I love to travel and experience new places, although I haven’t branched out to international destinations. My husband and I have decided to see as much of the US as possible, and then we’ll expand our itineraries.
But we are most definitely aware of how much vacations cost. And although some destinations are pretty much impossible to do on the cheap (i.e., Disneyworld), there are ways to make them more affordable. We’ve also found that with planning ahead and flexibility, you can score some excellent deals on travel plans.
We were able to go to Disneyland, San Diego, Pensacola, and a few other places this year without compromising our budget. These 12 ways to afford a dream vacation are how we were able to do it and how we plan all our trips.
1. Start a Vacation Savings Account
We have a high-yield savings account designated as our holiday fund. We put a little into it each month for future vacations.
When we have a specific trip coming up, we put aside more in the months leading up to it. During these months, we reprioritize the rest of our budget to have more wiggle room for trip expenses.
Having a savings account specifically for vacations lightens the financial load. Plus, you don’t resort to using credit cards. (Coming home after a great trip to a pile of debt kind of takes the magic out of it.)
2. Go Grocery Shopping When You Arrive
Going out for every meal when you’re traveling wreaks havoc on your vacation spending. It makes the whole trip so much more expensive than it needs to be.
We started grocery shopping on the first day of our trips to get a few essentials for snacks, lunch, etc. We usually find a hotel offering free breakfast and plan to eat several of our meals in our room instead of a restaurant. It significantly stretches our funds for the trip. Also, we end up enjoying the downtime to relax and rejuvenate before our next adventure.
3. Keep Your Dates Flexible
We went to California, originally planning to start in San Diego and end in Disneyland. My husband gets discounted hotel rates through work. Based on our original dates and itinerary, the discount rate wasn’t available, and the hotel would have been hundreds a night.
There was no way we could afford to go. But flexibility is a big money saver. We flipped our plans, starting in Anaheim and ending in San Diego, bumping the trip up a couple of days.
A revised search landed us an extremely discounted rate, under $100 per night. The regular rates were also significantly lower.
4. Create a Vacation Budget to Stay on Track
It’s easy to overspend when you travel. We went to Disney World in 2021, and I knew focusing on finances is a problem in the happiest place on earth.
We had been saving for years (step number one) and had a number in mind for what we could spend. I thought it would be good to lay out a budget to keep us accountable.
We used a simple spreadsheet to track expenses, using broad categories like lodging, food, and miscellaneous. It made a huge difference. We got through the entire vacation without overspending a cent.
5. Choose to Travel Off-Season
Traveling off-season is an excellent way to score great deals. For example, we went to SanDestin one year in October. It wasn’t beach season, but we aren’t beach people. We just wanted to spend time together, explore the boardwalk, and relax.
Most hot vacation spots have peak seasons and off-seasons, and the rates for everything are much lower during the slow periods.
As another example, my husband works in the hotel industry in New Orleans. Our slow season is the summertime. Hotel prices dip, and you’ll find incredible deals at local restaurants and museums.
6. Get Creative With Accommodations
Don’t let soaring hotel prices stop your dream vacation. If you’re traveling with several people, splitting an Airbnb is usually more cost-effective than renting multiple hotel rooms. Be quirky and rent a camper.
A friend of mine used to be on a site that helped couch surfers find a place to sleep. I can’t remember the name, but she met some interesting folks (in a good way).
Consider a house swap if you have family or friends who live elsewhere. Scope out their city and stay at their place while they stay at your house and explore your hometown.
7. Let Your Photos and Memories Be Your Souvenirs
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to bring home a souvenir from your travels. But if you spend too much time in gift shops, you’ll spend a lot more money, too.
Focus more on pictures and the experiences you have during your vacation instead of physical stuff. Imagine what else you could do if you didn’t spend $300 on T-shirts, seashells, and bobbleheads.
8. Research Free Attractions and Activities
I love to look on Groupon for deals when we travel to a new city. I also search online for any special upcoming events or discounts.
For example, we went to Huntsville, Alabama, and discovered a pass that got us entry into five different museums for about $20. During a recent trip to Vicksburg, a local told us about two museums downtown that were free to the public.
When we went to San Diego, we used a Go City pass to cover all of the attractions we wanted to see. It cost us a fraction of the regular admission prices.
9. Compare All of Your Transportation Options
Don’t assume a certain method of transportation is the most affordable option. Sometimes, you might think it’s cheaper to drive, only to realize flying is way less.
Or, recently we thought renting a car would be the most inexpensive way to explore San Diego. However, once we figured out the cost of the rental, parking fees for various attractions, and gas, we were highly mistaken. Using Lyft or Uber was much, much cheaper.
10. Use Rewards to Your Advantage
I’m not big on spending money simply to gain reward points. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t maximize the rewards I have.
Before you book any airfare, hotel rooms, etc., check for available rewards. You may have points through a hotel membership program, a certain airline carrier, or on your credit card.
If a certain card offers travel rewards and you have a big trip coming up, concentrate on using that card instead of another. However, again, don’t ever use a credit card just to get rewards. Otherwise, you end up overspending and the rewards are pointless.
11. Keep Looking for Low Rates After You Book
Once you book your hotel, airfare, etc., keep checking. We’ve saved so much money doing this. Sites like Kayak and Expedia are options, but I’ve had luck rechecking with hotels directly (some even price match).
We had airfare to Orlando for about $300 one way (each). I found the same flight for about $140, changed our tickets, and we each got a $160 credit. I also got a hotel rate of roughly $200 less a night at the same hotel.
When you initially book, check for refundable rates or a wide cancellation window.
12. Start Planning Early
Any time you have to spend money, the sooner you start planning, the better. When you wait until the last minute, you don’t give yourself a lot of wiggle room.
But planning early means you have more time to look for discounts, specials, and sales. You also have more time to implement tip number 11 — keep checking for lower rates.
However, without enough time to plan, you could end up stuck with a higher price. You also could end up having to settle for dates you don’t want. Or worse, canceling because you can’t get the lower prices you need.
