As most of us try to cut costs and increase the working capital into our household budget many people are thinking twice about taking a family vacation this summer. Before you sacrifice a much needed break for your family check out the following tips that can make incorporating a great vacation a reality you can enjoy this summer.

Spend less on getting there.

When you begin looking into your summer destination consider not only the cost of where you are going but how much it will cost to get there. Flying can be one of the most expensive ways of getting from point A to point B, so you may want to consider sticking closer to home and saving the money you would have spend on airline tickets toward your actual vacation activities.

Flexibility can save you cash.

If you are willing to be flexible with your location and dates of travel you can shave considerable amounts of money off of your vacation expenses. Hotels and airlines know when peak travel season hits and adjust their prices accordingly. If you are willing to book late or early and allow room for changes in your itinerary you can save hundreds of dollars on your travel expenses.

Take advantage of programs that offer “free for kids” deals.

Many hotels chains offer programs that allow kids to stay or eat for free. Since traveling with children can get very costly very quickly it is very cost effective to seek out and take advantage of any programs offering free or discounted prices for children.

Share your vacation.

A great way to save money on lodging is by buddying up with friends or other family members. As a general rule you can save big bucks by renting a vacation house or condo versus staying in a hotel and by including a larger group you can split the bill accordingly to make lodging more affordable for everyone involved. When staying in a summer rental you will likely save considerable amount of money on dining out and laundry services as most rentals offer kitchen and laundry facilities which can save you big when traveling with a large group.

Get off the beaten path.

Consider camping, RV’ing or visiting off season spots during the peak travel season. Keep your options open and consider vacation spots that offer summer discounts. If you do your research you will likely find many summer festivities that can offer free or close to free activities for you and your family to enjoy.

When planning your summer getaway keep in mind the goal of “getting away” is to relax and enjoy down time with your family.  By following a few simple tips you can reap the benefits of that much needed vacation without breaking the bank.

Tags: kid programs, travel for less, vacation

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 24th, 2009 at 7:44 am and is filed under tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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