Fun Friday--Travel Anyone?

Well, the economy still isn't recovering and expenses keep going up, but summer is traditionally vacation time, so what are we to do?

Well, first of all a bit of sage advice. My mom and dad always loved to travel. My dad would spend hours, recounting adventures they would have while on their excursions. Always an amusing incident or a highlight of their latest visit. My dad passed away last year, and traveled up until a month before his death--a trooper til the end. I'll always value all of his stories, but what stands out as well is my mom's advice of "do it while you can."

And on that note, here's some ideas to save money while building memories.





Try camping--some of my best memories come from camping errors. It's fun, inexpensive and a great way to exercise and meet great people along the way. The most important feature I find in a tent is enough room to stand up. The other feature is that it is easy for you to put up. No one likes to pull into a campsite after dark and have a tent that is a struggle to set up.

Visit a state park Many state parks have hotels within their boundaries that are less expensive that outside. Check to see if they have a summer special. Illinois Beach State Park offers one night free when you book a night between Sunday and Thursday.

Library Passes Check out what passes your library has to offer. They often include free admission to parks and museums or substantial discounts.

Free stuff from Big Companies Many companies give free perks just for being their customer. Bank of America has a Museums on Us program giving free admission on specific days nationwide. Target has an Arts and Culture program which gives free or discounted tickets. (Target.com--Company Info)


Be Flexible with Travel Dates Weekend travel is often more expensive, try Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday

Try Geocaching A techno scavenger hunt--with lots of exercise.

Mommy blogger--what? Even if you're past taking little ones on vacation with you, mommy bloggers are all about teaching one how to save money. They know the best values for restaurants in their area as well as entertainment bargans.

Check out smartertravel.com They have lots of great ideas and deals.

Bon Voyage!!