Vacation on a Budget

Vacation on a Budget!

Times are tough right now and very few have a lot
of extra cash to spend on a well deserved vacation.
There are however, a few things you can do to save
some money and still have a good time.

1. Take vacation on the off season. Most
vacation destinations offer great deals during the
off-season. For example, take a cruise in October
or November and save a bundle. The highest travel
times are spring break and summer months. Go a
different time of year if you can. That will save you
hundreds of dollars on a great vacation.

2.Book either well in advance or at the last
minute. Many places offer great discounts if you
book early. This way they know that their hotel,
airline, cruiseship or resort will be accounted for.
Let's say you are undecided on where to go, wait
just a week or two ahead and in this economy, if
the room, airline or what have you, isn't booked
yet most companies would be happy to offer a
discount simply to make a sale.

3. Use travel booking sites. There are a few good
sites that offer greatly discounted rates.
Hotwire.com for example is a good one. Another is
Travelocity.com or Hotels.com. At most of these
sites you can get great rates on everything from
airfares to hotels, cruises and rental cars.

4.Try a STAYcation. Travel closer to home. You'll
save money by having little transportation costs.
Drive your own car or rent from Enterprise, Avis,
Hertz or any other local auto rental company.

5.Swap houses with a friend or family member
in another state. That will give each of you a
chance to have a vacation away from home spending
very little money. Some people will actually swap
homes with strangers via a web-based company. If
that is your cup of tea, go for it.

6.Get discount theme park tickets from local
banks or centers. Many credit unions or banks will
offer discounted theme park tickets to those in the
area. Great way to save some money. Don't forget
the discount tickets you can find on fast-food bags
during the summer months or on the back of grocery
store receipts. Keep your eyes open and you will
surprised where you can find them. Don't forget to
search the web. You might be able to find a discount
code and purchase tickets at a discount on line.