Easy Travel Tips for Extremely Frugal People
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 มิ.ย. 2024
- If you're frugal and want to hit the open road, then this video will give you a huge variety of strategies and easy travel tips and essentials for extremely frugal people. This video is your one-stop, frugal family vacation (or weekend getaway) guidebook.
Using our recent family vacation as our example, we give you advice on how to save on accommodations, transportation, restaurants, and tourist attractions. I show you my menu plan and tell you exactly how to save time and money on vacation meals.
Budget travel is not cheap travel. It's about balancing free and paid experiences, deciding what is most important to your family, and finding ways to keep your travel budget balanced (and, yet, still have fun and create memories).
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00:00 - Introduction
01:45 - Early Planning Tips
05:59 - Accommodation Tips
11:20 - Rental Car Tips
23:00 - Packing Food Tips
27:15 - Restaurant Tips
31:00- Free Visitor Transportation
34:20 - Finding Free Attractions
41:20 - Paid Attraction Discounts
48:30 - FREE Vacation Budget Worksheet
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For souvenirs, I like buying local food like jam or spices. It's affordable, doesn't bring clutter and prolongs the holiday while at home!
Love the prolong the holiday point!
Me too!
What a great idea !
I do that too. Local herbs, spices, teas and confectionery, and also packets of seeds for local plants, so long as they are allowed into my home country, and items with interesting names.
Cheap souvenir, writer yourself a post card home detailing your stop, it can chronical your trip for the cost of the card & a stamp, the card get's postmarked your location. I got one from Mount Vernon. They have a post office at Washington's home. This in the 80's.
I send a postcard to my parents whenever I travel. They've got quite many now. It doesn't cost me much and they love it!
We found a Goodwill close to our vacation spot that had coffee mugs from our vacation spot.
I loved your suggestion of when you forget an item of clothing ,go to a thrift shop. Great video ,thank you so much!
Thank you, Marilyn. That saved us!
I love to thrift shop on vacation or trips I buy tourist coffee cups and t -shirts ect at yard sales and junk shops so fun. Much cheaper!
I am 55 and this year is the first that I have ever taken advantage of my veterans status. We went to the Grand Canyon, painted desert and Petrified Forest and got in free. Veterans get into all National Forests and Parks free.
Thank you for your service. And glad to hear you enjoyed yourself.
Once you are frugal it doesn’t matter how well off you are, you still think frugally. Loved your tips as they are so similar to ours. We also like to go to places people don’t gravitate to. For example we spent a great week this April in Southern Indiana with beautiful parks and nice towns. Low cost and gorgeous. And thrift stores are part of the adventures. You often get a flavor for the place you are visiting from these stores. Our souvenirs from Grantown-on-Spey in Scotland were an old postcard of our hotel and a little spoon that cost less than three pounds total, purchased at a little second hand store.
So happy for you and your family. I'm glad you listened to your viewers and decided to do a family vacation. One thing that really impressed me was when Hope said that she took her adult sons request to have separate beds into consideration while searching for an AirB&B. Hope said it's their vacation too after all. I really am impressed about how thoughtful you both were in the process of planning the trip. You invited the older boys over to help plan and decide on location, accommodation, and things to do while on the trip. Even though you were paying for the trip you still were considerate enough to include everyone's input. I think that is something every parent should consider when planning family vacations. Bravo!
As a frugal homeschooling mama of 5, we stayed a one car family until we had teens who worked to provide their own vehicles. We would set aside some money for a car rental and my mother's day gift would be that my husband would take our kids in our minivan to his mom's, and leave me in my favorite environment: my home, when it's quiet and clean (they'd clean up before leaving). I'd get a small rental car and get myself some special groceries and go to a thrift store to look at books, then have all Saturday evening and Sunday to enjoy them! They'd arrive home Sunday night, and I would be refreshed and ready to be mama again. Grandma loved the time with her own son and grandkids on Mother's Day, and I got a rest. Win/win!!
In trucking we say GPS stands for “getting people stuck”.
We stayed in March at the Wilderness Lodge. It wasn’t frugal but with so much in one place it made it nice not having to be stuck in traffic. Being a trucker it made it worth the extra cost.
