5 Proven Ways to Make the Most Out of Your Vacation Without Much Money
There are plenty of people who feel like they need a
vacation early in 2022. The past couple of years seem to have exhausted
everyone. There are so many individuals who report feeling fatigued and want a
change of pace for a while. Going on vacation can be a suitable way to make
that happen.
What can you do if you want to go on vacation,
though, but you don't have very much money at your disposal? We'll go over some
ideas in the following article.
Go to Less Expensive Places
One way you can take a vacation if you don't have a
ton of money saved up is that you can go to a less expensive destination. There
are all kinds of different ones you can look into that won't break the bank.
For instance, you might go to Branson,
Missouri. Branson hotels don't cost all
that much, and you should find some modestly priced
activities there as well. You can enjoy family-friendly shows and fine dining
in Branson that would cost you a lot more if you went somewhere like Las Vegas.
Maybe you want a trip to Vegas, but you know that's
out of your price range. You can go someplace like Reno, Nevada, or Atlantic
City, New Jersey, instead. They are similar to Vegas with their casinos and
other attractions, but hotels or motels there are way cheaper, on average, than
staying at accommodations on the Vegas strip.
Use Credit Card Points
You can also use some of those credit card points
you've saved up to help pay for your flights to and from your vacation spot.
You can use them to pay for hotel stays as well.
There are certain cards and credit card companies
that will get you the most if you like traveling and staying in exotic places.
You can often sign up for particular American Express or Visa cards that will
give you a ton of points if you spend a specific amount within a calendar year.
Make sure you use your credit card points before
they expire since some of them are only active for a certain amount of time.
You might be able to take a very lavish vacation using almost exclusively
points, and the memories should last a lifetime.
Use Discounts or Coupons
You might head to a vacation spot you've wanted to
see for years, but once you get there, you realize you don't have a ton of
money to spend. You spent most of your cash on flights and accommodations. What
are you to do now?
You can talk to the concierge at your hotel and see
if they have any suggestions regarding modestly-priced activities you and your
family can enjoy. They might direct you to look at some of the brochures in the
lobby that have coupons for two-for-one dinners, nature walks, family theme
parks, etc.
If you're staying at someone's house or apartment
through an Airbnb type of arrangement, you might talk to the owner about
something inexpensive you can do around the city. If you're running very short
on cash, you can get food at a grocery store rather than paying for meals at
restaurants. You can walk around the city you're visiting instead of paying for
rides.
Use Public Transportation
You can also frequently save money when you're on
vacation by sticking to public transportation. If you're
someone who uses Uber, taxis, or even limos to get around while you're
vacationing, you can definitely shave quite a bit of money off your trip by
using public transportation, assuming that's an option.
If you are in a major city, there should be trains
or buses available that will take you anywhere you want to go. This method
might take you a little longer to get to your destination, but it's a way to
save cash while experiencing the same daily commute as the locals. In a sense,
this is a more authentic way to enjoy the place you're visiting.
Don't Spend as Much on Souvenirs
Many individuals and families find that they can save money while on
vacation if they don't load up on souvenirs like they
usually would. Some people can't seem to go anywhere without taking time to
spend shopping. The gift shop budget alone can empty your wallet if you're not
careful.
There is nothing wrong with that. However, you can
make just as many memories by taking lots of pictures as you would loading up
your suitcase with trinkets and chachkas.
As long as you take your smartphone with you, you
have a camera available. You can save those shots and look at them in the years
to come, and you can post them on social media as well.
You can also cut corners in various ways if you're
set on saving money but still having a nice vacation in 2022. You may have
somewhere specific in mind that you'd like to visit, such as Cancun or London.
You might sign up for mailing lists on travel sites like Travelocity or
Expedia. They will let you know if the ticket price falls on any airline that
goes to those places.
You can avoid consuming alcohol when you go out to eat while on vacation. Alcohol can add
a lot of money to your restaurant bills, so staying away from it can reduce
what you're spending to eat out.
If you're set on taking a vacation this year, you
can probably make it happen. If you're still not able to make the money work
for you with all of the options we mentioned, that's okay too. You can take a
staycation if you can get the time off from work.
You can save money, anticipating that you'll take that vacation soon if you've set
your mind to it. Delaying gratification for a while will only make the holiday
all the more special whenever you can make it happen.