Retirement Planning When You Work for Yourself

by MMarquit · 0 comments

One of the best things you can do for your future is to prepare for retirement. However, when you’re self-employed it’s a little more difficult, it seems, to find the means to set aside money for your retirement. Many people even assume that a retirement plan is something you can have only if you work for someone else, and it comes as one of your benefits.

Fortunately, this isn’t true. Anyone can open a tax-advantaged retirement plan. You just have to know what’s available to you as someone who is self-employed.

Tried and True: The IRA

One of the most common tax-advantaged retirement plans used by the self-employed is the Individual Retirement Account (IRA). You can open a traditional IRA or a Roth IRA if you have earned income; it doesn’t matter if you are working for someone else if you want this kind of retirement plan.

However, a “regular” IRA is somewhat limited when it comes to contributions. You have low yearly contribution limits to deal with, and that means that you might not be able to save as much as you want for retirement. For the self-employed, though, there is help. You can open a SIMPLE IRA or a SEP IRA as a business owner. This allows you to set more money aside — up to $50,000 a year. There are special rules, though, so you want to make sure you are careful as you set up and contribute to these types of accounts.

Consider a Solo 401(k)

If you are self-employed, but don’t have any employees (apart from your spouse), you can open a solo 401(k). The big advantage to the Solo 401(k) is that you can make bigger contributions. You can contribute from the employee side and the employer side. And, of course, a 401(k) comes with a higher contribution limit than what you see from an IRA.

You can also get a Solo 401(k) with a Roth option. This is a great thing for those who enjoy the Roth option. You pay taxes now with a Roth option, but you don’t have to pay taxes later when you withdraw. It’s a great deal if you think that you will owe more in taxes during retirement.

Consistently Contribute to a Retirement Plan

No matter what plan you decide to go with, though, the important thing is to contribute consistently. One of the basics of financial literacy is to set aside money for retirement. Even if you are among the growing ranks of the self-employed, this is an important part of securing financial freedom later in life. And you can contribute to a plan.

Make it a point to make regular contributions to your retirement plan if you want to be able to retire in comfort. Don’t forget to plan retirement contributions into your budget as you grow your business. You can save up quite a bit of tax-advantaged money while being self-employed if you take the time to learn about your retirement options and choose a retirement plan that works for you and your business.

Flowers: Florist or Supermarket?

by Jessica Sommerfield · 0 comments

Giving a bouquet of flowers to your mother on Mother’s Day or to your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day is a traditional gesture we all partake in. The unfortunate reality is that holidays are often the only occasion we send flowers as a gesture of love, encouragement, or friendship. One of the reasons is that fresh-cut flowers are just so expensive, and end up in the garbage in a few weeks, anyway. From a financial standpoint, this is a waste of money. Still, giving flowers is a worthwhile gesture which shouldn’t be neglected just because of the expense. The good news is that you can continue to give flowers and still save money by choosing to shop at the supermarket instead of the florist.  Before you write off this alternative as too cheap for your taste, consider this: florist arrangements can cost up to 10 times as much as supermarket flowers.

Most supermarket bouquets cost between $6 and $15, whereas the average cost of floral arrangements varies from $40 to $100. Although there’s no argument that supermarket flowers don’t usually look as nice as florist shop flowers, is the difference worth that much money? It’s your call. If you decide to give supermarket flowers a try, here are some ways to save money without sacrificing quality.

Choose flowers known for their longevity.
One way to make the most of supermarket bouquets is to know your flowers. Even expensive flowers eventually die, and certain flowers are known to die sooner than others. Want a long-lasting bouquet? Choose carnations, which can last up to 10 days. Another hardy choice is alstroemeria, similar in appearance to a tiger lily; gerbera daisies and roses last up to 7 days, and tulips last up to 6 days.

Take proper care depending on the type of flower. Unless you’re a gardener, you’re probably doing good to make sure your flower stems get cut at an angle and put in water. The catch is that if you take a few minutes to learn about flowers’ special needs, a supermarket bouquet can outlast a comparable floral arrangement. For instance:

  • Add a drop of bleach to a vase of gerbera daisies to eliminate bacteria.
  • Don’t remove stems from roses because they help distribute nutrients to the flower.
  • Tulip bulbs benefit more from store-bought bulb feed than the packets they come with.

Find out when the supermarket receives fresh flower deliveries. We’ve all seen the sad 3-day old discount bouquets that no one will buy. Consider inquiring with your supermarket’s manager to find out when the store receives flower deliveries so you can have first pick of the freshest and nicest-looking flowers.

