May 23, 2011

Family Vacation doesn’t have to break the bank!

Finances

Family vacation doesn’t have to break the bank.  In fact, if you are spending too much money on your vacation, it isn’t really a vacation because of the stress you put yourself under and that’s not what vacation is all about!

 Prioritize your needs and using a little creativity, you can have a memory filled, stress reducing, quality time family vacation.  Here are a couple of ideas:

 Unplug – if you and your family can do without the electronics for a week, try camping.  This back to nature respite is low cost (especially if you have access to camping gear and I’ve always borrowed instead of purchased).   Camping can be a phenomenal learning experience for the entire family.  Get back to nature and simplify your days.  Go fishing, hiking or learn how to tie knots!

 If concrete is more your style, a cost-effective trip to explore a different town or city can be lots of fun.   One trip fondly remembered by my family was a week-long stay in Boston.  We stayed in a reasonably priced motel just outside the city and grabbed public transportation (the “T”) to chart our way around the city.  We made a list of all the things, people and places we knew or researched  made a combined treasure hunt/photo journal out of it.  All family members received a camera (low-cost digital cameras) and we “collected” pictures of our experiences.  Each family member was given the instruction to take pictures of anything they wanted.  When we returned from Boston, we extended the fun by creating a collage of our group and individual experiences.

 Day trips are another great way to spend vacation time with the family.  One thing to remember is that it’s best if the entire family makes a contribution on where you go.   Encourage everyone to suggest their ideas and desires and then make the plan.   By doing so, the result will be a family memory in the making.