LOL! I like that definition of GPS a lot!
Life is too short not to travel and do special things. We are planners so always plan ahead and there are always ways to save big in travel. Always great information guys! 🤗😎
I love watching your videos. For me, vacations with my family are priceless to me. We used to rent a house in Lake George, New York. I went there as a child and now I bring my grandchildren. The prices of rental houses in Lake George are now totally out of my budget. Cruising is now the best travel for my money!! My favorite website to research cruise ships is cruise critic. I know since COVID people are afraid of cruising. I am a nurse and worked in a hospital through the entire pandemic. Cruises test their employees weekly and make sure everyone is vaccinated. My hospital doesn't test us and it took forever for them to enforce vaccinations for employees. To this day I feel safe on a cruise ship.
I am laughing, making memories! That's what my mom says when things go wrong...making memories! Congrats on your vacation you deserve it!
Thanks so much! Travel is now definitely back in the budget.
I belong to Groupon and look for deals in the area I'm going to for attractions and restaurant dinners.
Yes! Groupon is a wonderful tip.
We have rented vans for trips for that very reason. Sometimes our cars are older. Also, you save wear and tear on your vehicle so it will last longer.
For rental vehicles, Costco travel has always come in at a great price for us. Also, they do not charge for a second driver.
That's really good to know! People keep telling me that they love their COSTCO membership. They have a lot of perks going on.
I also keep an eye on their prices and booked a second vehicle at a lesser price then canceled the first one. It saved me over $200.
Sorry but that would be the day I’d put a bag of chocolate chips on the vacation budget….see they added to you going over budget . I’m glad you took the advice and budgeted a vacation. When we go somewhere we try to do the cheap and free. If not we use coupons or discounts like AAA. That is so cool that you met your viewers. It’d be so neat to run into you.
We had the children help us pack up until about age 11 after that they were packing their own bags and we didn't want to hear it if they forgot something. Usually they only did it once. Now my kids can pack in a heartbeat and no checklist.
Glenn, good job raising those kiddos to be independent. We love it!
For our 25th anniversary, we went to Myrtle Beach, 12 hours away if there are no accidents, road construction, food or bathroom breaks. We drove straight through-bad idea and exhausting- and then spent half an hour trying to figure out which condo it was in the dark. A friend let us have the place for $400 for 7 days. We hadn’t had a honeymoon and were excited to explore the area. We decided to make our meals and had a plan. We found several souvenir shops on our way to Walmart for food. The shops were beyond our budget but Walmart had mugs, T-shirts, magnets and that’s now our go to place when traveling- we have a massive coffee mug collection and completely relate to your purchases. Unfortunately, I looked up local restaurants to have dinner out for two nights that turned into EVERY night we were there! We packed up all the food we purchased in a cooler and it wasn’t wasted but we now plan accordingly for our one vacay weakness, lol. Great video!
Colleen, gosh, I loved reading about your vacation adventure. Glad you found the right condo. Your friend gave you an awesome price on your week away. I'm glad you were able to enjoy some of the local cuisine while you were there. Happy belated 25th anniversary!
GPS took us to a burnt cabin in Pigeon Forge. Luckily it was not our cabin, but it was a very rude awakening in the dark.
Oh my word! I can only imagine what you thought!!
What a great family trip! You have a blessed family!
Thank you, Val.
Watching this while on a frugal vacation in Bavaria. Every expense has already been cared for, nothing coming out of this month budget. That is truly relaxing for us....
And we are excited for you! We hope you have a wonderful time and make amazing memories.
@@UndertheMedian Thank you for your kindness. It is beautiful here
I love Gatlinburg. It's only 4 hours from me. We drove it once in the snow. That was an adventure.
Once read a cookbook featuring meals you could cook on the manifold of your caras you travel. You wired you covered pan with raw ingredients inside on top of the manifold and drove for the specified number of hours to arrive with a hot meal . Cannot imagine a modern car with enough extra room to stew as you go.