By following these tips, you can end up with a $10 bouquet that looks like it was hand-picked from a florist ship. And by saving money on fresh flowers, you can give them more frequently than just on holidays. After all, it really is the thought that counts.

3 Recipes for Homemade Cleaners That Will Save You Money TODAY

by Vincent King · 0 comments

You’re tired of throwing out cash at the register. And you don’t know where else you can save even though you want to save money.

Have you checked your cleaning cabinet? If you’re still using commercial cleaners, you’re running up your grocery total for nothing.

You’re a smart, savvy buyer, so why are you buying commercial cleaning products just because that’s what you were raised on?

You already know that homemade cleaners can help preserve Earth, but perhaps you’ve never believed a homemade product could clean as well as a commercial solution.

They can, and do.

Overspending On Cleaners That Aren’t Superior Is Bad Budgeting

Science shows that the ingredients already in your pantry are every bit as effective as the ones in the cleaning aisle at the grocery store, as long as you only make enough to use at the time of cleaning. Leaving the leftovers to sit until it’s time to use them again will reduce their effectiveness because the blended products break down over time.

Buying commercial products is more expensive, but it’s also potentially more dangerous. If you’ve ever been around a pregnant woman, you may know that the doctor prescribes her to stay away from certain cleaning products because the fumes are dangerous.

Why expose yourself and your family to chemicals that might be dangerous to the lungs?

By spending your hard earned money on costly chemicals, you’re putting your budget and health in danger.

Time and Money Aren’t The Issue

Fear of wasting time or effort has stopped you from mixing your own cleaning cocktails. But you don’t have to be afraid of wasting time or getting it wrong anymore.

Arming yourself with recipes that work and how-to’s that make it easy, then organizing your cleaning cabinet to support your new strategy, will help you slash your margin of error to nothing.

You can make saving money at the grocery store as simple as stirring a bucket.

Know What You Need, Then Get the Right Ingredients For the Job

Many people overspend on cleaners because they buy too many.

You don’t need a special cleaner for everything. The cleaner you use to scrub the toilet can be the same cleaner you use for the sink and bathtub. The cleaner you use on the floors can be used on counter tops and cabinets as well. Most households require only one all-purpose cleaner, a window cleaner, and a furniture polish.

These are all fast, easy and inexpensive to make.

Make Your Own Cleaning Cocktails With These Easy, Frugal Recipes

You probably already have most of these products in your pantry. These following five ingredients will help you whip up effective solutions in no time:

  • Baking Soda
  • Lemon juice
  • Vinegar
  • Liquid dish soap
  • Vegetable or olive oil

Use cleaning bottles you already have on hand, to eliminate the need to buy anything extra. Just be sure to empty and rinse them until no more bubbles appear, then give them time to dry before adding your homemade money saving solutions.

Also, be sure you label each bottle and keep it for its own purpose. No mixing.

Place these recipes on index cards, then post them on the inside of your cleaning cabinet door so you can refer to them later.

Recipes:

Glass Cleaner

  • 1 gallon of water
  • 1/2 tsp liquid dish soap
  • 1/2 c vinegar

Mix them together in a spray bottle, then shake until soap dissolves. Using a lint-free towel, clean your windows, mirrors, and other glass surfaces to a spot-free shine.

All-Purpose Cleaner

  •  1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 c hot water
  • a few drops of liquid dish soap

Mix in a spray bottle and shake well to dissolve. Use with a sponge or towel to clean almost in surface in your home.

Furniture Polish

  • 1/2 c lemon juice
  • 1c vegetable oil

Mix in a bottle and apply to surfaces with a lint-free towel to polish furniture and hardwood floors.

Note: Do not put more oil than necessary as it will ruin the shine of items.

A couple of important notes:

If you experiment with any homemade cleaning recipes, be smart and do your homework. These solutions are made up of chemicals, and you should always take precautions when mixing chemicals.

Precautions to take:

  • Do NOT mix chlorine bleach and vinegar.
  • Do NOT mix acids (like vinegar and lemon juice) with alkalis (like baking soda and ammonia.)
  • Mix in an area of proper ventilation.
  • Make only what you can use within a few days.
  • Do NOT keep mixed solutions within reach of children.

There you have it:three recipes for cleaning cocktails that will help you stay under-budget without sacrificing a single sparkle of clean.

