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6 Easy Ways to Keep Vacation Expenses in Check

You finally saved up enough money to go to the destination that sat on your bucket list for years, but now you need to figure out how to afford the little things while you travel. The hotel and airfare are covered, but what about the other expenses that tend to add up? Before you resign yourself to the fact that you have to sit in your hotel and look at the views from your window, consider these simple ways to save money on your next vacation.

1. آ Look for Free Events

Check out local websites for the areas you plan to visit. Every area has a city website or even travel website that showcases the most popular places to visit, including the free ones. Make a list of these areas and the things there are to do there. You will likely find a variety of free tours, attractions, and things to do. Take advantage of these activities first before spending any money ق€" you might find that you learn even more about the areas with these resourceful events.

2. آ Use Daily Deal Sites

Just like you would search daily deal site that are in your area, if you are traveling to another city, search for deals in that area. You will often find significant discounts on tours, activities, and even dining. The daily deal sites have the ins and outs regarding what is hot in a particular area, so using this site can also help you see things you might not have otherwise known about.

3. آ Plan What You Will Eat

It might seem boring to have a plan for what you will eat and when, but it will keep you on a strict budget. If the hotel arrangement you have allows you to cook in your room, plan on shopping for the essential items when you arrive and eat in your room whenever you can. If you cannot eat in your room, search for the least expensive places to eat in the area and pick 2 meals that will fill you the most. The most common options are breakfast and dinner, as you can fill up in the morning and then again at night without feeling hungry the rest of the day.

4. آ Keep a Souvenir Budget

Souvenirs are often the straw that broke the camelق€™s back for vacation budgets. Before you step foot out the door, figure out your souvenir budget, if you have one at all. Oftentimes, souvenirs are not even necessary, but if you must have them, set a cash budget and do not allow yourself to go over it. Do not shop for souvenirs at the beginning of the trip either ق€" wait until the very end because chances are you will realize you do not even need that trinket after all.

5. آ Pack Light

Over packing your suitcase before you even leave your house only sets you up for disaster on the way home. If you do purchase souvenirs or you have food or extra clothing to bring home, you will be forced to either purchase more luggage or pay the extra heavy baggage fees at the airport to get your luggage back home. When you start out light, you have room to expand when you come home, which seems inevitable for any vacation.

6. آ Use Apps

Every city has apps that help you navigate your way around the city and find things to do. With the right amount of research, you can find free apps for the city you will be visiting to help you get around. Search for coupon apps, transportation apps, and even apps for things to do in the city you plan to visit. You might be surprised at the number of start-up companies that created apps to help tourists just like you.

Going on vacation does not have to mean going over your means. If you are on a strict budget, you simply need to plan accordingly for your vacation. With the help of the internet and a few hours of your time, you can make your vacation one to remember and not because it was the one you had to bypass all of the fun because you could not afford it.