1. Price Check
This may be obvious, but you can save SO much money if you continuously check plane ticket prices or reserve a hotel room for less popular days throughout the summer. Triple check the prices on all transportation, reservations, and tickets before leaving. Also, sign up for any e-mails or notifications that will warn you about price drops on
2. Find Free Things to Do
You don’t HAVE to take the most expensive tours or attend the BIGGEST concerts going on. Find free food or music festivals, parades, or local fairs to get a taste of local life at a fraction of the cost. Check city websites while planning your trip. Most places will have calendar with descriptions of fun activities going on.
3. Take Multiple People
Grab your mom, your best friend, your dog, load up the car, and GO! The more people you can take on a trip, the better. You’ll save on gas prices and hotels if you take more people. Plus, you can split up into groups to explore.
4. Go Non-Traditional Places
Who said you HAD to go to Washington D.C. or NYC over the summer? Look into smaller cities in less populated states to discover hidden gems. Sometimes the most popular beaches and towns are overcrowded, dirty, and lack that vacation charm.
5. Be Strict With Your Budget
Make an estimated budget before you go and leave a little wiggle room for bumps in the road or extra money for souvenirs, but DON’T go without a plan! You might end up spending twice the amount were able to. Plus, running out of money halfway through your trip would be a disaster.