Use Less Gas By Planning Everyday Errands

by Gina Blitstein · 0 comments

Gas prices – EEK! Never mind trying to plan a vacation – how are you going to afford to run your life and get to where you need to go with gasoline nearing $5 per gallon? As a consumer, you’re really at the mercy of the gas pump. Here are some suggestions for squeezing every penny out of your fuel expenses.

Cut overall mileage by planning your errands in groups. Instead of running to the bank on Tuesday, the grocery store on Wednesday and the post office on Friday, combine as many errands as you can into one trip. For example, my bank, stock-up grocery store, pharmacy, pet food store and post office are all within a mile of one another so before I run out to one, I think about what I may need at the others so I can save a trip or two later. Even if we don’t need cat food for a couple weeks, I pick it up while I’m in the neighborhood.

When we’re on the way to visit family or friends, we always consider other destinations that outing, even if only 10-15 miles farther than our immediate vicinity, may take us past so we can take advantage of our proximity. A trip to the hair salon takes us in the opposite direction from some of our usual haunts but closer to others, so we do the same every five weeks when it’s time for haircuts. This strategy saves gas and time because we’re not covering the same distance multiple times.

Give your usual errands and routes careful consideration to discover where you can combine your trips. What places do you pass when you’re picking up or dropping off your children at school, activities or friends’ homes? How about on your way to or from work, place of worship, favorite restaurant or health or social club? Saving a few miles here and there, it won’t take long to make a difference in your overall fuel expense. Just saving the multiple trips out of and back into my neighborhood represents a significant savings for me.

Experience even more savings by supersizing this strategy:

  • Shop ahead for occasions - If you really want to plan ahead, you could make a list of upcoming purchases you may need to make at a mall or in a certain area. Consider purchasing upcoming birthday, graduation, wedding, anniversary and housewarming gifts when you’re near your favorite outlet mall. Stock up for wrapping paper and greeting cards while you’re there as well so as to avoid other unnecessary trips.
  • Carpool shopping – Team up with some neighbors, nearby friends or family and share one vehicle on a shopping excursion. Even when you chip in for the cost of gas, it will only amount to a fraction of a single shopper’s fuel.
  • Designated shopper - If you need a limited number of items from a store, rather than make the trip yourself, ask a friend or neighbor who’s going anyway to pick them up for you. You could also make a more formal plan for one person to shop for a group of people, with each member of the group taking a turn as the – duly compensated – “designated shopper.”

Like most saving strategies, this one is based on smart pre-planning of your time and effort. It’s amazing what you can save by simply not spending where you don’t need to. If you save enough money from prudently-planned travel every day, you may well be able to afford that vacation after all!

How can you save mileage in your everyday life, thereby saving money on fuel?

Should You Dispute Every Negative Item on Your Credit Report?

by MMarquit · 0 comments

One of the rights that you have as a consumer is the right to check your credit report (you can get a free report from each bureau at www.annualcreditreport.com each year), and dispute inaccurate items. However, some people take this to mean that any negative item on a credit card will be removed if it is disputed. Unfortunately, this isn’t true.

Which Items Can Be Removed from Your Report?

It’s important to realize that you do have the right to dispute some items on your credit report. However, the credit bureaus don’t have to remove the items from your report unless they are inaccurate. It’s important to understand this fact. You can dispute negative items, but if they are accurate, the bureau can leave them on your report at then end of an investigation into the issue.

If you do have items that are inaccurate, you can write the credit bureaus and ask that the information be removed or changed to reflect the correct situation. Negative items on your credit report can influence your credit score. In some cases, an error can drop your credit score by 20 points or more. It’s important to realize this, and check your credit report regularly, and remain financially literate about your credit and its impacts.

However, if your credit report shows that you have missed some payments, and you have, in fact, missed some payments, the information won’t be removed, even if you do dispute it. And, if you dispute too many accurate items, you might find yourself in trouble for frivolous disputes. Before you dispute an item, make sure that it is an inaccurate item.

Do You Need Someone’s Help to Dispute?

Many people think that they need someone else to help them dispute inaccurate negative items on their credit reports. However, you don’t actually have to pay someone to dispute items on your credit report. While there are companies that will do this for you, including credit monitoring companies, the fact of the matter is that no one can do for you what you can do for yourself.

You can dispute your own negative items by writing a letter to the credit bureau in question. You can include copies (never originals) of documentation to bolster your case. Anyone has this right. It can take a little bit of time, but it’s not that difficult.

