Last week I went down to Miami with a group of friends. It was awesome; the food was great, the sun was warm, the beach was heavenly and most importantly, it was inexpensive! We all split the cost of renting a house (with a pool) and drove down together.
Here are some easy ways to save money before and during your next trip:
1) Purchase all your toiletries beforehand. A big money-waster can be that first trip to the store once you reach your destination. You're tired and excited to be on vacation and it becomes super easy to justify filling your basket full of snacks, magazines, new make-up, lotions, perfume, new sunglasses, etc etc. This can be avoided so easily with a thought-out trip to your local drugstore or Target before the vacation. Then when you reach your destination, the first thing you will have to do is simply relax!
2) Borrow magazines from a friend. Any working girl is bound to fly through a pile of magazines on the beach. And a pile of magazines can easily add up to $25+. Simply asking around from friends for magazines is easy, cheap and good old-fashioned green fun. And ending up with six back issues of Cosmo will be pretty nice considering you haven't had the time to read them in the first place.
3) Use a library! This is a serious classic. Borrowing books from your library is essential for cheap traveling. Do not waste money on books you will never read again. Beach reads are not investment pieces that you put on display in your living room for people to think you are really smart. They are quick, sexy reads for time in the sun. Some beach recommendations are anything by Candance Bushnell, David Sedaris and Anita Shreve.
4) Utilize all your non-season specific basics. Don't automatically assume that you need to run out and buy a completely new wardrobe if you are going on vacation. Take a second look at stuff that you already have and you will realize that half your travel clothes are already there. Basics can include: leggings, soft tees, ballet flats, lightweight jackets, cotton or silk blouses, bright-colored dresses, long-strand necklaces, stacks of lightweight bangles, etc etc etc. Just because it is winter where you are doesn't mean all your clothes are made of wool. Picture them in a different climate and ta-dah! - your sexy vacation wardrobe is already taken care of.
5) Make a basic budget. I know this may seem annoying and anti-vacation, but making a simple outline of what you plan on spending can make in-the-moment decisions easier to maneuver. Start with a money limit for the whole trip, say $300. Then jot down things you will probably spend money on: food, alcohol, shopping, etc etc. and write down how much you would like to allot to each area. Then you will have an idea of what you should be spending during your trip.
And have fun! Every working girl deserves a break and vacations do not have to be a big money headache. Planning ahead and sharing with friends can create guiltless and stress-free traveling.