Use the hotel site for reservations and see how your room cost changes depending on time of year. Our beach vacation in September is $100/night cheaper than March through May.
We are Floridians so we are aware of hurricanes!
I too will get just one souvenir that I will actually use. I have pens from London, a picnics blanket from Barcelona, and a compact mirrors from Paris. Lots more from other places. Love how when I use them they just give me that warm feeling of adventure through out my day/life. I will never buy a souvenir that’s just for a one time use. It’s just not fun like the others. Hehe 💕
What a wonderful idea! We bought everyone in the family matching coffee cups from our most recent vacation and it always reminds me of how much fun we had whenever I use it.
That's beautiful!
I'm glad you guys had so much fun.
Great video. Thanks!
So great!! We were just in Gatlinburg last week!
Glad you had a great holiday
We went on vacation this summer and, like you, we only spent about half to 3/4 of the days out and about site seeing, swimming and hiking. The rest of the time was spent just spending time together in our airbnb.
Looks like a great location-a cool vacation. Love your mugs!
AAA DISCOUNTS TOO
My husband feels the same way as Larry about jet tubs, Lol. We haven't stayed anywhere with a hot tub yet but I bet we will after this 😁
Great video 👍
Looking forward to your next vacation vlog.
Love you guys xx
Awesome video.
I live in this area. It’s always wild seeing that TH-camrs were in my neck of the woods. Glad you had a good time.
Thanks! Angel, we loved seeing your area and will definitely be back again in the future to explore some more.
I love the interaction between the two of you! You truly love each other and you keep a sense of humor between you. So nice to see a happy couple!Plus I love that you are Vegans!! Saving animals and money👏👏
Thank you so much, Alexis. We have a really good time together.
Great tips Hope and Larry and great stories and memories for you all too 👍😎😊
Such a great trip!! You must've certainty enjoyed it! And so lovely photos! Thank you for sharing all this information! Greetings from Spain! 💙
I find your videos extremely helpful. I learn something from each one.
Hi Larry and Hope, wonderful video; excellent tips. Thank you. Take care.
Love tripadvisor...
Just found you guys yesterday and am loving your content, presentation style, personalities and the team you make. You are inspirational not only for my new frugal lifestyle but my marriage and parenting. Thank you for sharing your lives, advice and good spirits with us. Subbed 😊
We have a trailer tent for vacations.
Absolutely loved Ur video, thanks so much for making me laugh out loud, just love u guys!! 🥳💖
I love you guys! Can't wait for this video!
We appreciate you, too, Caitlin and we can't wait to share frugal travel tips.
I remember staying in a bed and breakfast years ago went to bed had the ac on went to sleep the owner starts knocking on the door i answer the door the owner says turn off the ac im like what im paying for this place i can laugh now but at the time i was like are you kidding ? Ha
oh my....beautyful..wauwie..
You two are a hoot! I'm glad you had a great holiday!
Thanks so much!
We have been there many times, in those cabins. Absolutely brutal going up to your cabin. Scared me SO bad everytime!!
Wow the car dealership rental car love love that idea! Gina in lights
Cades cove is a beautiful place and it's free . We saw bears on two separate vacations..loved the churches...old home places and water mill..great place to visit while in Tennessee
We really wanted to visit Cades Cove, but ran out of time. We knew that really bears hang out there more often than some of the areas that we visited. Gives us another reason to head back there sometime. I think next time we'd also like to allow some time to head a little further South.
Thank you. We've been to the SMNP several times and really enjoyed it. I enjoyed your video.
Loved the photos from your trip. Thank you for sharing your experience!
Thanks for watching!
Another tip w/using fold top sandwich bags, keep some on you @ all times, in your car, etc. you may find a old coin that is worth a lot, this way you have something to put it in.
Thanjs for the pics! My husband and I went Oct 2020, most of the areas were fogged in, or the c virus had closed the "attraction " . We didn't do the Dome because a storm came in and it was 40 degrees! Verses the 85 at home here in Az.
It was great to see/hear others travel the same way I like to! 👍 so glad you had an awesome time.
