Vacation Savings: Cost Breakdown – Part 1 of 5

October 6, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Fotolia

Realizing that many of you may not have taken a vacation this year, I write this series to encourage you while your savings increase. Our family saved for two years for our extended vacation this year, so I understand your situation.

In 2011, our family forewent a family vacation because we did not have the cash on hand. Without making it a big deal, Paul and I planned fun family outings locally, and our children knew no different. I’m not even sure they asked when we were going on vacation – one of the many benefits to having younger children. 😉

In this 5-part series, I will share my tips and tricks to stretching our dollars to keep our 2+ week vacation under $1,000. Today in Part 1, I share our vacation savings in the cost breakdown. In the next 4 weeks, I’ll explain the different entertainment options we used to maximize our vacation.

Part 1: Cost Breakdown

Transportation

Gas

With our extended stay, we needed a vehicle for our family. Without finding a great deal on a vehicle rental and airfare, we chose to drive from South Carolina to Florida. The cost of gas fared less expensive than the vehicle rental and airfare for our entire family. The amount spent in gas from the day we left to the day we returned totaled $313.86.

Flight

With Paul needing to return sooner than the rest of the family, we searched and watched for sales. When Allegiant Air offered a week-long sale of select flights for $39, I selected an available flight.

By reading through the fine print, I discovered that Allegiant Air added a convenience fee and a booking fee if scheduling a flight online, but these fees get waived if purchased at the airport. With a limited flight schedule, I checked Allegiant’s departing flights and arrived at the airport 2 hours prior to departure.

When the attendant came to check-in passengers, I made my request to book a future flight. He booked the flight for Paul, and my cost came to $40.80 including tax. By purchasing at the airport, I saved $25 by not incurring the $15 convenience fee or the $10 carrier usage fee. I paid with our Visa credit card which carries flight insurance and refused all additional charges for baggage, seat assignment, and insurance.

The total cost of transportation came to $354.66.

Lodging

Mom’s House

Knowing how blessed I am to have family and lodging during our stay, we invaded my parents’ home with their consent. Though my kids pushed every limit, we appreciated the free lodging during our stay.

Hotel

On our trip down, we left in the middle of the afternoon and traveled to a hotel. We found through Priceline.com a one-night stay in a hotel with an indoor pool and spa. Though there were other less expensive deals, we made our choice and paid $54.63. The pool and spa offered a great activity after being cooped up in the car.

The total cost of lodging came to $54.63.

Food

My Mom had stocked her kitchen in preparation for our visit, so we saved a bundle on our grocery bill. With two family dinners and supplementing the existing supplies, we spent $196.96 on food throughout our vacation. This cost included our meals while traveling. The main reason for this low cost was the food already at my Mom’s house.

The total cost of food came to $196.96.

Entertainment

Our entertainment costs became the second most expensive category of our vacation. Choosing to invest in 3 annual memberships, we paid a total of $283.00.

Our thought process is that we can return early next summer before these memberships expire. By using these annual memberships for free admission, we can eliminate almost $300 from our budget, but still enjoy the same fun throughout a second vacation.

The total cost of entertainment came to $283.00.

In adding our cost for transportation, lodging, food, and entertainment, our total cost for our 2012 family vacation came to $889.25. Keeping our vacation expenses below our budgeted amount, we returned with $110 to start our 2013 family vacation fund. 🙂

The total cost of our 2012 family vacation came to $889.25.

In using time wisely to research and plan, we enjoyed our family vacation while stretching our dollars. In the coming weeks, I will share the details of stretching your dollars in the entertainment category.

Though I have posted lots of ideas, I will bring the savings strategies together while focusing on vacation planning. If you are traveling at Christmas, then this series should give you more tips and tricks to save you money, energy, and time. Happy savings!

Questions: How much do you plan to spend on your family vacation?

Vacation Savings: Zoo Membership – Part 2 of 5

October 13, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Fotolia

If you are considering travel this holiday season or adding to your vacation savings for next year, then you are probably looking to stretch your dollars to the limit.

Like me, you probably want the confidence knowing there is no better deal around than the one you snagged. 🙂

Last week in Part 1, I shared the cost breakdown of our summer vacation where we spent less than $1000 for a 2+ week family vacation. In continuing this series, I will share more details about how we spent that money.

Part 2: Zoo Membership – $210

Researching the Information

Our family has purchased a zoo membership almost every year. In the past, we chose our local zoo which offers an annual membership under $100. Though the price was reasonable, the real benefit for us was the reciprocal options.

