Saving Up for a Family Vacation

Saving Up for a Family Vacation

Saving up for a family vacation takes a little time and planning.  Unless you plan on using a credit card for that family trip, it’s important to start saving up NOW for your next family vacation.

Old Fashioned Change Jar

If your family doesn’t use a lot of cash, then this jar won’t work.  However, an Old Fashioned Change Jar is one way to start saving up for that vacation.  Anytime someone finds a penny or a quarter it goes into the change jar.  When I use cash, I only use bills.  The change comes back home with me and gets thrown into a bowl.  It is surprising how fast change can add up this way!

Sacrificing Now for Fun Later

A vacation is not inexpensive these days.  It might take a little bit of sacrificing now in order to have fun later.  It might come down to cutting out the “extra” eating out or eliminating extracurricular activities for a while.  This can be difficult for young kids or kids with special needs to understand; however, it’s all about saving money little by little, so a vacation can be in your family’s near future.  Have pictures or information in a notebook about your vacation destination for your kids to look at and focus on when they have the “I want”s.  

Extra Jobs (Just for a While)

No one wants to think about doing extra work in order to take care of a vacation, but it’s worth every penny.  Taking on a side job a few extra hours a week can really help you add up the funds you need for a vacation.  Consider the benefits of saving up for a vacation and paying with cash, and then, you won’t have months of “paying off debt” ahead of you.

Eat Out of Your Pantry

Most households have food in their pantry that needs to be eaten, but a busy lifestyle prohibits this from happening.  Make the decision to eat food in your household for one week.  Put the money you saved aside for your vacation.  If you do this 1-2 times a month, you will save some major cash for your vacation.

Zero Based Budget

One of the best ways you can save money for a vacation is with a zero based budget.  This is where you tell your money where to go every week.  After you are paid every week or every other week, pay all of the bills, and then put what you need into a savings account for your vacation.  Watch the money you need for your vacation slowly add up over time.  It’s truly an amazing feeling!

Saving up for a family vacation is all about the teamwork.  Each member of the family can work together to save a little money now to enjoy a lot of fun later.

What are some ways you have saved up for a family vacation?