Winter blues can be a drag, but if you're from a cold climate, vacationing somewhere warm is a great way to cheer yourself up. Your winter getaway doesn't have to break your budget if you use some simple tips:
Sell unwanted or unneeded items to help finance your trip. If you decide spontaneously on a winter vacation, that doesn't leave you much time to save up for it. Instead, list things you don't want to need anymore on Craigslist or hold a garage sale if you're in a mild enough climate. Not only will you earn money for your budget vacation, but you'll also free up more space in your house.
Shop around for a cheap hotel and car rental. Priceline and Hotwire are great sources for cheap hotels if you're okay with not knowing the brand until you commit to the reservation. Those same sources often have heavily discounted car rentals, too.
See if you're eligible for any discounts. You might save money on hotels, theme park tickets, and attractions on your budget vacation if you belong to certain organizations, like AAA or AARP or have an affiliation like being in the military or being a school teacher.
Bring snacks for breakfast and eat two meals a day instead of three. Granola bars, cereal eaten dry, fruit and nut blends and other cheap and easy-to-carry options should tide you over until lunch and help you save on your food budget for your cheap vacation.
Pay for souvenirs in cash. Decide on your souvenir budget up front and bring it with you in cash. This prevents impulse buys and forces you to stick to your pre-set spending amount. It's all too each to charge extra items on your credit card because it doesn't really feel like you're spending money. With cash, once it's gone, your done spending. Period.
Check out more of my articles in my Budget Travel column. Read about the Orlando attractions in my Orlando column.
Need advice or guidance from a Central Florida theme parks expert? Check out my ebooks for Kindle and Nook.
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