1. God is good and He provides. We have shelter, food and love in our home. We are content with what He has provided. Our jobs, while they may not be high income, are high in other areas - we get to touch lives of students. So, tip #1 is BE CONTENT. That's a biblical principal as well. We have been in the same house for almost 26 years, we have never driven a new car, and we rarely eat out. I don't like to shop, and when I do it's at Sam's, WalMart, and consignment stores.
2. Save your pennies! I know people who don't believe pennies are worth much, but I save them. I save all my loose change. It's hard, because most people buy with debit and credit and not cash....but I still have cash for those quick trips to WalMart, so when I come in from the store I have a container where I stash my change. This is known as the trip bucket. On our first trip in 2002, I had the girls take a large butter tub and decorate it with things we would see at the Grand Canyon (we saw lots of squirrels).This tub has collected a lot of change and cash over the years. Every few months I count it, roll it and take it to the bank. This becomes our souvenir money - t-shirts, ice cream, etc... Here's a picture of the tub!
3. Open a trip account at your local bank, credit union or favorite online savings place. Since our trips are every two years, I put money away every month into the trip fund. Then when the trip arrives, we have the money set aside. Since I often get side jobs for playing weddings,
judging piano events, or other odd assortment of gigs...I take that money and designate it for the trip. My parents give us money every Christmas, and we put some of that aside too. It's been harder with kids in college...but we still do it.
4. Do your homework, and research. I check books out from the library on the places we plan to go, I search online sites, and occasionally buy a travel book. We start looking for airfares months in advance and know the best deal....so we wait and book it when it's hopefully at the lowest. Since we go with another family, we split the cost of the van rental - we rent a 12 or 15 passenger van. It makes the travelling lots of fun! That's where our trip songs are usually sung!
5. Book hotels with continental breakfast if at all possible! This year is the first year that we have only one location with a breakfast included. If you are staying in a hotel, see if there is a refrigerator available in your room, then you can have lunch food for your picnic. We often rent a house or cabin for several nights. This allows us to cook, and wash clothes in the comfort of home. Again, we can split the cost with our travelling friends. We are renting a house that sleeps 10 for $235 a night in Northern California. You can see it here.
6. Make your kids drink water when you eat out, it saves a ton of money & it's good for you.
7. Go to stuff that is free! Museums & parks are often free on certain days, check before you go. We like to walk through a new town and window shop, and look for the local ice cream or coffee shop!
8. The Junior Ranger program is a great way for the kids to learn while you're in the parks...it's a free program! They do activities in a booklet, go to ranger talks, & look for specifics as you hike - gives them a purpose on the trail. At the end they get a Junior Ranger Badge! You can also get a National Parks Passport book. The kids look forward to getting it stamped at the different parks and historic sites you visit.
How much does a trip to a National Park cost? Well, if you camp it's can be very inexpensive, but we aren't campers. We like to go back to the lodge and sleep in a real bed, but you can still find good deals if you look. There is nothing like the time you spend with your family in a National Park. Memories are made that they will always remember....the chipmunk that stole your hot dog, the cold wind on top of the mountain, the mosquitoes on the trail. Remember to thank God while you're enjoying all that He has made and provided!
Back to the cost...depends on where you go and how you get there. We fly, rent a van and stay in hotels, cabins or lodges. Our trips are an average of 10 days, with 5 or 6 in our family. The cost of our upcoming trip will be less than $5000. That is all inclusive. If you save $2000 - $2500 a year you are financially prepared when it's time to go. Break that down, can you put away $200 a month for 2 years? We can't always put that much away...but it's a good goal. And yes, we still tithe...even when we're on vacation.
We're almost packed and ready to go...look for us when we get back.
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