Vacation Tips to save time and money

Vacation information and planning

This page provides some general tips on how to prepare for your next vacation; for more detailed ideas and tips you should consider our Vacation Planning Guide Book, 50 pages of information that can save you much more than its low price.

Vacation Travel Planning Tips

Vacation - Check Listings

Forty-nine items to consider when planning for or going on vacation. These tips can save you time, aggravation, and money on your next trip.

Address Of Attraction:
Make it a family project to create a book of attractions with hours, costs, days of operation, and maps to each.

Attraction Restrictions. Camera, Children, Size, Etc.:
Many attractions have restrictions on clothing, cameras, cell phones, height, weight, etc. Be prepared for such events.

Babysitting Services:
If you have children, then is there daycare by the hour or day available at the vacation spot(s). Remember, vacations are for the adults, so be sure to treat yourself to a night out.

Boating:
Do you have the correct education, equipment, experience, and credentials for the sport or activity you wish to do? Example: If you want to pilot a boat or plane, then will you be able to?

Breakfast:
Have you budgeted and prepared for the day's meals. Eating out can become very expensive, especially if you are taking children with you. Does the motel or hotel have special packages that include meals or at least breakfast?

Camera And Film:
Camera and film can be expensive at vacation areas and therefore, it is almost always cheaper to purchase these item when each goes on sale at your local stores.

Clothing:
You should have a mix of day and eveningwear for each attraction and weather possibility. Wash and wear items are best. Also, what sports clothing and what foot ware is required?

Cost Of Entry Fees:
Make it a family project to create a book of attractions with hours, costs, days of operation, and maps to each.

Cost Of Gas For Vehicle:
If you are renting a vehicle. Plan out the mileage and figure one gallon of gas for each 20 miles.

Cost Of Lodging:
The cost of logging includes the room rates, plus the taxes and the food, and the valet service and the tips, and the room service, and the bar, etc.

Cost Of Meals:
Have you budgeted and prepared for the day's meals. Eating out can become very expensive, especially if you are taking children with you. Does the motel or hotel have special packages that include meals or at least breakfast?

Cost Of Security Fees:
Since 911 the cost of travel has increased several percent due to 'security' at public airports, train stations, etc. Be prepared to pay a 'security fee' and to be searched.

Cost Of Taxes:
Sales and use taxes are on the rise! Most vacation spots (states) have recently increased taxes considerably. Taxes can be on rentals, rooms, food, attractions, and a host of other items and can be from a few percent to 15% or more.

To be on the safe side figure at least 6.5% of the vacation budget for taxes.

Cost Of Tickets For Travel:
This not only includes the train and airlines, but many attractions have local transportation cost involved. Also, you may have to use a bus, taxi, ferry, or helicopter at some time during your vacation and should include extra money for these possibilities.

Cost Of Tolls:
Roads like I-95 are free until you get to states like Delaware where you will pay a toll. I-80 in Ohio and Indiana is a toll road. Tolls can easily add $1.00 to $45.00 onto the cost of a vacation.

Dates And Times Of Attraction:
Make it a family project to create a book of attractions with hours, costs, days of operation, and maps to each.

Dinners:
Have you budgeted and prepared for the day's meals. Eating out can become very expensive, especially if you are taking children with you. Does the motel or hotel have special packages that include meals or at least breakfast?

Document That Contains Information on Attractions:
Make it a family project to create a book of attractions with hours, costs, days of operation, and maps to each.

Emergency Numbers For Getting You:
Leave telephone or cell phone numbers with a friend or family member.

E-Mail Of Attraction:
Make it a family project to create a book of attractions with hours, costs, days of operation, and maps to each.

Folder That Contains Information On Vacation:
Make it a family project to create a book of attractions with hours, costs, days of operation, and maps to each.

Hours Available From Work:
What days and hours are you free from work? Do you have PTO or vacation time? Can you use sick time or holiday time in conjunction with vacation time?

Hours Of Best Travel:
Plan the route. Remember that because you are on vacation, it does not mean the rest of the world is. Weekdays are workdays and traffic through a downtown city area can cause hours of delays. If you know you are continuing past a city, then drive past to the outskirts the night before while traffic is light.

How Much Can Be Spent:
See the budget planners.

Lunches:
Have you budgeted and prepared for the day's meals. Eating out can become very expensive, especially if you are taking children with you. Does the motel or hotel have special packages that include meals or at least breakfast?

Maps (Use Mapquest Or Other Service):
Make it a family project to create a book of attractions with hours, costs, days of operation, and maps to each.

Medical Information

(Contained in the Vacation Planner InfoPacKit)

On-Line Tickets:
Make it a family project to create a book of attractions with hours, costs, days of operation, and maps to each.

No Take Items:
If you are using public transportation such as trains or planes, then find out in advance what items CANNOT be carried with you. Simple things like a throw away razors and fingernail files are now banned in many areas.

Parking Fees:
Make it a family project to create a book of attractions with hours, costs, days of operation, and maps to each.

Passports Or ID Requirements:
Going across a border, even to Mexico or Canada may require proof of citizenship or passport and visa permissions. Guard this paperwork as ID thief is on the rise.

Phone # of Attraction:
Make it a family project to create a book of attractions with hours, costs, days of operation, and maps to each.

Rental Vehicle Company:
Check several rental agencies and book ahead of time. Weekly rentals are generally a good buy. You fill the tank and you pickup at non-airport locations for lower rates. Most majors have free transportation to the off-site (non-airport) locations.

Be careful of second drivers and state to state or out of country travel, as most rental agencies have restrictions on these.

Rental Vehicle Type:
Everyone goes for the price of the rental and not the use or the comfort. It may be worth a few dollars more per day to rent a larger vehicle in which everyone can enjoy the ride(s).

Schedule Per Day Per Hour:
Usually one to two events can be seen in a day. Plan each day's events in advance. Plan for bathroom breaks, meal times, and just relaxing time. Do not overdo it as that leads to fatigue, accidents, and a poor vacation.

Snow Skiing:
Do you have the correct education, equipment, experience, and credentials for the sport or activity you wish to do? Example: If you want to pilot a boat or plane, then will you be able to?

Swimming:
Do you have the correct education, equipment, experience, and credentials for the sport or activity you wish to do? Example: If you want to pilot a boat or plane, then will you be able to?

Tours - Cost And Hours Of:
Make it a family project to create a book of attractions with hours, costs, days of operation, and maps to each. Travel is to be by plane, car, van, SUV, train, etc.

Water Skiing:
Do you have the correct education, equipment, experience, and credentials for the sport or activity you wish to do? Example: If you want to pilot a boat or plane, then will you be able to?

Weather At Locations:
Make it a family project to create a book of attractions with hours, costs, days of operation, and maps to each.

When To Go:
Off peak seasons or months are generally best for a relaxing vacation at minimal expense.

Where To Go:
Ask. Ask the people that are going on the vacation with you what they would like to see or do. Too many vacations end in disaster because one person wanted to do XYZ while the other(s) wanted to do ABC.

Who Is Going
You and a friend.

Vacation Tips - Save Time and Money

Vacation information and planning

Vacation Travel Planning Tips

Vacation - Check Listings