Family Vacations on a Budget

We are living in difficult financial times. With the foreclosure boom and a quickly approaching recession, money is tight for most American families. Most two parent families must have two incomes to pay the bills, and extras are few. Still, we work hard and deserve to take a vacation once in a while. Holidays are good for our bodies and our souls, but can be extremely difficult on our pocketbooks. There is hope, however, and with a little budgeting, preparation, research, and a lot of imagination, you can take the whole family on a memorable, inexpensive vacation all will enjoy.

Vacations don't have to mean flying across the country to some popular and expensive resort. Camping is a timeless, popular vacation activity that can be done with minimal damage to the budget. For families that camp often, good equipment is already available, and if it is good quality, it will last season after season. Usually close to activities like hiking, boating, and rafting, staying in a campground will cost anywhere from $9 to $25, which is a great deal less than renting a hotel for a night, and a lot more fun.

Campgrounds offer all the amenities, as well. Showers, electricity, fire pits, and grills are available for all your camping needs. Campgrounds even have places to do dishes, and sometimes they even have laundry facilities. It might be a little work, but it's all in good fun as you relax away from the office for a few days.
If your budget doesn’t allow travel, you can find things to do locally, such as summer festivals and carnivals. Checking out your area's local tourist attractions can also prove to surprisingly fun for the whole family.