Budgeting for your vacation
I am so very glad we took our grand adventure of a family vacation to the Oregon Coast last year, since this year, we can barely afford to take the kids camping! The economy is still a mess, and for our family, doesn’t look like it’s going to be getting better very quickly.
Being in debt doesn’t mean you have to completely give up any plans for a family vacation, either – it just means you have to use some smart vacation budgeting skills, and maybe tone down your ideas of what a dream vacation should be. Use National Parks and free online trip planning sites to help find the best deals. Stay in a hotel or rental house that includes a kitchen – cooking meals is a lot cheaper than eating out three times a day. The important thing is to spend time with your family relaxing and reconnecting; that’s what a true family vacation is all about.
Besides scaling down vacation plans, another way that families can help deal with these stressful economic times is through debt consolidation. Many credit counseling agencies offer ways to lower your monthly payments and your interest rates – and they will help you create a plan to get completely out of debt.
(This is a sponsored blog post.)
We’ve NEVER taken a vacation. Boo.
July 7th, 2009 at 5:25 amGreat tip about getting a room/cabin with a kitchen. Definitely cuts the vacation cost quite a bit.
July 7th, 2009 at 6:44 amLisa – I’m sorry! I hope you can take one soon.
Ron – yes, the eating out gets very expensive, especially with a large family.
July 7th, 2009 at 7:34 amDefinitely visit the National Parks. It’s the only way we’re going to make sure they’re still around. CA is still making noises about closing many of ours. Grr.
July 7th, 2009 at 10:44 amCarrie K – Washington State does the same thing every few years – threatens to close them unless we agree to our taxes being raised. But they don’t offer to cut any of the stupid pork from the budget. Argh.
July 7th, 2009 at 12:11 pm