It’s hard to believe that your summer vacation is less than three months away. We dream about warm beaches, mountain hikes, or shopping in the city, but we don’t like to think about the cost of our week or two of freedom. Here are a few tips to help your summer vacation be the best ever.
- Hold a family meeting to decide where you want to go this summer. Let everyone have input but not necessarily an equal vote! Even unrealistic ideas can be learning opportunities. Children are concrete learners, and they will understand the value of money if you relate the cost of a destination with purchases that impact them.
- Once you have chosen a destination, ask each family member what they want to do when they are there. This step might involve a little research. Help children understand that you will try to let them do something that they want, but you may not be able to afford everything they want.
- Now that you know the basic expenses and some of the extra costs of your vacation, create a savings plan where you save money each month, and the trip is paid for by the time you leave.
Don’t lose all the value of your vacation when you open the credit card bill. Take some time now to plan. The process is almost as much fun as the trip itself, and it will help your budget.