We watch our pennies and do without a lot of the frills because we are trying to save in this troubled economy. Just because we are trying to live more frugal lives doesn’t mean we want to live without all the fringe benefits of life. We do want to take vacations- whether we are a family, a couple or just a solo traveler. There are some tips you can do to make sure you have the most enjoyable vacation for your travel dollar.

Travel Off Season
If you travel during the season– to wherever you are looking at going– you will pay more. It’s that simple. If you want to visit the mountains of North Carolina, you are going to pay more from October to March. First you have the fall foliage that people travel from all over to see. Then you have skiing and you can rest assured that hotel, motel and lodge accommodations are not on the budget travelers list of approved sites.

So look at visiting the sites you want to see at the non peak times. You can generally save a great deal of money since hotels and other accommodations are looking to raise their occupancy rates.

Vacation Rental
One alternative in trying to cut down on travel expenses – especially if a group of adults who are traveling together- is to look into vacation rentals. Remember that North Carolina fall mountain trip? Three siblings and their families traveled together to the mountains in the middle of October and rented a three story mountain cabin for less than the cost of a hotel room for three nights. By splitting the costs, a great family vacation was enjoyed by all.

There are several reputable websites that have proven reliable in finding rentals like this. Sites like Vacation Rentasl By Owner (www.vrbo.com) have vacation homes all over the globe and you can narrow down your location and look for the amenities that suit your needs. From a mountain cabin to a condo on the beach to a Manhattan skyscraper right in the middle of Broadway, you can find accommodations to suit your fancy and budget.

Plan Early
One of the best pieces of advice you can ever receive when looking for budget friendly travel tips is to plan early. Narrow down your location and a general time frame and start saving early. A few dollars saved here and there will greatly help when paying for this budget friendly vacation. Booking your accommodations far in advance lets you be assured that you have the room at the rate you want for the dates you want. Planning early gives you time to research the area you are going and find interesting, cheaper activities.

BYO… Food and Drink
If you are traveling with children or plan to be staying for a few days, consider taking your own food and drink or staying in a place with a kitchen. Staying in a place with a kitchen allows you to eat one or two meals a day at “home” and get a taste of your travel destination at the other meal. This lets you save a great deal of money.

If you are traveling with kids, make sure you take your own snacks or stop at a grocery store once you reach your destination. Purchasing real food in a real grocery store is generally cheaper than eating in restaurants or hotel room service.

National/State Parks
With over 380 National and State Parks in the United States, these are often an untapped resource when really trying to be budget friendly. Look at the Park website and find a list of all of the state parks. One is bound to be near a place you have always wanted to go. Many of these offer great rates and have reasonably priced accommodations nearby if you aren’t the adventurous camper family.