Going on vacation can be fun, relaxing and rejuvenating. But one thing it usually isn’t is cheap. Just paying for a place to stay and admission to attractions can add up to hundreds of dollars. And by the time you factor in travel, dining and shopping, your vacation could cost a small fortune.
The good news is that if you know where to look, you can find coupons and discounts that will significantly reduce your costs. It’s entirely possible to go on a trip and not pay full price for anything. Here are some places to look for vacation deals.
* Visit Free-Attractions.com. This website lists lots of things you can do for free all over the United States. There are zoos, museums, parks, festivals and more, and they’re all organized by city and state.
* If you’re interested in visiting a specific place, visit the area’s official tourism website. Many such sites offer coupons for local attractions. Some make printable coupons available online, while others will send you a coupon book for free or for the cost of shipping and handling. If you pay for coupons, however, it’s important to be certain that you will use enough of them to make up for the cost.
* Get your hands on a newspaper or guidebook from the area you plan to visit. These are great sources of coupons.
* Check the official websites of attractions you plan to visit. They may offer coupons or have details of promotions that are going on. Some offer reduced admission or two-for-one deals on certain dates.
* Consider a season pass. Amusement parks often sell them for the price of two to three days’ admission. If you’re planning to visit for a week and go to the park each day, a season pass might be the cheapest way to go. And if there’s an attraction in your area that you might visit several times in a year, a season pass is definitely the way to go.
* Look for package deals. These are often available from travel agencies, and include airfare, accommodations, admission to attractions, and often dining and shopping gift certificates. It’s important to add everything up to make sure you’re getting a good deal, but such packages can save you big bucks.
* Are you a member of an organization such as AAA or AARP? They offer discounts to their members for lots of things, including vacation expenses. Even some credit card and insurance companies offer special discounts to their customers.
There are numerous ways to save money on a vacation. If you plan well in advance, you may be able to knock hundreds of dollars off of your expenses. That’s money that you can use to pay off debt, put into savings, or put away to go toward next year’s vacation.
For more great content, remember to subscribe to my RSS feed. Subscribe
Some people pride themselves on having a good handle on their finances. They pay their bills in full and on time each and every month. They manage their credit cards expertly, and even though they could get all the credit they want with ease, they refrain from opening new accounts that they don’t need. But if they do not have an emergency fund, they could still find themselves struggling at any time.
No matter what your income level, having an emergency fund is of the utmost importance. You just never know what could happen. Here are some potential scenarios to consider.
* You could lose your job. There is virtually no such thing as job security any more. Layoffs happen daily, and often with little or no warning. If you don’t have a financial cushion, job loss could render you unable to afford basic necessities.
* You could incur large medical bills. Accidents and unexpected illnesses happen to the best of us. If you have to have emergency surgery or spend some time in the hospital, you may end up owing a hefty sum and lose income from being out of work. Without an emergency fund, that double whammy could be financially devastating.
* The car could break down. Car repairs are rarely cheap. If you do not have any money put back, you could end up without transportation for a while.
* A major appliance could tear up. Having appliances repaired is often costly, and replacing them can cost a small fortune. But ovens and refrigerators are not things we can easily do without.
* Home repairs may become necessary. Some may be covered by homeowners insurance, but many are not.
* A family member could become ill. If it’s your child, you may need to take time off work to care for him. If it’s your spouse, he or she could lose income. Having an emergency fund can make such situations less stressful.
Some argue that they do not need an emergency fund because they have credit cards. It’s true that credit cards can be useful when something unexpected comes up, but you will have to pay interest on any amount you charge unless you pay the balance in full right away. If you’re on a tight budget, the last thing you need to do is rack up more debt.
So how much should you keep in your emergency fund? Most experts recommend a goal of three to six months’ pay. That sounds like a lot, but job loss or disability could keep you out of work that long or longer. It will take some time to build up such reserves, but it can be done with consistent saving each month.
When the unexpected happens, having an emergency fund can prevent it from sending your finances into chaos. By including a set amount of savings in your monthly budget, you can have a financial cushion to fall back on if needed.
Related Blogs
For more great content, remember to subscribe to my RSS feed. Subscribe
