Summer vacations cost savings

By Robin Marsh, NEWS 9

Just because money is tight this summer doesn't mean you can't have a memorable summer vacation with your family.

Here are some great ideas to make your family trip cost-effective as well as fun.

Vacation Close to Home

• A lot of people did this for Memorial Day. If you stay close to home you could save money on driving and even lodging.
• Look for day trips where you can return home the same day. Remember to check out the Oklahoma City Zoo, the Sam Noble Museum or even the Oklahoma Aquarium in Jenks are great favorites for the kids.

If you are traveling out-of-town, seek inexpensive lodging.

• Check out the Internet for the best deals, or one idea is to check out some college dormitory rooms. Some small colleges rents out dorm rooms during the summer.
• Campsites are everywhere and the price is normally right on target.
• Trade spaces, you can't beat a free place to stay. Check out hospitality Web sites, they are growing in popularity, like http://www.couchsurfing.com   or Homeexchange.com.

Hold down you food costs while traveling

• You can save cash if your cook your own meals.
• Work food costs, like dining out, into your budget before you travel.

Choose a destination with cheap entertainment

• If you are trying to decide where to take a big trip, pick a place with cheap or free entertainment. Washington D.C., for example has loads of affordable entertainment because nearly all the main attractions are free, including the Smithsonian museums, monuments, and the Capitol building tour.

A couple of weeks ago, we showed you a place to work-out for free over in the Bethany area, The Cube is at 30th and N Council Rd. After the story we ran on The Cube, I got an email from someone in the Moore area. They told me First Baptist Moore has a great activities center where people come everyday to work-out for free too.

And for more information on any of those ideas, just check out my blog on the Power for Your Pocketbook page.