#vacationonabudget

[tripistia]

Places to Go in Australia 

[annamariagolfcartrentals]

🌊 Escape to Anna Maria Island – on a budget! 🌴💰

Imagine waking up to the sound of waves, walking on soft sandy beaches, and not worrying about your wallet. 🚀

🏡 Affordable beachfront rentals 🌅 Epic sunsets & island vibes 🎣 Fun activities for everyone

📢 Click here & start planning your trip: Crabby Joe's Cart Rentals

[lyricalred]

Summer hack! Op deze dag scoor jij de goedkoopste vliegtuigtickets Unlock the ultimate summer hack. Discover the secret to snagging the cheapest flights on this very day.

[keysa-does-art]

Tips on How to Afford a Disney World Vacation Part 2 - My Big Fat Happy Life

Unlock the secrets to an affordable Disney World vacation in this confidence-boosting guide by My Big Fat Happy Life.

[umabonecaciumenta]

This simple travel hack can help you afford amazing vacations.

Ready to make your travel dreams come true? Take charge with this foolproof travel hack that will have you exploring new destinations while keeping your budget intact.

[ellamelendez]

Q: How long can I have chicken adobo for lunch? A: Until it's gone. One more portion left.. Woohoo! 😂 #vacationonabudget #canteatoutallthetime #lunch

[trials-n-tresses]

TWO WEEKS TO LA!!! But I realize in my preparation sometimes you just can't get away... And that's okay!! If you're on a strict budget you can always capitalize on a staycation!!! I share 10 tips to capitalize on a Staycation... And I'll be doing tons of them this weekend!! (Direct link in the bio)! #trialsntresses #vacation #staycation #vacationonabudget

[ourdebtfreejourney]

Our Anniversary Excursion

Travel seems to be the theme this week! Yesterday, I spent a good portion of my afternoon planning mine and Chad's first anniversary trip to Nashville, instead of writing and running errands like I was supposed to. Oops. The planning had to be done eventually, right? Anyway, what follows is our current trip itinerary, and some tips we'd like to share with you for your own vacation planning. We inhabit the early middle ground when it comes to being seasoned travelers, but maybe Chad and I can still endow you with some travel savvyness that you haven't run into yet yourself.

Here's the plan, Stan (yes, I know that's not your name...unless it is):

December 26: Drive down to St. Louis, and stay for the night. I was able to find a room at a four-star hotel right by the Arch for $127.45. That rate is a little spendy for us, but we might still be able to get a AAA discount, plus it's only for one night, and the location is fantastic. I'll watch hotel rates over the coming weeks to see if I can get a better one.

Tip #1: Book a few months in advance of your vacation for better prices on things like hotel rooms and airline tickets. It literally pays to plan ahead!

December 27-January 1: Nashville, baby! Chad and I booked a basement apartment with close proximity to the downtown for only $50 per night! We did this through my newest travel resource: Airbnb--a community of people who play host to travelers by renting out everything from their docked sailboats to vacant condos and apartments. For those of you who may be creeped out by the prospect of bedding down in a stranger's abode, there are usually a good number of reviews on those who have been members of Airbnb for a while. The host we chose has over 100 reviews, and is rated at 5-stars. That's good enough for me!

Tip #2: When booking a hotel, choose one with a cancellation policy that allows for a full refund of your money. I had already booked a fairly cheap 6 night hotel stay in Music City before I discovered Airbnb, but we aren't out any money after cancelling, because they don't charge until 24 hours before the booking goes into effect.

Tip #3: Many of the things you plan on doing over your vacation can be priced ahead of time, giving you a better idea of how much you need to budget. Chad and I plan to do TONS of stuff in Nashville, including participating in their famous New Year's Eve bash (on our anniversary!), checking out the local coffee shops (hello, necessities!), museums, theaters, and even taking a day-trip to Graceland in Memphis. Not only are the prices for some of these events available online, but many of them can also be booked in advance.

January 2: We say farewell to Nashville, and head for Chicago. I've reserved a room in a four-star hotel right on Grant Park in the downtown for $91.96. Though we could always do with a cheaper rate, this one is more in the range that we're comfortable with, and is totally worth it, really, seeing as the hotel is a comfortable walking distance from almost everything we want to see and do in The Windy City.

Tip #4: Make sure to scout out accommodation locations that are both in close proximity to the sights and sounds you would like to experience, while also being in a safe part of the city. Some sections of places like Chicago can be pretty sketch, but they probably don't have a Hilton in those areas anyway, eh? ;)

January 3: Back to Minnesota, doncha' know. Right now, I don't even want to think about the end of our Anniversary Excursion, but I'm sure that Chad and I will be tired and glad to see our own bed when it's over.

Tip #5: Coordinate the end of your vacation so there's at least one full day between arriving home and returning to work. While vacations are fun, and often much-needed, all the to-do can be very exhausting, and no one wants to be falling asleep at work on Monday morning!

As we get closer to our anniversary trip, Chad and I will post more about our vacation budget, but for now we plan on spending about $2,000. So far, $554.41 of that is accommodations, and about $350 will go toward gasoline. That leaves us $1,095.59 for food, fun, and games. In our world, that's quite enough for a good time!

Tip #6: Plan and coordinate your vacation with enough time to save for it, and budget a little extra money over what you actually think you need. This will keep you from worrying over spending on things like souveniers, and prevent you from charging to a credit card (which you really should cut up! ;)

I'm literally bouncing up and down in my seat right now with excitement! Not only are vacations a blast when we're on them, but they give us something fun to look forward to and plan together in the months before they take place. Planning our Anniversary Excursion has been a great way to create more excitement in our marriage, and has given us a new little hobby to bond over.

Tip #7: This is for all the married folks out there--plan a vacation together! As I said, it will get you both excited, and provides something for the two of you to bond over in your free-time. Fun is completely, organically healthy for your relationship, and I would recommend subscribing to it whenever possible! (I guess this wasn't necessarily a travel tip...oh well! #foodforthought)

What is your #1 travel planning tip? Share it with us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/ourdebtfreejourney