School is out. Sun is out. Work is slower (we hope). And adventure awaits!
Summer is made for family vacations. With the kids anxiously awaiting the next activity and the weather beckoning you from your desk to the great outdoors, we want you to make wonderful memories this summer. That being said, we also don’t want you to accumulate any unnecessary debt just to take a vacation.
If you have already budgeted this year for a vacation we applaud you, however sometimes budgeting for summer is the furthest thing from you mind during the busy school year. We get it.
If you haven’t built up your savings for a dream vacation, here are some tips on how to get away from it all without spending all your money!
Visit Family & Friends
Many extended family members and friends likely live in places you would love to vacation. From New York to San Francisco, there is likely a guest room you and your family could stay in for a few days free of charge. Even if your guest room isn’t in the exact location you want to visit, look at it as a closer proximity to where you want to visit. Or just spend quality time with people you love and don’t get to see during the rest of the calendar year. Everyone can save on food costs too by buying in bulk from a store like Costco and cooking meals in together.
Extend A Work Trip
Headed out on a work trip or to a conference this summer? While we absolutely do not want you to abuse your company’s travel card or policy, you could look into extending your trip and having your family join you at the location. If your company has paid for round-trip airfare, make sure that the cost of extending the trip does not exceed what was approved. If it does, talk to your finance and human resources department or representative about how you can pay the difference to come back later.
Also make sure you have approval from your supervisor to take extra time off and enough paid time off to cover the trip extension. You should find a new location to stay, or completely change rooms at your hotel and add your personal credit card to the file to avoid any personal charges on the company card.
Book A Staycation
Staycations are rising in popularity and the benefit to your wallet is that you can likely find deals close to home, that require no air travel or a shorter car ride. You can also look into Airbnb’s that give you a change of scenery.
Want to live near the coast? Rent one for a couple days by the water. Want to catch the energy of a big city but live in the suburbs? Stay in a loft or apartment in the heart of a metro area.
Whatever you are planning this summer, but sure to estimate the cost ahead of time. A little bit of planning will help you enjoy your vacation even more!