Plan An Affordable Vacation

By Author: Steve Robinson
Total Articles: 468
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If a debt free vacation is your goal, cheap travel options such as cheap airplane tickets, discount hotel rooms, and cheap vacation packages can help make your vacation affordable.

The fact that many potential travelers are on a budget does not mean that vacations should be regarded as an unnecessary luxury. Studies have shown that taking a break from work and the pressures of everyday life is good for a person’s physical and mental well being. Vacations can be rejuvenating and promote and strengthen family bonds.

The following are steps you can take to stretch your vacation dollars:

• Start saving immediately. Don’t wait until you have decided on where you want to vacation. Determine how much money you can set aside each month in a vacation fund and get started.

• Decide on the type of vacation (be it tropical, historic, outdoorsy or a mix) you want and come up with a list of potential destinations.

• By going in the off season you can save as much as 50 percent vs. peak season prices. Vacation prices fall when tourist traffic is at its lowest because hotels, restaurants, and ...
... stores are competing for a much smaller pool of visitors.

• Once you have selected where and when you would like to vacation watch for deals, particularly over the internet. Always read the fine print though because so called “bargains” may come with extra fees, blackout dates, expirations or other hidden expenses.

• Save on food while vacationing by staying at hotels that offer refrigerators so that you can make your own breakfasts and lunches. Another approach is to eat out for lunch and make that your biggest meal of the day, since lunches are usually less expensive than dinners.

• Sign up for an auto/travel club since such clubs often come with discounted pricing at hotels, restaurants, car rental agencies, and sometimes even amusement parks.

• Accumulate as many points/miles as possible. So long as you do not carry a credit card balance, make certain that you are using, or sign up for a credit card that will earn you the maximum amount towards future free travel.

Some airlines offer free roundtrip tickets just for opening a new credit card account and making a purchase. Be aware that such cards usually come with high interest rates. You only want to sign up for this type of card if you are very disciplined and make sure that you only charge what you can pay off each month.
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