The Frugal Family Vacation |
| by Mira O'Connell |
|
| Car |
| Train |
| Food |
| Accommodations |
|
| Pick up tips for your Cross Country vacation. |
Car |
As in most areas of life, a few steps of preparation can save you money on your vacation. Get you car checked out by a mechanic before your travels, have them fill all your fluids, inflate the tires, etc. Keeping your car well maintained, your tires inflated and rotated will save money on gas and the wear and tear of your car. Equip the car with a first aid kit, emergency kit (blanket, tuna, crackers, flashlight, etc.), fire extinguisher, trash bags, and wipes for clean up. Make sure all drivers have their licenses and all paperwork is in the car. Plan out your driving itinerary leaving room for unexpected potty breaks and other stops. Many travel clubs will print out custom itineraries as well as provide members with free maps and travel books for requested areas. Travel clubs are a great bargain offering road side assistance and other services that could well pay off their yearly dues if used in an emergency situation. Our family's car had to be towed 50 miles home one Thanksgiving and we paid no additional costs outside our membership. It would have cost over $200 to get towed if we had not had that coverage Wew! Photocopy and cover with clear contact paper map sections of your trip as well as get local brochures at roadside stops. Give these to the children so they can feel like they are part of the trip and follow along the way. Call
1-800-4-BYWAYS for a list of federally designated National
Scenic Byways. Taking back roads and byways can offer more interesting stops and greater chances of stopping at playgrounds and parks. Keeping children on their regular eating/sleeping schedules while on the road will help the whole family have a pleasant restful vacation as well as make the return home a smoother transition. Check out the D.O.T. Travel Safety Association Auto Safety
Hotline for
current highway safety reports. Taking along a pet? Travel clubs often have books detailing the nationwide pet friendly hotels as well as their fees and deposits. Remember to bring along a leash, bowls, flea & tick solution and a pooper scooper to take care of the dogs needs. If you live where there is a College, post a note on their Rider Board to give a needy college student a ride home for the Summer. They should help out with gas and may even entertain the kids. Of course, always use caution when dealing with strangers. Prepare a packing list a month before the departure. Find out what the weather will be like in the areas you will be visiting. Reevaluate your list a week before and make last minute trips to the store. Remember items like sunscreen, chapstick, film, bug repellent, sunglasses, etc. these items are very costly when bought spontaneously at tourist spots. Get prescriptions filled and carry an extra copy of the prescription to avoid having to pay for a Dr. visit in a strange place. Make sure you familiarize yourself with your out of town health coverage and bring along proof of coverage. Once you have started your trip keep a list of forgotten items and then buy them at a Grocery store.
Eventhough credit cards are safer to use when traveling than cash they should be avoided unless you have the funds available to repay the debt upon your return home. Using credit to fund a vacation could be adding hundred of dollars onto the final price. Credit Unions and AAA offer Travelers Cheques for Free or reduced prices. In case of an emergency, an ATM card can be used throughout the country for a fee at bank machines. |
| Entertainment |
Children's boredom can throw a wrench in any vacation budget. Always have a few activities and tricks up your sleeve. Make an emergency fun pack (Coloring & Activity Books,
Sticker Books, A
Magic Slate,
Paint with Water Book &
Paint Brush, etc.) for those unexpected traffic jams or other delays. Search for interesting Museums, Festivals and Upcoming Events happening in the areas you plan to visit. If you have a year pass to a museum or a zoo, call and find out if the pass is good at other statewide or national locations. Also if planning a visit to an amusement park look for coupons or promotional offers through the internet, Entertainment Books, AAA, etc. Rent a Game Bucket - full of games all for only $15. Bring along favorite song tapes, their lyric sheets, story tapes, a new toy for the trip home. Giving children a travel allowance will allow them to get a few things they want without getting way off budget. Explain to them that once it is gone they will not be able to purchase anymore goodies. Play road games like slug bug or billboard poetry. Take along a booklight or flashlight so kids can read or play after dark. Just don't flash the driver, Please! Buy kids their own disposable camera, a journal and and accessories (masking tape, markers, pens, stickers, etc.) so they can scrapbook their vacation memories. Have surprise treats and a toy grab bag ready to resolve and redirect squabbles.
Here are some under $10 travel toy ideas. Other reasonably priced items such as Go Fish, Puzzles, Activity Books, Coloring Books, Cards, Bubbles are available at discount Drug Stores. Preoccupy infants with mirrors, toys strung on a line, soft books and mobiles. Make large square black and white designs - bulls eyes, spirals, etc. to occupy their attention. Play musical car seats to lighten things up and break up the monotony. Planning a visit to the Nation's Capitol or your State Capitol. Call you local representative's office and request Free VIP visitor's passes. A great momento is a flag that has been flown over the capitol. Representatives often have these on hand and will sell them at a reasonable price. Visiting a major metropolis. Check out the central office of the Theater Houses. Many offer same day tickets at significant discounts if you are not particular about seating, showtimes, etc. If you visit NYC, Chicago or LA you could view a live broadcast of a TV Show or Talk Show. Tickets are almost always free you just have to write away for them far in advance. Contact the Broadcast Company that produces the show you are interested in viewing - i.e. abc.com,etc. |
Train |
The train is a wonderful and very affordable way to travel as a family. No hotels to worry about on the way, no fast food joints, no endless driving and frequent pitstops. You can just sit back and enjoy Smalltown America. The most economical option is coach which offers - Wide Reclining Seats with Foot Rests
- Overhead Reading Lights
- Pull Down Table Trays
- Water, Trash Containers and Restrooms in Every Car
Every cross country train offers a dining car, and a lounge car with an observation deck and snack bar. Often their is a video shown at night in the lounge car. |
| Specials |
Amtrak regularly offers discounts to the following groups. Seniors
Travelers aged 62 and over
receive a 15% discount off the applicable
adult rail fare on most Amtrak trains.
