The summer days are wearing away and stores have already begun the back to school stock up. Before you know it, our schedules will have every line full of practices, homework, meetings, and more. More than likely, you may feel the pull to take one more summer last minute weekend getaway. More than anything, I’d love for you to soak up fleeting moments with your family before the demands of the regular routine take away your opportunity. But what I don’t want you to do is to waste precious time, energy, and money. So even if you want to take a last minute trip, you can still plan ahead to maximize your dollars. After all, Proverbs 21:5 says, “Careful planning puts you ahead in the long run; hurry and scurry puts you further behind.” Here are a few tips if you plan on hitting the road this weekend.
Car Maintenance
A good road trip can end horribly with a car broken down on the side of the road. So before you hit the road, take the time to check the oil and tire pressure. If you have time to get the oil changed, do that too. Sure, you won’t be stranded on the side of the road, but you’ll also get better gas mileage, too.
Hotwire
When it comes to booking at hotel room, I love to use the discount site Hotwire. There are some definite challenges to its usage though. If you’re not familiar with the platform, you don’t know exactly where you are booking until you pay for it. This makes most of us nervous. However, I’ve found that I really like to use BetterBidding.com – an online forum where people report back on which hotels they got based on the amenities. I find the listings to be about 85% correct and I can get a better idea of which hotel we’ll actually land. Never, ever book something on Hotwire without looking for a coupon code, too. A cash back site like EBates might also give you a few dollars back, too. Hotwire’s best deals are found in population dense areas. And, it’s a good idea to check back throughout the day at different times because the prices fluctuate. Try not to wait until the absolute last minute though. The prices might climb the longer you wait to book.
Groupon
You may be able to score a sweet little deal on a hotel or tickets to a local attraction by scanning Groupon. You can search through the Groupon Getaways area or simply choose your destination city to find what’s available. Living Social, Sweet Jack, or Amazon Local offer similar deals, too.
City Visitor Sites
One of the best ways to maximize your stay is to visit local convention and visitor’s websites. You can usually find them by doing a simple Internet Search with the city’s name and convention bureau. In Indianapolis, the best site is VisitIndy.com. Scan the site for coupons, free events, and an insider’s view on the best places to grab a burger or eat an ice cream cone.
Choose to Serve
Instead of hitting a theme park (although I can save you money on that, too), choose a charitable organization to serve on a weekend getaway. Ask friends who live in a different city if there’s a ministry or church who could use another pair of hands. Center you visit around a specific mission or nonprofit. You’ll grow together as a family and take the focus off of spending money.
Rent a House or a Cabin
One of the best things about planning at the last minute is the ability to negotiate. So instead of just driving and finding the first hotel you can, spend a few minutes a day or two before you leave scanning rental homes or cabins. You can do an internet search based on the area you’re visit or use a site like Home Away or VRBO to look for potential rentals. Most owners are willing to take a fraction of the fee in order to have someone rent their property instead having it remain vacant. Make an offer and see if they counter or even accept. The worst thing they could say is no.
Gift Cards with Fuel Rewards
It’s easy to wildly spend on a weekend away. To help you reign in that urge, use a store like Kroger’s Fuel Rewards program. You purchase gift cards and get points toward a reduced rate of gasoline – which after all you’ll probably need plenty of on a weekend away. The gift cards will give you a set budget instead of blindly using your debit card for each purchase.
The summer is quickly slipping away! Make the most of your time and your money. And most of all, make memories!
My book is now available: Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After. You can also check out Inspiration to Pay Off Debt: 30 Days of Encouragement from the Queen of Free
This post contains an affiliate link. That means when you get a great deal or maybe even something for free, you also help our family pay off our mortgage early. And for that, we royally thank you!
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