We used to purchase our membership and enjoy the benefits at home. Then when we traveled to Florida, we were granted free admission via the reciprocal arrangement to a larger zoo that carried an annual membership of $210. We did not get membership benefits like premium parking or free rides, but the admission price was waived. Purchasing a membership at the less expensive zoo helped in stretching our dollars while enjoying the benefits of both zoos.

When the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) changed their reciprocal policies a couple years ago, I stopped purchasing our zoo membership. The AZA moved to a mostly 50% reciprocal arrangement. When I called the zoos that were listed as 100% reciprocal (meaning free admission to zoo members), I received exceptions to that rule making those zoos a 50% savings or none at all.

Upon gathering my information that purchasing my zoo membership at home would only get us a 50% discount in Florida and we planned to visit the zoo in Florida multiple times, we looked at the options at the zoo in Florida.

Evaluating the Information

Local Zoo

With an annual family membership + 2 guests costing less than $100, we could get free admission at home for us and 2 guests. For the guests to enter, they would need to arrive with us at the gate.

This membership also gave a 50% discount off admission to the zoo in Florida.

The daily admission in Florida is over $20 per person. With the 50% discount, we would pay $50 ($10 x 5) to get in the gate on each visit. Then we would still need to pay for rides which would quickly exceed the $210 annual membership cost of the zoo in Florida.

Florida Zoo

The $210 annual family membership + 2 guests included admission and all the rides, except for the animal rides, for our family and 2 guests.

Because this membership gives each individual a card, a family of 5 and 2 guests get 7 cards. The guests do not need to be with membership holder to gain access into the zoo. The reciprocal benefits were still 50% at home where admission is less than $10 per person.

Making a Choice

Realizing that the best deal for our family was the annual family membership + 2 guests to the zoo in Florida since my parents could use the guests passes anytime during the year, I began watching the daily deal sites for discounts on the annual memberships.

Already subscribed to the Florida area, I kept a watch. Though I found a few deals at this zoo, none were for an annual membership.

Realizing that we did our part in looking for a discount, we arrived at the zoo on our first visit and willingly purchased our annual family zoo membership + 2 guests for $210.

We enjoyed the zoo 3 or 4 days during our visit without spending any more money on admission or rides for subsequent visits. My kids loved the animals and rides, and I enjoyed flashing our cards without making a payment.

Purchasing Extras

Checking out the zoo, I found that the souvenir mugs sold for $7 each, and refills cost $1. Realizing that my parents would also visit the zoo, we purchased one mug and shared it. Then when we returned, we brought it to the park filled with water. When the water was depleted, we refilled for $1.

With this savings, we enjoyed stretching our dollars while having a treat at the zoo. We then left the mug at my parents’ home for them to enjoy on their next trip to the zoo using their guest passes.

In planning our vacation, we found researching and evaluating a great use of our time. When we made our choice we knew it was the best option for our family. We paid the $210 and will get more use of this membership if we visit our local zoo and when we return to Florida next summer.

As you continue stretching your dollars, research your options, evaluated them, and make a choice. Then look for daily deals to score deep discounts or pay full price knowing you are getting the deal for your dollars while using time wisely. Happy savings!

Question: What do you think about annual memberships?

2012 Third Quick Tip Week: Free Kids’ Haircuts

October 20, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: JCP

Quick Tip Week continues! Hope this week of shorter posts highlighting one tip in each category helps you in using time wisely.

For series already in progress, I will continue with the next segment following our Quick Tip Week.

Embrace this week, add your tips in the comments, and continue using time wisely!

Quick Tip #7: Free Kids’ Haircuts

Beginning on Sunday, November 4, 2012, J. C. Penney will offer free kids’ haircuts every Sunday. With the success of their back-to-school promotion, J.C. Penney’s CEO has chosen to make the promotion permanent for all students in kindergarten through 6^th grade.

Are you feeling the generosity of J. C. Penney recently? They are definitely reaching out to customers. From the free family portrait to the free kids’ haircuts, J. C. Penney really wants you visiting their locations to see their new format and to spend your money.

In using time wisely while stretching your dollars, make a reservation for your qualified students’ free haircut on any Sunday beginning in November at your local J. C. Penney location. Happy savings!

Question: What do you think of J.C. Penney’s generosity?

Vacation Savings: Science Membership – Part 3 of 5

October 27, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Fotolia

In stretching our dollars to fund our 2+ week family vacation within a $1,000 budget, we combined savings strategies with patience.

In Part 1 of this series, I posted the cost breakdown of our vacation. The reasons and price tag of our zoo membership comprised Part 2. Today, I will share our most versatile annual pass, our science membership.

