Let’s face it. Family vacations are expensive. At the writing of this post gas is pretty cheap, but I don’t expect that to last as I am sure the price of oil will begin to creep up again. Even so, traveling whether by car or plane will cost a pretty penny. So how can you save to have enough to go on the vacation you want to without just putting it on your credit card, or suffering months after trying to pay down the debt.
First, you have decide where, when, and for long you plan to go and it should be in the future enough that you can save enough money to go. For example, if you come up with a budget of $2400 and want to go in 6 months then the math is easy enough: you will have to save $400 per month to go on your vacation. While the math may be easy, it is the saving that is difficult. Here are some creative ideas on how to save for vacation:
Save a little from each paycheck, right off the top before you calculate your bills. Have a separate account and pay it first, however much you can. Whatever you do, do not touch your vacation money.
Have one big family change jar for your “Best Family Vacation!” and then give each family member one of their own jars. Save the change from your jeans each day and then compare how much you have at the end of each week. Have the winner of the week get some kind of reward, like choice of a movie or meal. As a family, put what you saved into the big jar. Deposit the change monthly into your vacation account.
Forgo the pizza, eating out, or one thing “extra” once per month and then actually put that money into your family jar.
Go through your family closets and get on your local Craigslist and sell some unwanted items that you would normally give away, or allow to pile up. It is easy and even if you only make a few dollars each time, it is money that can go into your jar.
Get creative to see how else you could make a few dollars. Can you babysit a few times a month? Can you offer any other services such as cleaning services, mechanical work, or handyman repair?
One last thing, make sure that you check your account at the end of each month and have a family meeting. Announce how much is in the account and how much of an excess, or how short you are from your target goal for the month. This will help make it a family affair. It will also encourage creativity on how to save and create money to go on the best family vacation ever!
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