major cities. You’ll get greater bang for your buck staying in the suburbs and get all the same amenities. Think about it: You didn’t go on vacation to see the hotel, just relax there.
Don’t travel during the tourist season. If you look at the scale of rates, in some areas the cost of a room can be as much as 50 percent lower during the off-season. This doesn’t mean traveling to Florida in August or Alaska in the dead of winter. Look at rates just a few weeks off the busy season, and you may find some extraordinary deals.
Avoid pay full price for dinners. If you don’t want to carry food for major meals, another cost-saving trick is to eat late lunches instead of dinners at nice, seasonal restaurants. In places like Mystic, Connecticut, some fine dining establishments use the same menu for both sittings. The lunch prices are lower and the entrées are a little smaller, but frankly, the dinner portions can be too large for one sitting, while the “lunch” plate fills you up nicely. This is a wonderful way to try the best restaurants for a fraction of the cost.
Have Enough Cash On Hand
Regardless of how much you save by taking a road trip versus air travel, you’ll feel better with ample money in your pocket to spend. That’s why Money 4 You Payday Loans makes good sense. If you find yourself a little short on cash, you can always contact them to add some fun stay-overs or attractions on your well-deserved holiday. Start by filling out the online application, or calling 855-MY-MRMONEY and see what we can do for you.