Everyone looks forward to vacation. Our family is no exception. With four kids at home and one about to graduation and join the Marines, I know that my family’s next vacation will have to be spectacular. This may be the last family vacation we will have before our oldest son leaves home to enter the world as an adult. With so many resources at our finger tips, I know that we will definitely have the opportunity to choose a destination that is within our family budget.
The first destination of choice for my family will be Cancun Mexico or a place out of the country but close to home. My kids have never been out of the United States, so we definitely want to enjoy the experience of their first time traveling out of the country with them. My husband and I have been to Cancun and rather than going through an expensive travel agency, we used an online agency called Bookit.com. The booking was extremely easy and they offer a payment plan. I will definitely check them out first before going elsewhere to bargain shop.
With Bookit.com, you scan all the possibilities of resorts and hotels and their amenities. We want a resort that will accommodate a family our size and we definitely want an all-inclusive package. With an all-inclusive package, you have your room, food, and beverages paid for the entire stay. All my family will need to carry is spending money for anything we do away from the resort. With bookit.com the package you choose usually includes airfare which is definitely a plus. The best part of the entire deal is the payment plans. There is a wonderful option where you pay for the entire trip with an easy payment plan. If you so desire, you can pay a third of the cost upfront, another third in 30 days, and the remaining balance is due 30 days before the trip. With my family size, the only concern I want to worry about is when and where we will go for the kids’ passports.
With passports being so expensive our family will need to take measures to save money. Of course, we are already saving money by choosing an all-inclusive trip package rather than paying for airline tickets, room, and then food and activities. My boys love to eat so by having meals included, they can eat when they want and not have to pay per plate. However, we will still save money to pay for activities such as snorkeling, swimming with the dolphins, and other activities we may choose.
One way our kids contribute is the old fashion method of bottling change. Every year when we plan vacations, the kids begin a jug of change and cash it end before the trip. We know we will save about $150 dollars from change alone. My kids will start collecting aluminum cans and cashing them in as well. That usually brings about $40 to $50 dollars. My husband contributes his portion of the trip in a little more creative way. He flips cars. He scans Craigslist and buys old scrap cars for about $100 when metal is high. Then sales the car to the scrap yard for about $350 – $450 depending on weight. His profit is around $250 to $350 per car. He tries to get about four or five cars if he can.
My contribution begins with a very small savings account. Every time throughout the year I think about the vacation, I transfer about one, five or ten dollars into the savings account depending on what I can spare. If I can only spare a dollar, then a dollar is what I transfer. By the end of the year, I find that I thought about vacation a lot through the year. A dollar here and there is never missed and it adds up fast. The outcome of our methods is a wonderful vacation with the family with plenty of money to spare for activities. This year, we plan to make our vacation memories be the best ever!