Save Big on Your Next Vacation with Technology & Pre-Planning
Still hoping to get in a family vacation before the kids go back to school but aren’t sure if it’s affordable at this point? Check out these tips on how to save on vacation to help you get the break that you and your family deserve without taking on additional financial stress.
Still hoping to get in a family vacation before the kids go back to school but aren’t sure if it’s affordable at this point? Check out these tips on how to save on vacation to help you get the break that you and your family deserve without taking on additional financial stress.
Let algorithms do the money-saving work for you
Thanks to many creative techies out in the world, there are a multitude of apps to help with every aspect of a vacation. While America Saves does not endorse any service or product, this list of 50 new apps in 2017 by Travel and Leisure is worth a look for money-saving options, with ones for flying, dining, lodging, and more!
Fill up your stomachs without draining your funds
- Bring along your own snacks to last throughout the trip so that those few dollars here and there don’t end up preventing you from enjoying a particular excursion due to budget restrictions. Additionally, you can pack basic groceries and make a few simple meals if your accommodations have a kitchen.
- While vacation is a great time to enjoy nicer restaurants, not every meal has to be delivered by a waiter or waitress deserving of a tip. Grab some sandwiches from a deli and head to a picnic-friendly spot outside.
- When you do eat out, look around for coupons first. Websites, such as entertainment.com, where you can buy coupon books for your destination, and coupondivas.com, where you can find kids-eat-free programs, are quick, easy, and extremely budget friendly!
Try a new type of vacation
Satisfy your adventurous side while still sleeping in your own bed
Perfect for those who live in a large and/or historically rich city, a staycation gives you the opportunity to do all of those things around town that have been on your list for years. Set aside a portion of the money you would have spent on travel and hotels, and instead splurge on local attractions, day trips, and restaurants that don’t fit into your usual routine. Have a family discussion and vote on the places you want to visit, create a budget for each excursion, and get to it!
Keep your costs low while flying high
- Consider flying into a “hub.” Each airline has one where the majority of their flights arrive and depart. The multitude of flights means lower prices for you. If your final destination isn’t a hub, you’ll still save big by flying there first and then grabbing a connecting flight to your destination. Check out the full list of hubs here.
- Look at airline sites directly, as some don’t allow booking sites to aggregate their pricing. Check out domestic budget airlines such as JetBlue, Spirit Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Virgin America.
Check out these related insights!
CHECK OUT OTHER SAVINGS JOURNEYS FROM SAVERS JUST LIKE YOU
Budget like Nohemi
By Nohemi
Nohemi found out about America Saves a few years ago as an undergraduate at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She remembers attending a University of Illinois Saves event where she decorated a piggy bank and took the Pledge, but college life made her put the thought of saving at the back of her mind.
The Gift of Homeownership
By Quaneka Willis
Quaneka Willis, a single mother of three children, was receiving rental assistance through the Housing Au...
Saving With My Boys
By Kelly
Kelly has made saving a family effort. She started her boys saving early. “Probably 3,” Kelly told us, “w...
Saver Story: Set a goal, make a plan!
By Shannon
We've chosen Shannon as our Saver of the Month! Her approach to saving for her family’s dream home is a g...
Saving Early: Key to Successful Future
By Johnnie Lovett
For Johnnie Lovett, a Young Illinois Saver, saving has been a habit since he was a teenager. “As a teenag...
Budget like Nohemi
By Nohemi
Nohemi found out about America Saves a few years ago as an undergraduate at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She remembers attending a University of Illinois Saves event where she decorated a piggy bank and took the Pledge, but college life made her put the thought of saving at the back of her mind.
A Think Like A Saver Attitude
By Melissa
Melissa has always been thrifty with a #ThinkLikeASaver attitude. This served her family well when her hu...
Transforming “I Can’t Save” to “I Will Save”
You will not believe what it took to completely change my life. About three years ago, the HR Administrat...
Saving Early: Key to Successful Future
By Johnnie Lovett
For Johnnie Lovett, a Young Illinois Saver, saving has been a habit since he was a teenager. “As a teenag...
Saving With My Boys
By Kelly
Kelly has made saving a family effort. She started her boys saving early. “Probably 3,” Kelly told us, “w...
A Think Like A Saver Attitude
By Melissa
Melissa has always been thrifty with a #ThinkLikeASaver attitude. This served her family well when her husband lost his job in 2014. Using their savings, Melissa’s family stayed afloat while her husband found a new job.
