After a year of staying at home, a single post-COVID-vaccine vacation might not be enough to quench your travel lust –– but the cost of all those aspirational travel expenses may feel limiting. 💰

Enter: 5 ways to plan a budget-friendly vacation, with help from the budgeting pros at Greenville Federal Credit Union — whether you’re just back from spring break and ready to plan your next family getaway or starting to think about your first vaccinated adventure.

1. Make it a #RoadTrip. 🚙

It’s both cheaper and more COVID-conscious to drive than it is to fly, especially if your destination is less than 8 hours away. (Read: When you don’t need to stop + stay in a hotel room.) This list of the 15 Best Cheap Summer Vacations includes Surfside Beach, SC, Williamsburg, VA + Daytona, FL – all under a 7-hour drive from GVL.
#ProTip: Frequent travelers should consider signing up for a travel-specific credit card. The Visa Signature card offers triple points on travel expenses – not just on flights, but on gas and hotels for stops along the way.

2. To Airbnb or not to Airbnb? 🛏️

Depending on your destination + the number of people you're traveling with, renting a vacation home through Homeaway, Vrbo or Airbnb might be more affordable (and relaxing) than a hotel. And opting to stay in a home or condo means avoiding crowded lobbies, hallways + elevators.
If you’re a frequent traveler (for work or play), consider becoming a member of a travel rewards program (like Expedia Rewards, which is free), which can get you access to deeply-discounted hotel rooms (and now some privately-owned homestays, similar to Airbnbs).

3. Plan ahead to find ways to save. 🎟️

Take some time before your trip to budget — i.e. map out an approximate sum of money you plan to spend each day on meals, transportation (i.e. subway fare, cabs + Ubers/Lyfts) and planned activities.
If you’re splurging on an expensive Airbnb but also paying down a car or personal loan, look into Skip-a-Pay, Greenville Federal Credit Union members’ service for skipping a loan payment on a select month when your budget may be strained.
Look into prices for everywhere you plan on going to find deals and discounts in advance instead of paying more in the moment (#ProTip: museums offer free admission on certain days of the week). Bonus: Greenville Federal Credit Union offers discounted tickets to several nearby destinations exclusively for their members.
Working remotely? Schedule a work sesh or two into your trip so you can use less PTO, which means more money in your paycheck.

4. Hit the grocery store. 🛒

Meals in restaurants can be the highlights of a vacation, but you can seriously save – and make those special meals more special – by stocking up on items for easy (and healthy) breakfasts + lunches, like fruit, cereal + sandwich supplies.
#ProTip: Grab snacks from the grocery store before hitting the road – you’ll likely find cheaper prices there than at a convenience store or vending machine.

5. Get campy. ⛺

Planning a longer trip, but weary of flying? Consider renting an RV — a major trend right now. It’s comfier than a car and serves as a built-in place to sleep so you don’t have to stop at hotels along the way.
By making the journey itself part of the fun of your trip, the destination isn’t as important. Map out a route with small-town stops, and worry less about paying big bucks when you get to wherever you’re going.
Renting a space at a campground can be seriously cheaper than booking a room. If renting an RV, park it there. If traveling by car, pack your camping gear for an in-tents overnight stay.

Good news for those who want a little extra help with budgeting: Greenville Federal Credit Union offers My Budget Manager on its online + mobile banking platforms to make budgeting your trip a breeze. Learn more here. Ⓟ

Question:

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Your travel tips:

“Purchase a season pass to Dollywood and Hilton Honors Credit Card for free hotel room stays.” –Craig S.
"Pack a cooler with drinks, fruit, and sandwiches so you only need to stop for gas. When you stop for gas, always go to the restroom." –Bethe C.
“Travel in a van camper! We built our own and can travel totally self-contained, budget-friendly, and safe!” –Dave M.
“If you’re traveling with your dog, all La Quinta hotels accept dogs at no extra cost.” –Suzanne W.
"Take leftovers to your hotel to make another meal. Purchase food for a picnic, or eat at the place you are sightseeing. Bring microwaveable meals. Bring healthy snacks for road trips. Pack a cooler with fruit, fresh veggies, juices, and water. Plan day trips. Charter buses for your group. Look for flexible dates for airfare." –Linda R.
“Book refundable accommodations (hotel or Airbnb) early and check back occasionally to see if a better deal is available.” –Grayson M.
“Stay in a location with a kitchen (one of the many suite-style hotels, an Airbnb, cabin, etc). Shop at a local grocery and make many of your own meals. We like to plan for breakfast and lunch in the room and then explore local restaurants at dinner.” –Jennifer S.
“If you are looking for ratings of tours on TripAdvisor, use them for the ratings, but especially for international trips, find the website of the tour and purchase from them directly. Also, purchase your international train tickets domestically online – many times cheaper than getting them "in country." –Catherine V.
“Use Scott's Cheap Flights! It's an email service that gives you fares that are substantially lower than usual for a given route. I went from Charlotte, NC to Melbourne, Australia in 2019 for $500! Great way to see the world affordably and in ways that normally wouldn't be possible.” –Ryan M.
“If you have access to a kitchen, cook at least some of your meals and plan for picnic lunches.” –Carolyn F.
“If renting a car, check the rates from a rental car office away from the airport. Quite often there is a hefty "airport access fee" added on, whereas a downtown rental office doesn't charge for that.” –Skip S.
“Go to places during the off season.” (think: Hawaii) –Jim G.
“I always book directly on the hotel's website because, a lot of the time, they have internal deals and promotions if you stay a certain amount of nights! Hotels also offer breakfast and other perks when booked directly.” –Ruby S.
“For a road trip, always pack a picnic lunch for the first day and stop at rest areas or Welcome Centers.” –Gail K.
“Purchase all admission fees before leaving on your vacation.” –Donna K.
“Invite a friend and share expenses.” –Carol L.