I agree about Gatlinburg yikes it wasn't as crowded due to the travel restrictions when we went but still very busy, if you don't like crowds don't go to Gatlinburg..its all tourists and prices to match.
Y'all are great! You created special memories with your family. My goal is to travel more and do it budget-friendly! Great video as always.
OMG that is a wonderful advice to be on your best behavior cause you never know who you may run into!! Gina in lights
Great tips! We are plannimg a trip now for the Fall. ✌
Yay! Perfect timing!
What a great video and sharing of your vacation! And oh my goodness, how I laughed at the two of you laughing and recounting all your experiences... especially getting up the mountain to your cabin. Loved it, Hope and Larry!
Thank you, BnB Temple! Glad to have you along with us.
I LOVE the Smoky Mountains! YAY YOU! As I was growing up, our family stayed in a cabin in the woods for several vacations! I grew up in the Mountain State (not Tennessee)...learned to drive on mountain roads. I've driven on roads that have red danger signs instead of orange ones...the posted speed limit for cars was 30 mph and for trucks...10 mph!! And I'm telling you, it was REALLY hard to go that fast! I'm at home there! Sounds like you guys had a great time and planned really well. Congrats!
As for GPS, welcome to the mountains! When you packed your food, did you pack it in order of how you needed to pull them out...like 1st day's meals on top?
Mountain laurel is all over the place where I live. The caverns sound great! I love the story about the jackets! Maybe you can sell your all year long pass.... Larry, what was your mpg for the trip? Yes, you are senior citizens, whether you feel like it or not. Embrace it! Celebrate the discounts! 🎉😁! I do!
Oh, wao!!!! Congratulations guys. What an amazing experience you had!!! I’m glad you had a family trip, a good vacation and all those beautiful memories of the places you’ve been. It worth every penny. And I’m agree with those who told you vacations are a gift you bring to yourself for all the hard work we did the rest of the year. So enjoy yourselves with the good memories wile planning the next adventure 😊🌸💖
My ancestral area. We live in Misouri now
I would have not thought to go to a thrift store for jackets. Good tips
Good going, taking a family vacation. Building even more wonderful memories!
The Smokies are gorgeous, aren't they?
Yes they are! We'd love to go back and visit again.
Well done!
Thanks, Marion. It was a wonderful trip.
Every year My parents, God Rest Their Souls, would Rent a 2 bedroom, 1 bed bath with a kitchen living room with front porch "Housekeeping Cottage" up in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Asheville, NC. They would go there (from Florida to get out of the heat) every year from Memorial Day to Labor Day for $500 a MONTH since they made a deal with the Owner! IWe had many wonderful family memories made there and I miss going there every summer for vacation and the Asheville, NC is loaded with a lot of fun things to do all the time and we even were close enough to the Smokey Mountains to be able to visit Cherokee, Maggie Valley and Dollywood areas!
Wow! Your parents got a fantastic deal on renting that cabin for an entire month for that amount of money. What fun!
Looks beautiful where you went for a vacation when i have gone away i always pack snacks peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and water in a coolor it saves money
You two are adorable
Just here for the family photos. Nice video
Hi Hope will be traveling by your area soon any safe places to sleep we sleep in our van every other night!
Love this! Thanks so much! You guys always have great, practical tips, that are easy to implement. I love how you break down the savings, so that we can easily see how even small changes add up, and are worth it!
Thanks, Summer. We're delighted that you are finding the channel helpful.
Hope, I remember our family going to Clingman's Dome with our siblings and parents!!
I do, too. Strangely, I remember being on top of Clingman's Dome and spending more time staring at some cute boy (whom I didn't even know) than I did looking at the view.
Great video! Glad you got to go on such a nice vacation. I went to the Smokies with one of my daughters when she graduated from college. It was beautiful.
We loved the Smokies. We'll definitely be back again.
Hello guys! I love your videos. So many good advice! Hope, never stop smiling, it is addictive 😊.
On a serious note, thank you very much for your vidoes. I have learned so much and had great fun too.
Keep up a good work
Thanks, Kornelia! We appreciate you hanging out with us.
