My late husband and I bought a very cheap, foreclosed timeshare 22 years ago for the sole purpose of forcing him to take a vacation (he was a workaholic). Although I pay annual maintenance fees, it all comes out pretty cheap, as I stay in very nice places that I could never afford. Fully equipped kitchens have had the boys and me eating breakfast, lunch, and most dinners in, and free bikes have been included in many of the places we’ve stayed. From an elegant place overlooking the Gulf of Mexico in Key West, to a full-fledged resort at Disney World to a cabin in the woods in Wisconsin and places in between, we traveled pretty well for little money.

My oldest has already graduated, we are waiting for the youngest to graduate.

1. For super long car trips, we would pack a lunch and have snacks in the car. We would stop at McDonalds, eat our lunch in the car, then go inside and buy a pop or juice and let the kids play on the toys to stretch their legs. You can put all sorts of things in thermoses: soup, coffee, juice, jello (smaller, wider thermos), applesauce. Can also make a grilled cheese sandwich and wrap in aluminum foil to keep warm. Not perfectly warm but tastes pretty good with tomato soup from a thermos.

2. When we fly, we fly at odd times and odd hours. We buy snacks to take on the plane with us, we do not buy food in the airport during a layover. To expensive.

3. We too get a room with a fridge. We buy milk from the store, cereal, plastic bowls and spoons, and eat cereal every morning for breakfast. We also buy pop or water and put it in the the fridge. You can buy bread and stuff and make a lunch too for on the road. We don’t usually get a microwave because you like to have dinner out at a cheap place. If we do get one, we pop popcorn, make soup or microwave macaroni.

4. We never stay on property if we go to Disneyland or Disneyworld. We stay at the cheapest motel we’re comfortable with. That way, we can afford to stay two weeks, instead of one week. We figure, we’re gone most of the day so who cares what the room or motel looks like.

5. We take a pop bottle with us into Disneyland, drink the pop, and then refill it during the day from the water fountain. You could take a water bottle instead but I like my morning caffeine!

6. We limit our souveniers to things we can use, like t-shirts, sweatshirts, hat, mug, whatever.

7. We buy Disney souveniers at their discount stores. You can find it online before you go and mapquest for directions. You pay about 50-75% less than you would in the park. Never buy in the park.

8. My husband and I usually split lunch or dinner when on vacation (depending on what meal we eat out on). We figure, it wouldn’t hurt us to lose a few pounds, lol!, and neither one of us is very hungry because it’s usually to hot to eat.

9. We don’t go all out just because we’re on vacation. We don’t splurge on expensive restaurants, souveniers, or anything. We rent the smallest car that will fit us and our luggage.

10. We budget an amount of money for meals, and souveniers and things, and then we strive to stick within that budget.

11. When the kids were little, they were given a certain amount of money for souveniers. We told them they had to wait and look around before buying, so that they could see what they really wanted, instead of buying the first thing they saw and liked.

12. Saving money on vacations start NOW. We are currently saving money so that we can go to Florida (we love Florida) when our oldest graduates. We have less than four years to save the money. Save the money ahead if you can, then you have no regrets afterwards, lol!

Told you this would be long!

Wow, I must be tired…