Travelogue

Being stuck at home on a hot summer day in the middle of a recession is a sad, depressing proposition. If you’re like most Americans, this recession has put a serious crimp into our summer vacation plans. However, there are still ways you and your family can enjoy your time off even while on a strict budget. You may wind up not staying at the most posh resort or eating at the nicest restaurants, but you can still have a blast. Here are five tips for the vacationer on a budget:

1. Go in on a summer rental with another family. Rent a slightly larger home with your brother or sister and their kids. This will make your trip a little more hectic but much less expensive. Make sure your kids and their kids get along and you’ll end up with a trip for the ages. This is a great way to stay in touch with your relatives. Take turns on who makes dinner and you’ll save even more money.
2. Ditch the car. Find a getaway spot that has a lot of sightseeing spots within walking distance or near a public transportation hub. Instead of going all over the place and spending money on the gas try to find places that are interesting and close to your hotel. Go to a major city and explore the different neighborhoods which offer a number of different cultures.
3. Stay away from the souvenir traps. When you travel to a vacation destination you’re bound to run into costly souvenir stands. Instead of coming home with suitcases full of knickknacks, purchase one quality memento of your trip.
4. Avoid the tourist traps too. Wherever you go for your vacation there are going to be places set up explicitly for the tourist who has come with more money in their wallets than the residents of the area. These places are severely overpriced and usually don’t have even the greatest quality of goods. Talk to the locals and find out where they go to eat and shop; they’ll steer you straight and help you save some dough.
5. Find accommodations with a kitchen. One of the largest expenses that you can’t avoid is eating on vacation. If you can either rent a house or find a motel or hotel with access to a kitchen then you can save a ton of money by just shopping for you food at a grocery store and not eat out for every meal.

This post was contributed by Heather Johnson, who is an industry critic on the subject of American Express Reward Programs. She invites your feedback at heatherjohnson2323 at gmail dot com.