Be sure to have enough gasoline to get you through those small towns that will jip you with high prices. Some place like an hour north of Las Vegas you will be driving along, 60 miles an hour speed zone, then all of a sudden it's ten & Smokey sets waiting. I always lucked out but others haven't.
You guys are funny, and I guess have never been in those mountains before. Sounds like a great trip, and plan your next trip. Vacations clear your mind and are worth every penny. All the best.
We have been to the Rockies several times, but not the Smokey Mountains.
We honeymooned in Pigeon Forge 26 years ago! Only been on 1 vacation since which was this past June (Estes Park, CO)
Your hair looks beautiful like this Hope! You look so young!
New subscriber here!
You two are funny and informative and work so well together!
Welcome to the Under the Median family! Make yourself at home. We are happy to have you!!
Larry,hope,in the south,directions usually start with whatcha wont do is....
Follow the 3rd dirt track past the old ,half dead pecan tree,hang a right at the swamp
LOL! Truth!
Every episode you all do is enjoyable! It’s like I am watching a T.V. show! Tip: fold top sandwich bags have many uses and are usually less than a penny a piece.They have many uses. (Someone gives you extra food, you can put the leftover food in the sandwich bag quickly and place in your purse or lunchbag.) For example, You can use on your hands for gloves if your eating something messy
I am so glad that you enjoyed your vacation in my neck of the woods. I am laughing because I have also stayed in a cabin in Gatlinburg that was very hard to get to. There are some of us southerners that do love our veggies. I could very easily be a vegetarian. My Dad was a Homesteader with 2 apple orchards. I grew up eating what came out of the garden. It was a treat to have meat once a week. I guess I qualify for those senior citizen discounts. I am still a 30 year old at heart though. By the way, you have more energy than I do to go on all of those hikes. Thanks for sharing your trip with us. God Bless!
Thanks, Sandra. We did enjoy our time in the Smokies and we will be back sometime in the future. The hike was challenging, but I'm glad we did it. It's good at our age to be reminded that we can still do hard things.
Costco has great rates on auto rentals and it makes comparing prices between locations easy
Awesome tips.
Another few
1.is it handicap accessable?
2.how far is the nearest medical.center,in case of injury?
3.do they allow pets/service animals?many do not.
4.where is the nearest grocery store?
5.how noisy is it?
We always plan a head and a budget to spend do every thing we want and come home with half of our money we both hate to spend we end up finding free things to do or cheap we like hiking and history of the area that we are visiting we always have a lot of fun ❤
Well done! We love finding cool free things to do.
State parks free beaches. Collecting stones and marking them . Bringing my own food .
Some credit cards provide coverage for rental cars if you pay with their card so there's no need for the extra insurance the rental service charges.
That's a great reminder.
We are going to gaitlinburg next week we rented from vbro in the mountain
Yay! We hope you have an amazing vacation!
We are frugal with lots of things in life, but have made a decision in our family to spend money on travel always. We think it is so important for mental health, couple connection, experiencing new areas, etc. Love you guys. You are so inspiring.
Thanks, Kimberly. A vacation is definitely going on our yearly budget from now on out.
Heading to Branson in April if Covid lets me.
I'm always checking the parking at the destination. It is important to have a place to park and how much costs.
I once drove from New York City to Fort Worth without sleep.
Highly recommend Townsend, TN when visiting the Smokey Mountains. Not touristy.
We have seen the most wonderful places in the USA for the cost of gas and small camping fees. We take our own food since we are vegans and have camped for free many times. We have a large instant tent you can stand up in and walk around and Coleman cots with mattresses. We are VERY comfortable.
Patty, you make me want to go camping again. Larry and I travelled all over the place in our little hatchback car with our tent before the boys were born. We had so much fun!
We are cyclists (bicycle) and vacation/travel often. We mostly do rails-to-trals
We have a rails-to-trails walking/biking path 1/2 a mile from our home. That trail system was a huge reason we bought in this neighborhood. We use it all the time.
What a great holiday. It sounded very like the holidays I had as a child.
Recipe for granola please?
Are you coming to Australia? We have a very favourable Exchange rate. I live in Queensland.💖