Vacations on a budget

Summertime is almost upon us and most of us are thinking about vacation.  Unfortunately, there are some of us who are thinking that vacation will be a casualty of the economy.  It doesn’t have to be!

With these simple tips, you and your family can still enjoy a relaxing vacation.

Change your state of mind:  Or, change the way you think about your state.  Every state in the US has attractions, a lot of them are free or low-cost.  Driving a family of four is much cheaper than flying.  With gas prices back down to about the $2.00 mark, driving is more affordable than last year.  Contact your state’s tourism department and ask for their free guides.  They will be happy to send them to you.  If you are close to a neighboring state, call them and get their’s, too.  Most states have their tourism department online.  There are Motel 6 and Super 8 Motels all over the nation where you can get an inexpensive hotel room – hey, all you need is a place to sleep, right?  Some of these even have pools for younger children.  An alternative is to pick a series of day trips and sleep in your own bed to save hotel costs.

Be one with the outdoors:  Camping is a good way to get away from it all.  If you don’t have a camper or a tent, you can rent an RV or camping supplies and find a spot.  National parks and state parks are good places to go and they are not very expensive.  You can also find resort campgrounds that offer a bit more to do for the kids, though they are usually higher than parks.  Build a campfire, tell spooky stories and make s’mores.  The kids will love it and it is an excellent way to spend time as a family.

Procrastinate: If the little birdies have flown the nest and it is just the two of you, you can get some great deals by waiting until the last minute.  It appears that cruise lines are not filling their ships, so they are offering great deals on cruises.  The great thing about this is that they are all-inclusive.  You get travel, meals and room for the same price.  You can choose a port that is within driving range, or, if you have to fly, be flexible.  Airfare is usually the lowest when you can travel on Tuesday or Wednesday.  It is even lower if you travel off peak times and get the less desirable flights.  For example, I looked up a flight from Tulsa to Orlando.  If I’m willing to fly out at 6am and maybe hit 3 stops instead of 2, I can save over $200 each way.  Like my wife says, “I can sleep on the plane.”  Also, look at alternate airports if there are any close by to leave from and fly into.

I will post more tips on this blog, so keep in touch.

How to Survive Christmas on a Budget

Many people have already started the dreaded annual event – Christmas Shopping! No other two words appearing together strike more fear in our bank accounts than those. ‘Tis the season to overspend, then regret it all year. But, take heart! There is help!

Since the government is finally admitting that we are in a recession, something that millions of Americans already new, it is time to be smart with our Christmas spending. Here is some sound advice.

• Make a budget and spend within it.  Figure out how much you can spend on Christmas without letting vital bills go past due.  Make a list of those on your Christmas list and prioritize those you want to spend more on, i.e. children.
• Leave the credit cards at home.  Credit card companies are raising rates for no reason at all.  Even if you have a perfect payment history with them, you may find your rates doubling or tripling.  This can make differences in payments from tens to hundreds of dollars a month.  So, the less you can put on a credit card, the better off you will be.
• Be smart with electronics.  Instead of buying new, consider purchasing factory refurbished products.  They often have the same warranty as new, but can save you sometimes as much as 50%, but usually around 20-25%.  For example, Dell* has an outlet (see links at the bottom of this article) that sells computers that have been ordered and canceled, or returned for some reason.  They are checked out before they are shipped.  We bought our son a refurbished X-Box* last Christmas and it has not had a problem.  We could not have purchased it new, so this was a good compromise.
• Consider home-made gifts.  Bake some cookies, make some candy, knit a sweater.  Most of us have a talent we can use for someone.  Use your computer to create some ‘coupons’ good for yardwork or housework and give to mom and dad or grandma and grandpa.  They will love it.

Christmas is about giving, but it does not need to be about expensive gifts.  Giving yourself can go a long way.

* I am not endorsing any products in this article.  Dell outlet is at www.dell.com/outlet

For more tips on making extra money, see the Online Business Guide.

How to have fun on a budget – 6 tips for families

In tough economic times, most families find that they need to cut back on spending. This is very true, and it can be a lot of hard work. Some family members may work overtime if it is offered, or work a second job. At the very least, cut back on travel, groceries, dining out, movies, etc. It is very easy to forget to have fun, or not know a good way to have fun on a budget.

This article explores some ways for families to have fun without breaking the bank. We must remember that all work and no play makes for a very stressful day (week, month, year). First, we must explore ways to purchase necessities and still leave money for some fun. Some of these suggestions are cliche, but they are still valid, nonetheless.

1) Clip and use coupons. Either clip coupons from the newspaper, or use internet coupons, or both. There are several good coupon sites on the internet that you can use for coupons. A search of Online Coupons on google will yield a wealth of sites. Beware sites that require a paid membership, though. Coupons.com is a site I’d recommend. You need to install their coupon printer software, but that is very easy and free. Another recommended site is Dealcatcher.com. Be careful that you continue to purchase things you normally purchase and use any coupons you can for those. If you begin buying other products just because the you have a coupon can easily cost you more at the store than you are saving.

2) Shop online when it makes sense. Sometimes, you can find a better price online than in a store, but watch the shipping. I once purchased a $20.00 item which was $10.00 less than I could purchase locally, but the shipping cost me $15.00, so it actually cost me $5.00 more. Many sites take a discount code for an extra discount. There are some sites out there that will tell you codes for a particular product or website. Retailemenot.com or keycode.com are some good ones.

3) Eat out sparingly. Eating out can cost more money and is less healthy than eating at home. But, when you do eat out, try to avoid expensive all-you-can-eat buffets, especially if you have finicky children. There are buffets out there that are low cost but good quality. Some restaurants offer a “kids eat free” night some time during the week.

4) Go to a matinee or budget theater. Quite a lot of cities have a discounted movie theater that shows movies after they have been shown at main stream theaters. My wife and I would enjoy the $1.00 theater on friday night. The movies typically were about 4 weeks old when this theater got them, but it beat the $7.00 price at the other theaters. Another option is to attend a matinee. These prices are generally $2-$3 off the evening price and it’s the same movie.

5) Move away from the concessions. Movie theaters depend on concessions for the bulk of their profit. That is why you are paying $4-$5 for 10 cents worth of popcorn, salt and oil, or the same amount for a nickel’s worth of soft drink. Try to eat right before going to the theater, and bypass the concessions.

6) Zoos, mini-golf, water parks, skating rinks, etc. almost always have a time when admission is discounted or downright free. Take advantage of these days when they come up. When practical, take a picnic lunch and extra bottles of water. Again, avoiding concessions as much as possible will save you money.

There are some great ways to have fun on a budget, and these are just a few. I will have more later on.

Article by Chris Corrigan used by permission.

Check other articles and ideas here.