Be wary of credit monitoring services that automatically dispute negative items on your credit report. Many of them don’t worry about whether or not the item is accurate, so you might challenge a number of negative items that can remain your credit report. Many of these services will charge a flat fee per dispute, so if the item isn’t a mistake, you can pay for a useless dispute. If you have the option, make sure that you choose to be notified of negative items, but that you don’t give permission for the service to automatically challenge these items.

In the end, you can challenge items on your credit report. However, it will only be effective if the disputed item is, in fact, inaccurate.

Vacation Basics: Entertainment On The Cheap

by Jessica Sommerfield · 0 comments

Family vacations can get expensive quickly, and after saving as much money as possible on transportation, food, and lodging, you might still find that the entertainment and activities you do while on vacation are too much of a drain on your budget. Of course, there are some experiences which are invaluable enough that they’re worth the money spent. But for the rest of the time, cheap but fun entertainment is available if you know where to look. Here are a few ways to fill up your vacation days with fun without emptying your wallet.

Take advantage of free tickets and discounts by participating in a time share presentation. Time share salesmen often give away free and discounted tickets to key tourist attractions and entire vacation packages as a sales strategy. Sure, you will have to sit through a roughly ninety minute sales pitch for vacation real estate you aren’t interested in, but if you can stand the pressure, it’s worth it. Rewards aren’t based on whether you sign the dotted line, only on your participation in the presentation. Don’t feel guilty for taking advantage of these free offers even if you don’t purchase a time share. It’s how these companies do business and promote sales, and you are sacrificing a few hours of your time.

Fill in the gaps with cheap or free entertainment venues. Entertainment doesn’t have to be expensive to be fun. Check local newspapers, websites, tourist booths, and flyers in public locations for interesting and inexpensive events such as free concerts, art shows, competitions, festivals, movies in the park, and more. Libraries, nature centers and museums often host free events specifically designed for children.

Get off the beaten tourist trail and explore for yourself. The main drag of tourist destinations are heavily commercialized and designed to get you to spend money, usually on cheap souvenirs that are probably made in China. Getting away from tourist areas will allow you to avoid the temptation to spend money on stuff you don’t need, and also allow you to see the area the way the locals see it. This can give your vacation a more personal feel and allow you to cater to your unique tastes and interests.

Just relax – it’s what vacation is all about. One of the main reasons we go on vacation is to relax and do nothing, but it seems like we end up filling our schedule so tightly that there’s no time to just relax. Leaving room for some down time in your schedule is a great way to not only feel more rested after your vacation, but to save money. Some of the most relaxing activities are entirely free – a stroll by the beach or park, sunbathing by the pool, or a nap in your hotel room.

When weighing the decision of what to spend your time and money on while vacationing, remember that your memories and experiences are what you will carry away with you for years to come, not how much or little was spent. And making memories is both free and priceless.

Wearing Designer Clothes And Trying To Save Money Isn’t An Option – Unless You Shop Here

by Vincent King · 0 comments

Are you tired of wearing rags with an expensive price tag? I don’t mean monetary price tags, I mean mental ones.

Saving Money Gives The Wrong Impression
Let’s face it, clothes amount to a lot more than an outer layer for our physical selves. They are billboards about how we feel about our inner selves. When people see us wearing whatever we can throw on, they get the idea that we don’t care about us.

A shabby outfit broadcasts that we’re okay putting on whatever we happen to have on hand because we don’t value who we are inside.

But that’s not true. We put on what we can afford because, well, we can…That doesn’t mean we’re happy with it. Give someone the opportunity to by name brand clothing, and more often than not they will – because it feels good to look good.

But are you making the wrong sacrifice?

Don’t sacrifice taste

You don’t have to sacrifice taste for price tags. You want style. You want designer digs. But you don’t want, or can’t, pay the ridiculous prices marked on the label.

So you skip the stores with the beautiful clothes you’d love to wear, and do your shopping in the places with the cheapest prices and worst designs.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

You can have it all

If you know the right places and the right times, you can have the designer clothes you love at prices you can afford. It’s simply a matter of learning the ropes. Once you know how to get them, you’ll never put on old rags again.

Your clothes can tell the world how good you feel about you once more.

Consignment makes it possible

Once shunned and looked down on, consignment is now a hot spot for finding stunning clothes you love to wear. Find consignment shops in your area and hit them often. Shops often sell their clothes for 30-90% off of the original tag! But you must make it a weekly date so you can scoop those items you want most, before other savvy shoppers.

