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When our children were younger, travel meant holiday visits to see family. As they got a little older, I had a sudden strong urge to start taking trips with them that didn’t just mean visiting family for holidays. Since Eric and I both grew up not taking many trips, I wanted everyone to start having more travel experiences.
If you have done much traveling, you know that even small trips can really strain a budget. However, after we started doing a little bit of traveling, we started trying to make a concerted effort to save and make room in our budget for more trips.
If you’ve been putting off family travel because of the expense, I encourage you to start making it a priority. Special memories are formed through travel. There is just something about getting away from the normal routine and setting out on an adventure with your family. In the everyday grind of life, it’s easy to lose perspective. For us, travel sometimes helps us bring back that focus, which is why saving money for trips is a family priority.
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Speaking of some extra money, make sure to read through this post and get all the way to the bottom for your chance at a $100 gift card!
Trips Don’t Have to Be Far Away
You might be putting off traveling with your family because you have in mind that trips need to take you far from home. They don’t! Last summer, we had some extra money and decided that a trip to Chicago would be fun. Even though that’s just a few hours from where we live, we had never made Chicago a destination before. We had a great time exploring some museums, shopping, eating and even using a portable ping pong set that we bought in our hotel room. It was a great chance for family bonding, and it only took us a few hours away. Where could you explore with your family that’s within an easy drive from home?
Trips Don’t Have to Be Expensive
For a few years in a row, when we first started being serious about making travel happen, we rented a rustic cabin in a state park and spent long weekends there. It was a great chance to reconnect with nature, learn new things and spend some quality family time together.
Watch for Deals to Help with Traveling
Finding ways to save up money is a great way to make travel happen for your family and so is watching for deals on things like vacation packages, airline tickets, hotels and more. When I saw a great airline deal last summer that said flights as low as $49 one-way, I decided to take a peek and see where we could go for that amount. When I saw that one of the options was Washington D.C., I knew that we had a Fall Break trip awaiting us. While we did have the expenses of Metro cards, food and a hotel, Washington D.C. offered up days and days worth of free things to see. We would have missed that if I hadn’t checked out possible deals.
Splurge on Bigger Trips When You Can
The first time we managed to go to Disney World as a family (because of a gift from my grandpa), it was so magical that I knew we had to do it again soon. In fact, I may have said that right as we were driving off of the property. Eric said, “Sure. You find a way to pay for it, and we can go again next year.”
Apparently that was all the challenge I needed! I carefully saved money from different sources to make sure that I could pay for us to fly there and cover all of our Disney World expenses for a week. Careful savings made it possible to enjoy a big family trip and pay for it all ahead of time.
Find Ways to Save for Traveling (or Whatever is Important to Your Family)
There are many things you can do to save for traveling, or whatever is important to you and your family. Whether you try to bring in some additional cash by doing extra work or by cutting out (or down) on some regular expenses, you could use that money for more adventures, more wonder and more memories.
One way you can save every day is with the U.S. Bank Cash 365™ American Express® Card. Since you can earn 1.5% cash back on everyday purchases, it means that all those trips to the grocery store and the gas station could really add up (especially since the rewards don’t expire)! U.S. Bank is dedicated to making possible happen for its customers and communities. What is your possible that you want to make happen? 365 days of more simplicity? 365 days of more adventures?
As an added bonus to applying for the U.S. Bank Cash 365™ American Express® Card, you could earn a $100 Customer Relationship Bonus! U.S. Bank is offering $100 for people who spend $500 in the first 3 months with the U.S. Bank Cash 365™ American Express® Card and have a relationship with U.S. Bank. If you do not have a relationship with the bank, you may still open a card and receive the bonus if done within 30 days. (You will need to apply online to earn the bonus, although the card is available online, through the call center and at branches.)
What travel necessity would you first spend your cash back on? Leave a comment for a chance to win a $100 gift card.
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This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older (or nineteen (19) years of age or older in Alabama and Nebraska). Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 2 business days to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.
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I would get snacks! 🙂
I’d spend my money on gasoline! It may not be glamorous, but it’s definitely a necessity when it comes to traveling and commuting!
I would spend it on a nice camera.
The first travel necessity that I would spend my cash back on would be gas and snacks for the road.
https://twitter.com/willgriesmer/status/760587485864923141
I would buy luggage for my daughter.
tweet–https://twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/760648651635040256
I would buy a camera
https://twitter.com/ElenaIstomina/status/760679102143537152
I would spend it on rolling luggage.
https://twitter.com/benz1171/status/760731278555619328
Great tips and thanks for sharing. the travel necessity I would spend my cash back on is grocery! We all love to pack treats and snacks on road trips
amy [at] uTry [dot] it
tweeted:
https://twitter.com/uTry_it/status/760746604953415680
amy [at] uTry [dot] it
My luggage is outdated so I would buy some new modern luggage to take a trip with.
tweet-https://twitter.com/JewelWood/status/760807736078585856
I will buy a new luggage, and have extra for gas and food.