Saving With My Boys
By Kelly
Kelly has made saving a family effort. She started her boys saving early. “Probably 3,” Kelly told us, “when I started encouraging them to save because that’s when they started receiving small bills from family on the holidays.”
Don’t Laugh at Saving Spare Change
By Brittany
Virginia Saves saver, Brittany, decided to start saving again when she became a single mother. She thinks...
Jump-Starting a Financial Makeover
By Nichelle Johnson
Nichelle Johnson, a single mom with two teenage children, knows what it’s like to stretch a dollar. When ...
A Think Like A Saver Attitude
By Melissa
Melissa has always been thrifty with a #ThinkLikeASaver attitude. This served her family well when her hu...
Put 20 Percent Away
By Melissa
“I am a single mother, and I make ends meet for me and my daughter, but I wanted to put money away for my...
Put 20 Percent Away
By Melissa
“I am a single mother, and I make ends meet for me and my daughter, but I wanted to put money away for my daughter for a college fund. So I started saving 20 percent of my paycheck every month to put it away in a savings account with a high Annual Percentage Yield (APY). By the time my daughter is 18, I will have saved nearly $90,000.”
Budget like Nohemi
By Nohemi
Nohemi found out about America Saves a few years ago as an undergraduate at the University of Illinois at...
Starting and Continuing a Personal Finance Journey
By Kiara Hardin
When Kiara Hardin, now a junior at Western Illinois University, became an intern with the Chicago Summer ...
Saving is a Family Affair
By Jeff
Saving is truly a family affair for Jeff’s household. During America Saves Week 2019, he pledged to save ...
Saving With My Boys
By Kelly
Kelly has made saving a family effort. She started her boys saving early. “Probably 3,” Kelly told us, “w...
Developing a Savings "Game Plan"
By Eunice Diaz
Eunice Diaz, a teacher in Colorado Springs, had been noticing a pattern. Despite the fact that she and her husband were “making good money,” they were spending their entire earnings and “were still struggling at the end of the month.”
Inspired to Build Savings By Starting Small
By Sharon
With little-to-no money in the bank and living on a limited income with her adult daughter, Sharon wasn’t...
From Overwhelmed to In Control
By Debi
In 2017 Debi felt overwhelmed. Her credit cards were maxed, and she wasn't exactly sure how to handle it....
Getting Out of Debt
By Tonya Shelton
In 2004, Tonya Shelton was facing financial ruin. Barely making more than minimum wage and having lost he...
Taking Back Control Over Finances
By Nadine Bialo
After becoming a Virginia Saver and getting help from BankOn classes and coaching, Nadine Bialo took back...
Savings #ImSavingForSweepstakes
#ImSavingFor Winner Story
By Pedram R.
America Saves awarded one lucky saver, Pedram R. from California, $750 for sharing his #ImSavingFor story. Pedram said, “Saving is important to me because it proves I am not willing to buy unnecessary things to please others or to be perceived as successful.”
Saving is a Family Affair
By Jeff
Saving is truly a family affair for Jeff’s household. During America Saves Week 2019, he pledged to save for retirement. But making a commitment and creating a plan to save isn’t a new concept for him.
Getting Out of Debt
By Tonya Shelton
In 2004, Tonya Shelton was facing financial ruin. Barely making more than minimum wage and having lost her home to an unexpected family crisis, Shelton and her family were forced to live in a rundown hotel.
If we feature you in our newsletter, you get $50.
You May Also Be Interested In...
Take the America saves pledge
Make a pledge to yourself and create a simple savings plan that works. Complete the Pledge and America Saves will send you short email and text reminders, resources and tips to keep you on track towards your savings goal. Become part of an entire community of savers. Get started now!
creative ways to fund your savings
Those with a savings plan are twice as likely to save successfully. Taking the America Saves Pledge is a pledge to yourself to start a savings journey and America Saves is here to encourage you along the way. Take the first step toward creating a better financial future. Make a plan, set a goal, and pledge to yourself to start saving, today.
Congrats on completing the pledge!
Congrats on completing the pledge!
We are so glad you have started your savings journey and Military Saves will be right beside you the whole way! You will soon receive an email from the Military Saves team to help encourage you. Find helpful links below to continue researching topics on saving.
Take the America Saves Pledge
Make a pledge to yourself and create a simple savings plan that works.