Even if you are on a budget, traveling is possible. Vacationing when your funds are limited can be a challenge, but there still many locations that you can visit. You do not have to sacrifice quality while on your vacation. Here are some tips to stretch your travel dollar:
Tip #1: Schedule your vacation during the off-season.
When is the off-season? That depends on your destination. For a ski resort, you can get a cheaper price if you travel there during the summer, while a beach house in New Jersey is usually cheaper during the winter months. Even tropical locations have off-seasons, which usually occur during rainy times of the year. When you travel during the off-season, you may have to deal with less than perfect weather, but that does not affect indoor activities like visiting museums and going to the spa, and you may end up saving hundreds of dollars.
Tip #2: Fly on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
Even if you do not have flexibility with your month of travel, making it possible to travel during the off-season, try to have a little flexibility with your specific dates. Flights are always more expensive on weekends, because that is when most people want to travel. If you can switch your dates, you can save $50 to $100 on most tickets – and sometimes even more, depending on the airline.
Tip #3: Skip the car rental and purchase a bus pass.
In many cities and even on islands, there are very reliable public transportation systems, and most hotels are on bus routes. Some hotels even provide complementary buses to the most popular locations or are within walking distance to sites you may want to see. When planning your vacation, do a little research to avoid a rental car if possible. At the very least, pay a car service to take you from the airport to your hotel instead of renting a car for an entire week or two, which can cost hundreds of dollars.
Tip #4: Take advantage of age discounts.
Did you know that in many locations, kids get in free? Some airlines even provide children with free flights! There are many options available to save your family money, and you can find restaurants – especially buffets – that are extremely inexpensive and in some cases, free for children. Along with children, senior citizens can get discounts in many travel areas. Restaurants are not the only places that give seniors a price break.
Tip #5: Travel as a group.
If you are travelling with a large group, you can get group discounts on everything from hotel rooms to amusement park tickets to flights. If you organize a trip through a travel agency, you might even be able to travel for free or at a very low price. If you put in the time to plan everything, you can find a great price for your next vacation.
Tip #6: Participate in a home trading program.
Do you live in a place that is a desirable vacation spot or have a second vacation home? If you are willing to let other travelers stay in you home, they may let you stay in theirs. Trade your cabin in the mountains for a beach house or your New York City penthouse for an island property in the Caribbean. Even if you do not live in a popular location, you may be surprised at the amount of people interested in trading homes for a week.
Tip #7: Plan a “stay-cation”.
Who says you have to go somewhere to enjoy vacation time? Take some time off from work and enjoy local attractions. You do not have to travel or pay for a hotel, so you can save a lot of money. You can still enjoy near-by museums and restaurants that you would typically write off as too pricey and relaxing time at beaches or spas near your home. To make it seem special, hire a house cleaning service for the week so you will not have to worry about cleaning your home. If you are really on a budget, you can even forgo expensive activities and instead rent some movies, borrow some books from the library, or enjoy a dip in the local pool.
The point is that you do not have to spend a fortune to have a great vacation. With just a few hundred dollars, you can really enjoy some time off. The key is planning. Make sure you know exactly where every dollar is going and resist the urge to splurge on expensive meals, souvenirs, and other things you do not need. Just because you are on a budget does not mean that you and your family cannot enjoy traveling together, you just have to get a little creative so you can stretch your dollars.
Stephanie Larkin
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-tips-articles/how-to-stretch-your-travel-dollar-723207.html
Weird travel dream-any ideas as to meaning? (long)?
I was on a train ride up north. Husband was there, but in the dream I only saw him once or twice. It was beautiful outside-trees, rivers, mountains. Beauty everywhere. I remember hearing someone on the loudspeaker talking about a glass bridge that was once used, but has been closed down. They said if you look through the trees you can see it. I opened these russet colored velvet draperies and looked through a picture window. (still on the train, but stopped because no scenery was going past) There was a beautiful blue river below and spanning it was this bridge. Made of metal and glass. The sides/walls of the bridge were glass blocks, and the framework was metal. They were aged/cloudy, but still beautiful. I saw the floor (?) of the bridge and knew it was also made of glass, but it was dirty and if I walked on it, I knew it would break.
The scene changed and I was outside. The train was stopped for a break and we were allowed to stretch our legs. Then husband and I were in a rowboat, (I didn’t see him, but knew he was there) but I don’t remember any oars, but we were moving. No motor, no sails. We were on a slow moving river, and I was thinking how beautiful the scenery was. I dipped my hand into the cool water and it felt soooo good. I wanted to jump in. I looked up ahead and there was a kind of a pen in the water for swimming creatures. Kind of like a "Shamu" pen if you’ve ever been to Sea World. But more natural. There were 3 grizzly bears swimming in the water, lazily. Their fur was wet and I remember seeing the ends of their fur shining like silver.
Then I remember hurrying back to the train. I was thinking….OMG we’re going to be late and miss the train! Sure enough the train had just pulled out of the station. We went inside and husband promptly disappeared, going to sightsee in the station/museum kind of building. I spoke to one of the workers and asked if they could call the train back. He told me no, but they would be waiting for us in Eugene and we can take a taxi up there to Eugene. I asked them if I could simply stay overnight and catch the next one. They said "No, because it’s not the same train and your belongings will not be on the train." I am getting pretty stressed out at this point. I asked how much a taxi would be. The man told me to go outside and ask. As I approached the door, an older woman whispered to me, "Talk to the first car-they will deal with you" I went to the 3rd car instead and was told it would be 1400 dollars to drive up to Eugene. I gasped and felt my insides tighten up. I went to the second car and this woman was there. If you’ve ever seen the Muppets, she looked like a human version of Janice in the Electric Mayhem Band. Blonde-hippie type. She said she could get us there for 1000 bucks.
At this point I’m thinking, I don’t have that kind of money in my checking account, and I don’t have a credit card to cover it. I am near tears now and almost frantic. I am thinking…"Well, i could write a check and hope it didn’t come through till I got paid" Then I realized that my wallet and all my belongings are on the train. I have nothing, no money, no cell phone, nothing. i am stuck in this town and no way to get out. Husband is no where to be found. I burst into tears, frustration, anger, sorrow, worry. all the emotions rolled into one. And then I woke up.
Is there something bothering you? This dream strongly indicates stress.
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