Summer is approaching and that means summer vacations are approaching. But holding on to this family tradition while trying to eliminate debt can be tricky. However, it’s not impossible. Financial guru Dave Ramsey asked his listeners and readers to offer up their advice for making sure your summer vacation doesn’t follow you home. Here are some tips:
1. Research, research, research! If you plan ahead and know which restaurants, attractions and stores you plan to hit up you can find and print coupons ahead of time. You probably won’t have a printer with you on vacation so researching ahead of time will ensure that you’ll be prepared.
2. Use cash. Approach your vacation with the same structure as your family budget. Set a written budget for your vacation and use cash to pay for everything. This will ensure that when you come home, you won’t be surprised by high credit card bills.
3. Try negotiating. Just as you would with other big purchases, try negotiating for your vacation. One area to do this is with hotel or resort reservations. Many Dave fans say they’ve had great luck with negotiating for cheaper vacations.
No matter where you’re heading this summer, there is likely a way to save money doing it. Consider all expenses for your vacation– from boarding your pets to gas and research ways to save money. Do you have other tips for saving money on vacation?