Last summer was a very busy one, we were in the midst of moving and settling into our new house and didn’t get to go on a lot of the road trips that we wanted to. This summer, we have a few places that we would like to go for weekends away, day trips and a cross-border shopping trip. Expensive road trips got me to thinking of some of the ways that we can save while planning these summer adventures:
Cash in Miles
Aeroplan and Airmiles can be cashed in for local (and not so local attractions) Cashing in miles, we were able to pick up two adult and one child ticket to the Calgary zoo (175 miles) and save on the cost of admission Saving $55 off of the cost of the daily road trip. Considering that a great weekly shopping trip can easily give you 175 Airmiles at Safeway if you shop miles using coupons and Safeway promotions, cashing in the miles paid off well for this trip.
Watch the Daily Deals
Watching the Daily Deal websites for the place that you are planning on travelling to can be a great way to save on the cost of the weekend away, day-trip or even vacations. Checking a couple of months before the trip is planned and getting all of the daily deals in one place, like through One Spout, saves you time checking the deals and an average of 50% off of retail stores, hotels and accommodations, vacation packages and restaurants.
Plan Early
Plan early for the road trips and vacations that are going to be embarked upon through the summer months. We are in the midst of making a list of everything that we would like to see and do this summer, ensuring that it’s an action-packed summer for our toddler and planning early can help you to incorporate the costs of the road trips and other outings into the budget. This way, you can plan accordingly for the costs of the road trip without having to stretch the budget the time-of the vacation.
Skip the Convenience Snacks
Crackers, Gas Station snacks and other common road trip purchases can add up to as much as a hundred dollars on a trip of a few days. Skipping these snacks and picking them up at the grocery store on sale (even as early as now) can be a great way to get the snacks for the road without breaking the bank. This saves money the weekend of, and can allow you to get a healthier selection at home. Invest in a good cooler, and pack snacks that can be eaten on the go to avoid the high cost of convenient foods.
Use Coupons
Doing a quick search online for any coupons that are available through tourism websites for the destination can often give you access to coupons that are as much as fifty percent off of the regular price for the second admission, free admission tickets and free kids admission tickets. The simple search can be a great way to save on the cost of the vacation and can allow you to leave more money in your wallet for the weekend away.
Join the Local Radio Club
JoeFM and CISN have radio clubs where you can log on daily to collect points through trivia and other means. Last summer, we were able to get FREE tickets for the Water Park in Sylvan Lake, gift certificates and a variety of other items that reduced the cost of the summer activities we wanted to take part in. Log on, collect points and enter the sweepstakes and redeem points for FREE items.
We are in the midst of planning a trip to the Calgary Zoo sometime in May and so far I have picked up a couple of Groupon vouchers for restaurants while we are there, Airmiles passes for the Zoo and a Groupon for a Free two-day car rental. Factoring in the cost of gas, it is going to be a very cheap overnight trip (especially since I plan on using vouchers for a Calgary Hotel).
