Summer Vacation Ideas for One-Income Families
With gas and food prices steadily rising while you’re still learning to live on one budget and share expenses with your co-parent, what will you do this summer while the kids are out of school?
To help you save your money and your sanity, we’ve put together a list of lower-cost vacation ideas to help you and your children enjoy your special time together without blowing the budget.
Take every chance you get in life, because some things only happen once. ~ Karen Gibbs
Staycation
Check out the local parks, museums and/or other attractions in your area. Many local hot spots offer short, low-cost summer workshops and programs geared toward children of all ages. You can find locations that are one-tank (or less) away and take a series of day trips for a week or two.
National/State Parks
National and State parks are peppered throughout the USA and most only charge a nominal entrance fee per car. Annual passes for National Parks are also available and allow unlimited access to anywhere in the USA. These types of parks offer a wide variety of low-cost activities like hiking, biking, picnicking kayaking, and more.
Camping
Want to make a long weekend of it? Camping is a great way to enjoy nature and save money on hotel fees. There can be a small investment in the beginning to purchase equipment like a tent, sleeping bags, small grill, etc. but these things typically last for years and can be used over and over again. You may even have friends who’d be willing to lend you their equipment when they aren’t using it.
Fun With Friends
Want to get away for a longer period of time, but can’t afford a place by yourself? Ask friends to join you and share the costs. If your kids are similar ages and get along well, you may even get some extra private time while they keep each other entertained.
You can often find inexpensive places for rent on sites like Airbnb or Booking.com or other local rental sites special summer rental options. These become even more affordable when you’re sharing the costs with another family or two.
Take a Cruise
While this may sound like an expensive vacation, cruises are usually all-inclusive. On a cruise, your most difficult decision will probably be “should I dress up for dinner or go to a casual dining room in my bathing suit?”
Deals can often be found for around $100 per person per day and most cruises have special programs and activities for children of different ages.
Another way to save your hard-earned money is, instead of booking expensive shore excursions through the cruise line, wait until the ship docks at port and look for lower cost activities onshore. Sometimes it’s as easy and cheap as spending the day lying on a beach somewhere while the kids build sandcastles.
No matter where you decide to go or how you spend your parenting time, always remember to follow your parenting plan schedule and, if possible, be flexible as your kids plan to enjoy at least part of their summer vacation with both parents.
Family isn’t an important thing, it’s everything. ~ Michael J. Fox
Of course, while we still find ourselves in the middle of a pandemic, we encourage everyone to take proper precautions to keep you and your family safe throughout the summer months. Be respectful of any pandemic protocols that may have been implemented through your parenting plan schedule. No one wants to spend summer vacation sick on the couch.
So, get out there and make the very most of what you’ve got. There’s something for everyone to enjoy this summer!