Guest Post by Melissa Hasan
Value is the new green. Consumers are still interested in saving the environment but the incessant bad news about the economy has changed everything. Now being frugal is fashionable and excessive consumption is out.
Value doesn’t necessarily mean the least expensive but reasonable quality at an affordable price. And value seems to be across all socio economic levels. It’s not just about saving money but is socially responsible spending. It’s about living within your means and not borrowing or spending more than you earn.
So what’s a cash strapped family to do when it comes to vacation? We’ve put together a list of 30 ways to pay for your vacation by cutting out spending that doesn’t add value to your life in order to afford a vacation that will recharge your batteries and bring you closer to your loved ones. True value indeed.
1. Have a garage sale. Or two.
2. Stop smoking, one pack a day will cost $1600 or more a year.
3. Don’t eat meat twice a week. When we were kids, a trip to Europe was a big thing. I had a friend whose family wasn’t wealthy and the way they saved up to go was by changing to powdered milk (instead of fresh).
4. Cut out the latte or specialty coffee. Instead, make coffee at home and bring it in a reusable travel cup. It’s good for your wallet and the environment.
5. Pack your lunch – this can save you up to $1000 / year.
6. Get a short-term second job.
7. Stop buying name brand toiletries and start buying in bulk. Costco has some great deals. Go with a friend and split the oversize packages.
8. Instead of buying that book or DVD, borrow it for free from the local library. Yearly savings: $200
9. Buy the least expensive gas. Generally there’s at least one gas station in town that’s 10 cents less a gallon than the other stations. If you purchase 20 gallons per week, that’s $104/year.
10. Turn the lights off and unplug appliances that aren’t in use. If you can’t unplug the appliances, buy a Smart Power Strip which stops drawing power when the appliance isn’t in use. The device will pay for itself within a few months.
11. Canceling gym memberships for the summer months- exercise outdoors instead- you can save at $20+a month depending on the gym.
12. Get to your own bank for all your ATM transactions. Most foreign bank transactions are at least $1.50 per transaction.
13. As your light bulbs need to be replaced, put in compact fluorescent bulbs. They last longer and save $60 in electricity costs over their lifetime. That’s PER bulb.
14. Turn down the heat or AC. For every degree you can save up to 5%
on your bill.
15. Set your washer to cold and save 50% of the cost to heat the water. Only partially dry your clothes and hang them to complete drying. Or put up a clothes line in the summer.
16. Book a package, shop for a deal. Bundling air, hotel and rental car will usually save over booking each individually.
17. Really low on funds this year? Vacation close to home. You’ll save on airfare and possibly hotel rates if you live in a tourist area. Many of us haven’t visited the top tourist attractions in our own hometowns.
18. Consider camping. Although with budget cutbacks, reservations may be tough to get. Book early.
19. Consider staying in a hostel that offers private rooms for couples or families.
20. Consider houseswapping. Instead of paying a hotel bill, swap your house with another family and have all the comforts of home plus the added bonus of being able to save on meals.
21. Drop the land line. You can generally save at least $50/month. Most people have cell phones that they use all the time anyway.
22. Not ready to drop the land line? Can you live without caller id, voice mail and call waiting? Typically these charges are $10, $20 or more per month.
23. Drop the premium channels or cable altogether. That adds up to another $50 or more per month.
24. Cook at home more often. Eating out, even drive through fast food, really adds up, both in dollars and calories.
25. Plan your meals to maximize use of ingredients. Plan your grocery shopping and go as seldom as possible. You’ll save by not buying impulsively.
26. Most towns have a clipper magazine or entertainment book. Use the coupons to save on your meals out.
27. Use coupons for grocery purchases, restaurants and even travel.
28. Before you buy anything, go online and search for “product” coupon code or promo code. Typically you can find savings from 5% – 25%.
29. Carpool. It saves on gas and wear and tear on your car.
30. Check out Best Travel Deals . Net for free movies, coupons, last minute sales and jaw dropping deals.
Melissa Hasan is a travel enthusiastic, marathon runner, and soon to be first time mom living in upstate New York with her husband Joe and dog Blue. She blogs at Best Travel Deals.
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I’ve been practicing Tip 15 this year. Rainy days and winter make outdoor drying difficult, but we still air dry our clothes by using this type of clothes rack Being round it works really nice under a ceiling fan!
One idea is to switch your laundry time to the evening then put the clothes on drying racks in your living space right before bed to dry 8 hours while you sleep. You’ll have dry clothes in the morning without tripping over the rack all day.