(Discount does not apply to first-class
accommodations.)
Children
Kids aged 2-15 ride
half-price when accompanied by a
full-fare paying adult. Any day, all year
round. Children must be accompanied by
an adult, and each adult can bring two
children along with this half-price discount. And one child under the age
of two rides free with each adult ticket purchased.
Student
Students can purchase a Student Advantage Card for only $20 and get 15%
off fares.Disabled Persons
Amtrak offers special services and a 15% discount on the lowest
available rail fare to persons with physical or
mental disabilities. Official documentation
of disability required.
AAA Members
AAA members receive a 10% discount.
Contact 1-800-USA-RAIL for more info on any of the above specials. |
| Promotions |
Amtrak is continually running interesting and money saving promotions. A few of the current promotions being offered are:1-2-Free
First fare full price, second fare half price, third fare Free!
Rail Sale
Online exclusive last minute tickets at up to 70% off regular price. Very limited destination stations. Nonrefundable. List updated every Monday.
Amtrak Visa
Earn miles based on your charges good towards train travel.
Please visit their website for full details and promotions. |
Food |
| On the Road |
| There are several ways to save on food. It may be a worthy investment to purchase an electrical cooler with an adapter. The unit will plug into the car lighter and then with adapter plug into an electrical outlet for use in a hotel room. Make a grocery trip before you leave to purchase the bulk of your needed food. Rummage thru your coupons. Coupons for convenience foods are abundant and these kinds of food may be your only option especially while on the road. As you run out of items make limited runs to the local grocery. Have your picnic accessories together and accessible. Stop at roadside picnic tables for lunch and a much needed stretch. Taking scenic byways and smaller highways will cut down on the amount of fastfood eaten because it wont be a temptation. |
| At Your Destination |
| Hot or Cold cereal can be served for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch and frozen dinners for supper. If you don't have access to a microwave at the hotel but there is a coffeemaker in the room you can run hot water thru it for instant oatmeal, cup of soup etc. Don't forget to take the portable cooler for those day trips. Some places wont allow coolers but you can still pack a lunch and snacks. If you do want to treat the family to a dinner out, ask the hotel staff for a local recommendation. Also a lunch outing should cost less than a dinner. |
Accommodations |
| Hotels |
| Call around to some of the hotels in the area where you will be staying to get a feel for their rates and then see if you can get it cheaper at Priceline.com. You can also get hotel rooms at a lower price if you call the hotel directly instead of the national 1-800#. Ask for weekend packages, specials, upcoming promotions and loyalty programs. You may also be able to find hotel coupons. Ask if they offer Military, Corporate, AAA, or any other discounts. Sometimes they will give you the corporate discount even if it is not for business. See what amenities the hotel offers - free continental breakfast, kids eat free, kids stay free, free local calls, pool, laundry, family happy hour at the hotel lounge, etc. All of the extras will add up and should be taken into consideration when comparing prices. Try to get a room with a kitchenette for a long stay and at least a microwave and fridge. If the hotel has minibars in the rooms, politely refuse to accept the key. No reason to subject yourself or anyone else to the temptation. When you check in look over the possible charges - phone calls, TV, room service, etc. Have any services blocked that you do not intend to use. To save on those hefty hotel long distance charges, use the payphones in the lobby with a calling card. If there is any kind of mistake or problem during your stay do not hesitate to contact the Manager for a different room, etc. and you may even get some restitution for your inconvenience. And always check over your bill for errors before checkout. |
| Rewarding Yourself |
| Through the many Rewards Programs available on the internet, you could reduce your vacation expenses. You can redeem your points towards Hotel stays, car rentals, gas cards, restaurant certificates, and more! Free Ride's Program is one of the easiest and quickest ways to accumulate rewards. You can start redeeming points at 500 and it is realistic to earn 50 or more points a day by surfing, shopping, etc. from their site. |
| Camping |
| Camping is inherently frugal. Start the planning of your trip by visiting National Parks and KOA. If you are planning to visit more than one National Park in a year it may be worth it to purchase a National Park Pass and/or a KOA Valu Kard giving you discounts on usage fees. |
| Alternatives |
| Although many of these alternatives may not be appropriate for the family vacation, they are wonderful frugal ideas to minimize expenses while vacationing. Stay at a Hostel. Hostels have come along way since the 1970's. People of all ages and backgrounds can be found there. Accommodations vary greatly from one to another so contact the particular one in the area you will be visiting and have them send you information. Many offer food, kitchen facilities, private family rooms. There are many Home Exchange Networks out there. These exchanges are more common for overseas but you may be able to find one domestically. If your vacation is to be a lengthy one or you are visiting during the off season. You may look into Renting a vacation home rather than paying for a Hotel. There are also car driving services (check your Yellow Pages) that allow you to drive a car to a specific destination. There are very legitimate companies out there you'll will just have to do some research. When dealing with any unknown or new company, ask for references and check with your local Better Business Bureau or Attorney Generals Office before giving money to a company. |
Budget for each vacation, allow for 5-10% flexibility and then stick to the budget. Put vacations in your yearly budget and then put money aside in savings every month. It is possible enjoy a wonderful family vacation without charging it on the credit card, adding 18% more on to the total and paying it off in a year.
Safe and Happy Travels! |
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