Part 3: Science Membership – $35

Researching the Information

Our local science museum does not offer much, but the membership is worth the money for the reciprocal benefits. Unlike the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the Association of Science-Technology Centers compiles one list of all the approved science centers.

When you purchase an annual membership with one of the centers on the list, then your annual family membership gives you free admission to all the other centers on the list. Wow . . .what a money saver!

Evaluating the Information

In looking over the science centers on the list, our family has limited options in South Carolina. However, there are a number of science centers in Florida. With our membership, our family could enjoy all the listed science centers paying the one price of $35 for the year. Each of the other centers in Florida offered family memberships starting at $99.

Choosing an Option

Though our family has no plans to visit our local science museum, purchasing this annual family membership is worth every penny. This $35 price is a discount through my husband’s work and does not drop any lower in cost with discounts or daily deal sites, so we purchased our family membership and received two membership cards.

Using our Membership

While we were in Florida, our family attended a multi-building and multi-floored science center as well as a Children’s museum. Other options available were an air museum and an aquatic center which we did not see. My children enjoyed the Children’s museum so much that we visited two different days.

Among the tree house, farm area, large sand box made from bits of rubber – not sand, the fire station, clay creations, grocery store, pizzeria, golf, cafeteria, veterinarian office, and many more areas, my kids had a ball. The best part, our admission was free in Florida because we purchased our science membership in South Carolina prior to our visit.

In researching, evaluating, choosing, and using our science membership, our family enjoyed multiple venues while on vacation and can repeat these activities within the year. In using time wisely to plan for our vacation, we purchased an annual science membership in South Carolina accepted at two additional centers in Florida.

As you plan for your next vacation, spend time researching your science center options. In using time wisely, you might find a science membership your ticket to stretching your dollars. Happy savings!

Question: How often does your family visit a science museum?

Vacation Savings: Gardens Membership – Part 4 of 5

November 3, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Fotolia

In going down to Florida for our family vacations, we repeat some of the same activities and then branch out to try new places.

In this 5-part series, I am sharing how our family stretched our dollars during our two-week vacation spending less than $1,000.

In Part 1, I gave our cost breakdown; in Part 2, I explained our zoo membership; and in Part 3, I shared the benefits of our science membership. In Part 4, I present a new-to-us gardens membership.

Part 4: Botanical Gardens Membership – $25

Researching the Information

While checking my junk e-mail account to peruse the daily deals to which I subscribe, I found an interesting Groupon – an annual membership to a botanical garden in Florida for $25. In researching the address, I found these gardens next to the Children’s museum we visit.

In addition to the close proximity to the museum, this garden has reciprocal benefits. The American Horticultural Society reciprocal list offers free admission to numerous other gardens with this one membership.

Evaluating the Information

Having never visited a botanical garden and not knowing how our young children would react to the flora, we weighed the cost vs. the benefits. Though the adventure might lack activity, our children would enjoy seeing the plants, flowers, and waterfalls while walking the paths.

Choosing an Option

Taking a chance that one or more of our family members would enjoy the visit, I checked the expiration date on the Groupon to verify we could activate our membership within the time frame. Upon confirmation, I purchased the voucher for the botanical gardens annual membership for $25.

Using our Membership

In planning our vacation day, we chose to visit the gardens before heading to the Children’s museum. When we arrived at the location, the admission counters for both the gardens and the museum were in the same place.

The admission process for the gardens took longer as the cashier verified the Groupon voucher and then activated our annual membership. I had also purchased two additional admissions from Groupon for $10 to admit my parents.

When getting our membership cards, we learned that for the month of August, membership at this garden granted us access into a unique aquarium nearby. We did take a trip over to that location on another day and enjoyed the free admission from our garden membership.

Though the day was very hot and we hurried through the last portion, the adults enjoyed the scenery more than the kids. Thankfully, we saw the garden first as we ended up staying at the museum until it closed for the day. 🙂

In researching, evaluating, choosing, and using our botanical garden membership, this purchase was worth the money. Just giving our children a different perspective was worth the investment. Had we needed to save that money, then this membership would not have been purchased.

By subscribing to daily deal sites, I snagged this garden membership deal with all the reciprocal benefits and paid half price. In stretching our dollars, we saved on the full price and gained at least two new adventures while using time wisely.

If you know your next destination, then subscribe to daily deal sites, check your e-mail, and verify expiration dates before purchasing. In using time wisely, you can plan a fun vacation while stretching your dollars. Happy savings!

Question: What does your family enjoy doing on vacation?

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