Is there really many things better than lying on a beach with a piña colada in your hands? Then getting up when you are hot and taking a dip in the blue ocean with waves crashing all around. Nice dinners every night and gorging on your favorite foods, breaking your diet only because it is vacation. Are you picturing it yet?
For many of us, the day dream is about to become reality. End of July and beginning of August is a very popular time for summer vacation. Here at L&A we wanted to offer some advice on some rather simple ways to save money on summer vacations.
Eat a big lunch. Don’t fast until dinner time. We can get caught up in the many fun things to do during the day on vacation and sometimes will starve ourselves until dinner. Well at least my family does that quite a bit. But often restaurants will offer early bird specials for lunch. The portions are not significantly smaller than dinner but they are significantly cheaper. Look for happy hours with great deals and fill up on beer and buffalo wings. Best of all, get some cold cuts from a local deli or grocery store and make a few fat sandwiches to eat on the beach or in a park some where. Save money and experience those things exclusive to your destination. Chances are their are plenty of nice restaurants wherever you came from.
Get a room with a kitchen. Try to get a room with a kitchen. Cooking on vacation is for some reason not as daunting and is less of a chore when your cooking at home. Often we feel bold enough to tackle meals we would not normally cook unless we were on vacation. Get the whole family involved and cook instead of going to dinner every night. You would be surprised how much money you will save. Some dinner outings can run into the hundreds for a regular dinner. A feast cooked by Chef “insert your name here” will likely be much cheaper.
Consider apartment and house rentals. Many do not realize it but thinking outside the hotel box can often save people money. Look for apartments and even houses on sites like airbnb.com. Sometimes you will find that it is cheaper to rent an apartment or a split a house with another family than it is to pay the $350 a night at some hotel. Bigger families sometimes have to get two rooms at a hotel which double that price. If you must think inside the hotel box, use discount sites like Kayak.com to find the best prices. Book far in advance or at the extreme last minute
Research your destinations. Be flexible relative to where you want to go. There are many beautiful beaches. Many sites to take in all over the world. Many things in general very much worth experiencing. Research some destinations and what they have to offer than pick one that offers the lowest price tag. All of a sudden that trip to Hawaii at $3000 for a couple can become a trip to Jamaica for $1200. Do extensive research to find the best option. A beach is a beach. Some beaches are nicer than others and some locations definitely more desirable but ask yourself, is it worth the extra price tag?
Travel during the off peak time. Traveling to Florida during the peak of snowbird season is obviously going to be more expensive than going during the summer in New York. Summers in Europe are a hot commodity. Consider going on vacation during an offseason if you can and be surprised at how much green you save. Another plus, it’s not as crowded. Restaurants may offer even more deals because it is offseason.
Get a credit card with travel rewards. The favorite around here seems to be the JetBlue American Express card. The specifics I won’t get into but research a good card that gives you travel points. Many of the L&A family love purchasing everything on their JetBlue Amex and then getting free flights for the whole family to Brazil as a consequence. Some flights can run into the thousands as you well know. It’s nice to be able to save money on flights and earn miles for things you needed to buy anyway.
Understand rental car fees. Always understand that certain fees can be avoided when it comes to renting a car. For instance, some rental car companies charge money for picking up a car at one location and returning it to a different location. Ask the person lots and lots of questions about the bill. “What is this fee for? and this one?” I know you don’t want to be “that guy” or “that gal” but you may be leaving hundred of dollars on the table otherwise.
Oh you are done reading? Excuse me I had to put my glass of chardonnay down. So before you head out, suitcase in hand, consider some of these 8 tips to save money on summer vacation. Because you know what a few thousand bucks saved could mean right? More frequent vacations! What a beautiful thing! Thanks for reading folks and enjoy your vaca! Wait. You did remember all three kids, didn’t you?