My travel necessity would be gasoline to get to my mini getaway.
https://mobile.twitter.com/arress83/status/760836429857652737
I would use the cash back to buy luggage! I do not own a single piece of luggage for travel! I have been borrowing a friend’s suitcase.
tweet https://twitter.com/yarbr012/status/760940892794552320
I would first spend my cash back on quality travel bags.
tcarolinep at gmail dot com
tweet-https://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/761030276117962753
I would buy a new travel cooler for snacks and drinks.
tweet
https://twitter.com/Kellydpa/status/761215830289895424
I would buy a nice luggage set for my son and I.
I would spend the money on a charger powerbank
groogruxking40 @ gmail dot com
With an upcoming road trip I would set the money aside for gas. We will be driving to Florida and back, 17 hours each way!
I posted a tweet: https://twitter.com/FireRunner2379/status/761323963410706432.
I would spend it on some books and activities to keep the kids busy in the car, and I would spend the rest doing memorable things with our family on a vacation.
chambanachik(at)gmail(dot)com
I would buy a portable DVD player for the kids. We love singing songs, so this would be an easy way to play the songs and sing!
I would buy a quality carry-on piece of luggage with wheels.
jslbrown2009 at aol dot com
tweet-https://twitter.com/LuLu_Brown24/status/763674040162672640
jslbrown2009 at aol dot com
https://twitter.com/mitadav/status/763825228464189440
I would buy a luggage set.
The travel necessity I would buy is a quality set of luggage.
https://twitter.com/RachelGriesmer/status/763902728787652609
I would spend it on a nice quality camera for lots of picture taking.
Tweet: https://twitter.com/PrettyHotPink6/status/764180491654180864
I would spend it on a nice meal at our destination. We always try to get a condo with a kitchen, but eat out a few nights.
I would probably spend it on a nice new camera. Thank you for the chance to win!
https://twitter.com/Natashalamoreu1/status/766430646856278021
I would use this to offset some of the expense of gas as we travel.
I would use it on gas and food while on the road!
Since we are fans of the beach, I would spend it on sunscreen and extra sunglasses!!
Would buy a plug in cooler.
I need a GPS system so I don’t get lost!
Tweet link: https://twitter.com/shala_darkstone/status/766823210788663296
I would probably use it for groceries for a condo vacation at the beach.
Tweet
https://twitter.com/clc408/status/767385946488733696
I’d buy a makeup travel kit.
https://twitter.com/HappyTina0115/status/767442455591608320
I would use it towards buying some luggage. Thanks so much
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/peg42/status/767474788394758144
Thanks again.
I would buy snacks and gas.
I would first get a carry on tote for all of the extras.
thank you
Tweeted https://twitter.com/JalapenoMama/status/767980988311834624
First I would buy a new window shade to keep some of the brutal summer sun out of my car. Then I would get some beach towels, load up the family and head to the coast!!!
Tweeted; https://twitter.com/tinawoo21/status/767989873726722048
Gas!
I would spend it on a new book to read on the trip!
tweet: https://twitter.com/Twenteries/status/768172697947746305
I would spend the money on new luggage. Mine is pretty old.
https://twitter.com/susan1215/status/768241697700446208
The first travel necessityI would get is some new luggage!
I tweeted
https://twitter.com/my4boysand1/status/768844608860217348
I would get new luggage
https://twitter.com/sweetums82/status/769568477992591360
I would buy a carry-on never had one before
https://twitter.com/purplelover04/status/769679131848110080
I’d spend it on something fun for the family! truckredford(at)Gmail(Dot)com
https://twitter.com/eliza_elliott/status/769775122014015488
I would buy a couple of good carry on bags
https://twitter.com/disneyfan40/status/770094850297458689
My trips are mainly by car so I would buy gas.
Tweet – https://twitter.com/willitara/status/770158078717067265
New luggage!
tweeted: https://twitter.com/KerryBishop/status/770440002580975616
I’d spend it on gas – a real necessity on a road trip!
I would spend it on a few new clothes,
which I would need if I was going to travel.
tweeted
https://twitter.com/eswright18/status/770816266869374976
I would buy new luggage.
tweeted
https://twitter.com/thomasmurphy40/status/771073774879928320
I’d spend it on a hotel stay.
tweeted
https://twitter.com/rubylorikeet/status/771106086866649088
i posted a tweet here:
https://twitter.com/purplepanda1966/status/771199507342041090
i would like to buy a new travel tote bag and a new charging cable for my cell phone
I would first spend my cash back on obtaining a brand new car.
I publicly Tweeted this giveaway: https://twitter.com/versatileer/status/771419825675665408
Probably a portable car charger and a first aid kit
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
tweet https://twitter.com/ChelleB36/status/771428426389544960
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
One thing I MUST have when I travel is… batteries!! I never want to run out of power when taking pictures!
Tweeted 🙂 – https://twitter.com/Enter_Now/status/771467579403538433
my #SweepstakesEntry tweet:
https://twitter.com/thrincor/status/771470890563407877
#SweepstakesEntry – comment
I would apply any cash back towards renewing my US Passport
I would use it to rent snorkel gear and boogie boards on out family Vacation
Tweet
https://twitter.com/momof5Qts/status/791499304988913664