Tips for traveling on a budget
Vacations are one of the first things people put on hold during slow economic times, but one can still enjoy traveling on a budget. This blog will highlight a few tips to save money.
My best friend and I took a 4-day 3-night trip to Nashville, Tennessee back in July. Both of us were on a budget but by making strategic plans and pooling our money, we had a great trip. Our budget was $350 each. My friend spent around $450 because she bought souvenir for each member of her family.
The first thing to do before a trip is to pick the dates and plan your budget. Typically hotel rooms have lower rates Mon-Thurs. If you can go during mid-week, that can pinch a few dollars. In our case, we left Wednesday and came back Saturday; thus only having to pay one weekend rate. In a city such as Nashville, weekdays are usually just as rocking as weekends.
Once you have chosen your dates and budget you can then look for hotel rooms. Hotel coupon books and websites like the ones below are very helpful. We used a coupons at the Microtel in Decatur, AL, both the first and last night of the trip. We had a standard room with 2 queen beds and the coupon price was $52.95, and the regular price is $69.00. That really helps once you figure taxes involved at hotels. Once in Nashville, we went to a hotel that I had stayed in several times during family trips. The rates was a weekend rate but still low enough for our fancy.
My best friend and I took a 4-day 3-night trip to Nashville, Tennessee back in July. Both of us were on a budget but by making strategic plans and pooling our money, we had a great trip. Our budget was $350 each. My friend spent around $450 because she bought souvenir for each member of her family.
The first thing to do before a trip is to pick the dates and plan your budget. Typically hotel rooms have lower rates Mon-Thurs. If you can go during mid-week, that can pinch a few dollars. In our case, we left Wednesday and came back Saturday; thus only having to pay one weekend rate. In a city such as Nashville, weekdays are usually just as rocking as weekends.
Once you have chosen your dates and budget you can then look for hotel rooms. Hotel coupon books and websites like the ones below are very helpful. We used a coupons at the Microtel in Decatur, AL, both the first and last night of the trip. We had a standard room with 2 queen beds and the coupon price was $52.95, and the regular price is $69.00. That really helps once you figure taxes involved at hotels. Once in Nashville, we went to a hotel that I had stayed in several times during family trips. The rates was a weekend rate but still low enough for our fancy.
Aside for the websites, coupon books can be picked up at state rest areas, hotels, and sometimes you can find them in fast food restaurants that are near interstates. http://www.roomsaver.com/
http://www.hotelcoupons.com/
Another thing to remember while traveling is the growing bed bug problem across the country. Travelers should check the Bed Bug Registry site before planning a trip. Even if you are planning to use a coupon book, you can get online and make sure the hotel has not been written up. The site allow you to put in a street address or hotel name. While it isn’t fool proof it gives you a bit of defense from the little devils. Another tip, the site also has reports of some apartment buildings in cities in the United States and Canada.http://bedbugregistry.com/
Other quick tips:
Pack food for the days you will be on the road:
A cooler with cold drinks, sandwiches, veggies, fruit, and candy can be welcome while on the road. It saves money on fast food and you can make healthier meals than anything you can pick up in a hurry. We just parked at the rest area and had a picnic in the car. We also picked up some TV dinners to eat in the hotel room the first night of the trip because it was going to be a late night.
http://www.hotelcoupons.com/
Another thing to remember while traveling is the growing bed bug problem across the country. Travelers should check the Bed Bug Registry site before planning a trip. Even if you are planning to use a coupon book, you can get online and make sure the hotel has not been written up. The site allow you to put in a street address or hotel name. While it isn’t fool proof it gives you a bit of defense from the little devils. Another tip, the site also has reports of some apartment buildings in cities in the United States and Canada.http://bedbugregistry.com/
Other quick tips:
Pack food for the days you will be on the road:
A cooler with cold drinks, sandwiches, veggies, fruit, and candy can be welcome while on the road. It saves money on fast food and you can make healthier meals than anything you can pick up in a hurry. We just parked at the rest area and had a picnic in the car. We also picked up some TV dinners to eat in the hotel room the first night of the trip because it was going to be a late night.
Attractions:
Chamber of Commerce websites for your destination will usually provide list of things to do while in town. Nashville has coupons for the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Ryman, and some restaurants. A $5 off coupon is nice when museum admission the Country Music Hall of Fame is $22, and $17 to the Ryman Auditorium tour. Some fun is free. Walking downtown, going to a park, etc.
Remember it is about quality of the vacation not quantity of time:
A short visit to a city can bring challenges of seeing and doing enough. Choose attractions that are important to you. Maybe take a shorter stroll in a store and spend more time at the cool coffee shop you stumbled upon or a bar with a good singer and a band.
Chamber of Commerce websites for your destination will usually provide list of things to do while in town. Nashville has coupons for the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Ryman, and some restaurants. A $5 off coupon is nice when museum admission the Country Music Hall of Fame is $22, and $17 to the Ryman Auditorium tour. Some fun is free. Walking downtown, going to a park, etc.
Remember it is about quality of the vacation not quantity of time:
A short visit to a city can bring challenges of seeing and doing enough. Choose attractions that are important to you. Maybe take a shorter stroll in a store and spend more time at the cool coffee shop you stumbled upon or a bar with a good singer and a band.
Traci
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