Great Vacay on a Budget

   After the initial travel expenses of airfare, overnight parking, and gas to get to the airport, my budget for my trip to Pennsylvania was $300. I went with cash (although it's not the safest way to travel) because it helped me keep track of my spending. If I just swipe my credit card, it's very hard to stay within the limits unless you spend all day on your banking app figuring out how much you spent. If you decide to travel using your credit card, keep a tally of all your receipts so you know what you spent at the end of each day.
   Visiting friends and family when you're on a budget vacation is a great way to cut travel costs - no lodging expenses. Luckily for this trip, I was staying with some friends who recently moved to the area. And because they were new to the area, we did a lot of exploring, which is free :) We did visit a couple of microbreweries, some country stores and an outlet mall. But I just kept my "splurge spending" to a minimum.

   Whether you're staying with someone or in a hotel, you can cut down on meal expenses. Visit a grocery store and buy supplies to make meals where you're staying. No, cooking on vacation isn't ideal, but spending $30-$60 at every meal is not ideal either. Choose your dining excursions wisely. We only dined out twice during my 4 day visit. One evening, we picked up some wine, cheese and other snacks and had a great evening in watching movies (and the snow fall). It was great!
   My friends wanted to check out a casino near their new digs. But we played one cent slot machines - which was really fun and inexpensive. We also explored the town of Jim Thorpe which was great for pictures. There were antique stores and funky shops, a used book store, train station and all kinds of fun places to poke around. If you're on a budget, keep souvenir shopping to a minimum.
   To save money while in transit, take snacks with you so you don't have to purchase airport food at a fortune. Also, carry a reusable water bottle to fill at drinking fountains inside the terminal or with your complimentary "in flight" beverage.
   I stayed within my budget and had an amazing trip. Now, I don't have to worry about an astronomical credit card bill at the end of the month!