-
Step 1
Decide what type of vacation you want to go on and start doing some research. Do you want to go to the beach, the mountains or a city? Talk to someone you know that took a similar vacation on a similar budget and see what they did.
-
Step 2
See what airfare specials the airlines can offer you. Get online and start looking for some deals. Check out Expedia and Priceline and see what they have to offer. Your local travel agency should also have some decent packages.
-
Step 3
Don't be afraid to negotiate. If a certain hotel or airline knows that they will get your business for a specific destination if they accommodate you, then your odds of scoring a discount are probably higher.
-
Step 4
Make a point of brown-bagging it on your trip. Eating out for an entire week can eat you alive; pay a visit to a local supermarket for a loaf of bread, some lunch meat and a little mustard. This can save you time as well, as you can carry your lunch with you, so that you don't have to break off from whatever else you're doing to find a place to eat.
-
Step 5
If all else fails, don't wander very far on your vacation. Stay within driving distance and save the cost of airfare. You can get quite a ways away with a full day of driving, or even two if you can afford the hotel cost. Or you could even ask to stay with a faraway friend for a week if possible, perhaps for a fee.