Keep your eyes open for clothes that still have the tags dangling for an added bonus. Clothes sold in consignment stores have often never even been worn. These are your bonus buys. They may cost a bit more, but they’re usually worth it.

If you’re looking for a seasonal piece for an upcoming holiday, a consignment shop is a great place to find barely worn seasonal clothes.

Christmas, Halloween, and Easter pack a BIG punch with consignment shops. You’ll be able to find beautiful pieces to wear for your next holiday function, without spending an arm and a leg for new clothes.

And lastly, if you want to get the best bargains before everyone else, volunteer to help your local consigner and you’ll get repaid with a first sale option! For an hour of your time, you could snag the season’s hottest looks.

What are your tips for getting designer clothes at an affordable price?

Finding the Bargains: Where Do Your Favorite Stores Offer Savings?

by Gina Blitstein · 0 comments

Frugal shoppers often do marketplace recognizance to discover the best bargain when shopping for high-ticket items. We make larger purchases less frequently so we often consider them more carefully than purchases we make every day. When  we put as much research into routine purchases as we do when we make larger purchases, however, we save even more. It comes down to seeking out the best prices, savings opportunities and stores.

I try to use the same shopping strategies whether I’m making a major purchase or small routine purchase. I generally have a plan as to where I’m going to purchase something before I shop for it. I have a handful of “regular stores” where I shop frequently and know well. Keeping my list of regular retail destinations short makes it more likely that I’ll actually follow through on my shopping strategy and avoid impulse buying.

This strategy puts you in control of your shopping dollars. Becoming overwhelmed by the sheer number of stores and products available results in overspending for what we need and want.

These are some of the stores I shop and what I’ve learned about them that helps me save money:

  • Food 4 Less - This is my go-to grocery store. Even though I subscribe to a weekly email sales flyer, there’s often a $10 off $50 coupon in their newspaper ad.
  • Aldi – They sell private-label groceries and a variety of special-purchase items. I wouldn’t shop anywhere else for eggs, milk, yogurt and bread because their everyday prices on these items can only be beaten by an exceptional sale. A number of their private-label items are as good or better than name brands with much lower prices. A monthly trip to stock up on these staples is part of my shopping routine.
  • CVS – As  a “preferred customer” I receive coupons via email on a regular basis, usually for 20% – 30% off non-sale items or a flat $5 off a $25 purchase. Several important things about this store are: First, their regular prices tend to be high so it’s a poor choice for running in for something I may have forgotten elsewhere. Second, I can save big by shopping carefully and combining their sale prices with their $5 off deal or using their percentage off coupons for stocking up on their store brand products. Third, shoppers can earn “extra bucks” which are $1 – $5 savings certificates, redeemable on future purchases. When organized with care, a trip to CVS can yield significant savings.
  • Target - We asked our doctors to prescribe generic medications from their list of low-priced generics. That way, we can purchase a 90-day supply of our medications for $10. Since we find ourselves picking up a prescription or so at least once a month, I keep a running list of items to purchase at Target, which has generally decent everyday pricing on most items.
  • Old Navy.com – Having created an account with them, I regularly receive 20% -30% off offers from them. Once my purchase qualifies me for free shipping, my percentage discount is deducted so it’s like a double savings.
  • Amazon.com - With an enormous selection of merchandise at excellent prices, we check here whenever we’re considering an out-of-the-ordinary purchase. Whether it’s printer ink, kitchenware, clothing, towels and linens, a faucet, jewelry, electronics and accessories… you name it, Amazon probably has it. Also, many of the items they offer qualify for free shipping, saving you money, time and gasoline.

Greater savings can be yours when you make the effort to discover where the good prices are and how to get the best deals on the things you buy whenever you can.

What are your specific saving strategies?

How Financially Literate are You?

by MMarquit · 0 comments

It is Financial Literacy Month, which is a great time to reflect on your own financial literacy skills. Your ability to manage money, in a lot ways, depends on how educated you are about how money works, and the concepts behind your finances.

One of the truths about money management is that understanding how money works is vital. There are people who understand money to the point that if they only had a dollar, they could eventually work their way out of financial trouble with the help of good money management. Others receive huge windfalls, and in a couple of years have blown through all of that money and are left with nothing because they don’t understand how money works.

