Some days, it feels like summer is so far away. But the month of May is right around the corner and in a flurry of activity, it will pass by in the blink of an eye. And for some of us that means summer travel plans are beginning to take form. Especially with higher gas prices, travel expenses might add up more quickly than in years past. So here’s how you can have a great time without breaking the bank.
Check Your Calendar
Before you begin booking anything, check and double check the family calendar. One of the most regrettable experiences of your summer could be booking a week or even just a weekend only to find out that there’s a mandatory practice or summer camp or meeting already on the calendar. Not only will you be disappointed to miss out on a fun experience, you may also not be able to get deposits or down payments back.
Crowdsource Your Destination
After you’ve cleared the calendar and established your travel dates, begin asking friends and family about the trips they’ve recently taken and enjoyed. This is especially helpful if you’re starting from scratch and know in general how far you’d like to travel but not exactly where. Or it can also be helpful if you’ve selected a destination. Remember to inquire about places others have stayed, restaurants they loved, attractions to visit, and of course free things to do!
Visit City Websites
When you’ve decided where you’re headed, head to any tourism websites you can find linked to your destinations. Not only will you be able to see community calendars of upcoming events, but you’ll also might find discounts and deals connected to that city. Many of you know that I write at Visit Indy and last week, I shared a little more about the Indy Daily Deals portion of their website that has dozens of deals for attractions, restaurants, and hotels. Many cities have similar resources stocked with travel ideas, itineraries and more.
Booking Where You’ll Stay
Probably the most expensive and important piece of your vacation is where you’ll actually lay your head at night. You have more options than ever when it comes to choosing your home away from home. We use a mix of hotels (both direct and Hotwire) and Airbnbs or VRBOs when we travel. It’s really about fit and cost for me. However, there are a few guiding principles I use for every stay I book.
- Always read as many reviews as possible.
- Join FREE rewards programs to amass points to travel for free later.
- Drill down specifics – search for your stay by only looking at properties within your budget. Set the filters for the number of beds you need. Only look at 3 star and up properties, etc.
- Use a cashback app like Rakuten. Hotwire, Expedia, Priceline, VRBO, and a wide array of hotel chains are all on the platform at the time of writing this post.
- Use third party website BetterBidding to narrow where you might stay with Hotwire or Priceline and then read reviews.
- Don’t wait too long if you find a property you like. Someone else will like it too. Especially if there’s a range of dates when you can cancel for free.
- See what’s nearby. When you can, map how far you are from grocery stores, destinations, restaurants, and more.
Know the Parking Situation
Especially if you’ll be staying in an urban area, it’s smart to be knowledgeable about the parking situation before you arrive. Does your hotel or rented space have free parking? Is it valet? Are there self parking options nearby? Don’t forget to calculate this into the price of your stay. Will you have access to your car throughout your vacation? These choices might change where you choose to stay. An app like Spothero can help you find guaranteed parking before you travel at a more affordable rate. ALWAYS look for a coupon for Spothero, too. There’s almost always one floating around out there.
Track Important Info
A few years ago, I began starting a Google Doc before any trip we took. I shared it with the members of our family who would be traveling. In it, I included important information like confirmation numbers and addresses. But I also placed links on potential restaurants we wanted to visit and/or attractions. Other members of the family could enter their picks for the trip in this document, too. And with the Google Docs app on my phone, I could quickly and easily access any information I needed. Sometimes I build a detailed itinerary, others, it’s more of a loose collection of data, depending on the trip. But it’s super helpful in the moment and then later too when someone asks me for ideas.
Set Expectations
For all of us, vacations can end up being disappointing if we don’t have solid expectations about what we plan on doing. This is important especially for families with young children. Whether it’s a guideline on what kinds of souvenirs we will and won’t buy or how long we will stay somewhere, this can be incredibly helpful in having a successful trip both financially and emotionally. On recent trips, I’ve had our girls plan one day all on their own. Or when we last went to Disney, I had them choose one “can’t miss it” experience for each park that we visited. Whether it’s the realization that we can’t dine out for every meal or that every day won’t be packed to the brim with activity, set the expectations that you need to in order to safeguard your finances and your mental health.
Summer travel should be fun! And returning shouldn’t set your household finances on fire. Thinking ahead and planning can save you $100s of dollars in the long run.
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 The Debt Free Devotional
This post contains an affiliate link. That means when you get a great deal, learn about a way to save, or maybe even something for free, I may end up making a small commission. All prices are subject to change.
