Toronto, Canada

Traveling on any Budget

Schools are closing for the year and if you have not planned in advance what/where your vacation will be, now’s the time.  Many articles suggest trips, but I’ve not seen any sized or categorized by the size of your wallet or budget.  Here are a few suggestions that may help.

If your budget is under $100 then make it count. Don’t think you can’t go on vacation. You can visit places within your own State and it can turn out to be very rewarding.   Pack up the family, or go it alone, and do day trips.  Check out the local State and County parks where there are grills, picnic tables, bathrooms, all FREE.  Take your own equipment to fly kites, play volley ball, walking the trails, etc.   With day trips the dog can even come along saving dog-sitting money.  It doesn’t have to be expensive.  You can do all of this for under $100 by simply packing a picnic basket.  It’s not what you’re eating; it’s being together that will make the fun.  You can also pitch a tent in your back yard and camp out for a few days, but you must restrain yourself from going in the house, except for the bathroom.  Local beaches are promising also.  You only need bathing suits and blankets; chips and water and the fun is there.  

I have yet to visit all the monuments and museums in our Nation’s Capital, Washington, DC.  I’ve driven pass those sites many times, but never took the time to finish seeing all of them.  So you know what’s on my Bucket List.  And while we’re talking about my bucket list: however about catching a hot air balloon ride in West Virginia; or a helicopter ride over Ground Zero in New York.  My list is deep but I’m halfway through it.

$300 or less will take you a little further and allow you to spend at least 1-2 nights. There are booking engines that will give highly discounted prices with rebates back to continue traveling.  Find a good beach or a walking tour of the city.  This can be very educational for the kids and you may find it’s something you’ve never seen either.  Have you actually toured the city you live in?  That’s something to consider.

With $500 you can afford a 3-5 night trip, whether you fly or drive. Plan it right and there’s so much fun to simply get away. You could afford a 3-5 day cruise, a long weekend, or a short trip to a fun city like Las Vegas or Philadelphia. Taking a short cruise leaving local to your area with a short drive can be so much more rewarding. There are short Bahama Cruises that leave from many popular cities for under $300. I believe a cruise is the ‘ultimate vacation’ where you don’t clean, cook, make your bed; just show up and have fun and eat and eat and eat.  This booking engine will help you find just the right fun.  

$800-$1000 per person means you saved your money in advance.  With this your options are greater.  5-Star hotels are out if you’re going for more than 3 days.  However, if you stay within a country, like the United States who has a lower cost-of-living, your money will stretch further.  There are various lodging plans that are less expensive which accommodate low budgets. Keep your buying to a minimum; but enjoy the free taste-testing and tours. You can fly to South Africa for under $800 and stay in a Backpackers Hostel; depending on whether you want to see Africa or your focus is on the amenities.

There are luxury resorts in Mexico and California and Florida that will accommodate you in style with that budget.  Make sure you know where you want to go and especially what you want to do when you get there.

$1,500 per person can get you an escape to Bangkok, Thailand with a flight costing approximately $1000 and a comfortable stay at a Bed n Breakfast for $100/night.   A more luxurious hotel would cost closer to $150/night for 3 nights and you would stay within your budget.

     Or you could venture to a beachfront resort for a 5-night vacation in Aruba at Divi Dutch Village Beach Resort that is all inclusive. Or fly to Costa Rica and explore the Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort for 4 days.

     With $2,000 per person, you can go much further and stay longer. The Canary Islands in Africa would be a great destination.  Housing is cheaper and there are a lot of tourism.

     If you prefer vacationing closer to the U.S., then the Caribbean or Central South America would get you first-class accommodations and possibly make several other stops.  Even in California you can take a Hot-Air Balloon ride over Wine Country. 

     You could also fly to Grenada and stay for 6 nights and stay in an oceanfront villa and would only cost about $1,300. I have always wanted to drive thru Connecticut, Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire. Taking my time, getting a feel for the areas, stopping when I wanted to; shopping, the culture, the restaurants and staying at local B&Bs.  Two B&Bs come to mind are The Inn at English meadows in Maine and Simsbury 1820 House in Connecticut.   They are on my list for this Fall.

No matter where you chose to go, always travel smart. You can get creative in conserving your money.  There are roommates available to lessen your expenses, however you must be safe.  Spending a little extra cash to go it alone might be wiser. Most airlines are charging extra fees per bag, so pack light. Consider taking a backpack on the plane to reduce cost. Most hotels have laundry service to wash your clothes and wear again. Lots of light-weight clothes and plan your wardrobe so you can wear 1 pair of shoes comfortably. Off-season vacations/trips are less expensive like in the Fall when school opens again but before Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Years.  All-inclusive hotels are the best way to save money on your meals or visit happy hours where you can dine cheaper.  You can find local deals through groupon.com for various locations via the zip code you’re visiting.  When available, Uber is a great source of transportation charging much less than local cabs.  Download the Uber app prior to traveling for convenience.

You can also watch airlines who accidentally post fares cheaper than intended.  If you are lucky enough to grab those errors, airlines will still have to honor them.  Of course, you have to be looking at just the right time or you can join a Travel Club who guarantees if you book with them and find the same trip within 7 days, apples for apples, they will send you on that trip FREE and refund your money.  Can’t beat that.

There are lifestyle memberships that can be so rewarding, offering you highly wholesale discounts and give you rebates to use for future travel.        

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