The Importance of Knowing How Money Works

Before you spend money, or decide what to do with your money, it’s a good idea to know how money works. Some of the things to know about money — and how it works — include:

  • Understand the difference between earning interest and paying interest.
  • Learn what things are worth borrowing for, and what things aren’t.
  • Know how to take calculated risks, whether it involves investing for retirement, or for something else.
  • Distinguish between needs and wants.
  • Look for ways to reduce expenses.
  • Use your skills to earn more money.
  • Find ways to use money to make money.
  • Enhance your skills and abilities so that you are considered more valuable.

Part of successful finances is learning how to more effectively interact with money, and realize that you should be the one in control of your money. If you are in a tough financial situation, your difficulties in digging out can be compounded by a lack of understanding about how money works. Taking the time to understand how to use money to your advantage, and how to use money as a means to an end, can help you make the most of what you have — and possibly even earn more money.

Great Resources to Help You Learn about Money

As you learn about money, and how it works, there are number of resources that you can use. Here are some of my favorite book resources for learning about money, and how to improve your relationship with it:

  • Your Money or Your Life: I love this book because it’s all about priorities. It’s about learning how to identify your own priorities in life, and to match up your finances with those priorities.
  • Debt is Slavery: A very simple book that takes a look at debt, and other aspects of money. A straightforward approach to money, and how it works, that can help you learn to better manage your financial resources.
  • The Millionaire Next Door: Sometimes we think that there are a lot of tricks related to managing money. However, you might surprised at some of the commonsense actions you take to improve your financial situation.
  • The Bogleheads’ Guide to Investing: Learn a little bit about investing, and ways to take calculated risks, as well as how to put your money to work for you in index funds.
  • The Intelligent Investor: A great guide to value investing, and using your money, as an investor.
  • The Millionaire Fastlane: Crack the Code to Wealth and Live Rich for a Lifetime: While I don’t think that you need to be a millionaire to be successful in life, this book is great for challenging assumptions about money, and helping you learn how to use money.

Vacation Basics: Save Money on Food and Lodging

by Jessica Sommerfield · 0 comments

It’s spring – a great time to plan your upcoming summer family vacation. Vacations, whether short or long, are a vital part of a balanced life, providing welcome relief from the stress and monotony of the daily grind. On the other hand, vacations themselves have the potential to be stressful as you plan and calculate the expenses, or fail to plan at all and end up paying for it months later.

You may have already ruled out a family vacation this year because you don’t think you can afford it. Maybe you can’t, and in that case, there are great ways to relax and ‘get away’ right at home. But the chances are you can actually afford a fun vacation without going over-budget or maxing out your credit just by finding ways to save money on necessary expenses like food and lodging. Here are a few ideas:

Take advantage of Reward Membership cards from hotels. One of the biggest expenses during any vacation is lodging, and if you don’t plan ahead, you can end up spending several hundred dollars a night or having another bad experience with a ‘cheap’ motel.  Many hotel chains offer rewards for frequent customers, ranging from discounts to accumulated points towards free hotel rooms. Choose a hotel chain you already know and like so you can be sure your stay is predictable and enjoyable every time.

Shop online for discounted rooms. Also check out sites such as priceline.com which list extremely discounted rooms in unnamed hotel chains near your destination. Hotel chains use these sites to fill rooms that would otherwise remain empty. Using such a site comes with some risk since you won’t know the name of the chain until after your pay, but rating systems and feedback on these sites can help you determine if the hotel is reputable. Sometimes rooms are available for as low as $50 a night!

Bring snacks for traveling and for down-time in the hotel. You can spend a lot of money at gas stations, vending machines, and hotel mini-bars if you fail to hit the grocery store ahead of time for snacks. If you will be doing a lot of walking, pack a backpack with healthy, energizing snacks so you aren’t forced to buy expensive food from malls, venues, and curb-side vendors.

Request a hotel room with a refrigerator and a microwave and save even more money on food.  If you aren’t staying somewhere with a free continental breakfast included, it’s a smart idea to pick up some milk and cereal and avoid the expensive hotel food. Be even more frugal and pick up some lunch meat and bread so you can make sandwiches to take with you on the go. By saving money on most of your meals, you can afford to enjoy a few special dinners at favorite restaurants.

Regardless of your lifestyle, affording a vacation is still within your reach if you are careful to plan ahead and save on your basic expenses. Without the stress of overspending, you will enjoy your vacation that much more as you relax and make lifetime memories.

You may also want to learn more tips from this comprehensive list of 50 budget traveling tips by MoneyNing.com.

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