Author Topic: Saving while on vacation  (Read 7273 times)

WestchesterFrugal

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Saving while on vacation
« on: March 13, 2014, 04:15:16 AM »
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« Last Edit: March 23, 2014, 09:31:59 AM by WestchesterFrugal »

warfreak2

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Re: Saving while on vacation
« Reply #1 on: March 13, 2014, 04:46:31 AM »
Friends are great for many reasons, the least of which is ride-swapping to the airport. (How on Earth can you have an airport that you can't get to by public transport?). You can stay with each other, cook for each other, show each other around because a local knows much better how to have fun in a place. I just can't imagine going on holiday if I'm not going to be with friends.

chasesfish

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Re: Saving while on vacation
« Reply #2 on: March 13, 2014, 05:27:21 AM »
I have to ask the question:

Why Colorado?  I think you live within driving distance of some great powder in Vermont.  I can understand Colorado (or SLC) if you lived in the Southeast and had to fly no matter where.

I love skiing, but its a painfully expensive hobby

snyder66

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Re: Saving while on vacation
« Reply #3 on: March 13, 2014, 05:37:24 AM »
I'm sure there are ways you can save on eating out and alcohol, if you imbibe. 

orcas50

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Re: Saving while on vacation
« Reply #4 on: March 13, 2014, 06:47:29 AM »
We ski with our family of four, have season passes to our local ski area (we are in WA state), and we usually do one annual 5 day trip to a bigger ski area. Yes, it is an expensive hobby. Cooking your own meals and packing your lunches to bring to the ski hill will be a big savings. Kudos for staying in the less fancy accommodations. I just spent the weekend at Whistler Blackcomb, BC with friends (not my family) and was stunned by the glitzy, fancy-pants accommodations and shopping (!) there. I was there to ski. We love skiing, and find that eating in and staying in less expensive lodging puts the focus on being together outdoors and having fun together as a family, creates some pretty great memories, and is more enjoyable than pampering at a luxury resort. In the future, you might look into VRBO for a rental. We have had good luck there.

zhelud

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Re: Saving while on vacation
« Reply #5 on: March 13, 2014, 07:03:49 AM »
WestchesterFrugal- Aren't you the person who just posted in another thread about your $30,000 per month income? Why on earth are you concerned about airport parking fees?

starbuck

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Re: Saving while on vacation
« Reply #6 on: March 13, 2014, 07:04:12 AM »
We also booked this trip last November (before we started to question our spending patterns and came across the MMM community).  While our flights are non-refundable, we actually did change our accommodations, from the glitzy ski-in/ski-out resort we typically stay at to a budget hotel with kitchen (so we can cook our meals).

Don't forget to pack lunches for the day too, and bring some water bottles and maybe a thermos of coffee! When we travel with friends, we always rent a house or condo and cook all of our meals. Eating a great lunch (usually leftovers from the night before + sandwich makings) is a nice interlude between morning and afternoon skiing. Plus no waiting in cafeteria lines!

I'd also look for discount lift tickets to the areas you're traveling too. I've had a lot of luck with the Liftopia.com here in New England, especially for midweek skiing. The place you're staying at may offer discount tickets too.

arebelspy

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Re: Saving while on vacation
« Reply #7 on: March 13, 2014, 07:34:06 AM »
WestchesterFrugal- Aren't you the person who just posted in another thread about your $30,000 per month income? Why on earth are you concerned about airport parking fees?

[MODERATOR NOTE: Comments like these are not helpful.  Please refrain from snark unless well deserved; nothing in this thread is yet as worthy of a facepunch.  Cheers!]
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payitoff

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Re: Saving while on vacation
« Reply #8 on: March 13, 2014, 10:10:45 AM »
^___^

just sending smiles your way OP. you have been brave and i am excited to changes coming your way. have fun on your vacation.

OldDogNewTrick

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Re: Saving while on vacation
« Reply #9 on: March 13, 2014, 10:25:35 AM »
WestchesterFrugal- Aren't you the person who just posted in another thread about your $30,000 per month income? Why on earth are you concerned about airport parking fees?
zhelud - it was actually $71k/month, and if you read the thread much advice was given, one of which is cutting down on vacation expenses

I had assumed that is the purpose of the "Ask A Mustachian" forum, no?

Absolutely. 71k a year or a month; doesn't matter how much, only matters how well it is handled and the Mustachian philosophy applies to all income levels.

minimalist

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Re: Saving while on vacation
« Reply #10 on: March 13, 2014, 10:40:09 AM »
This is what I do to save money:
-rent a cabin instead of staying at a hotel (this works well for groups; I'm not sure if it would apply to a smaller family)
-get deals on lift tickets (multi-day packs, the resort's website, various deal websites, Costco, Toyota dealers sometimes give away free lift tickets with parts/service purchase, etc)
-bring my own equipment
-pack lunches/dinners, fluids, snacks, hand warmers, etc. in my backpack to so I don't have to buy things from the overpriced lodge
-fly using airline miles

Briansmama

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Re: Saving while on vacation
« Reply #11 on: March 13, 2014, 02:08:19 PM »
We are big skiers/snowboarders here and although the rest of my family has season passes to our local mountain, I don't go quite enough to justify the cost so I pay for the half-day pass on the smaller side of the mountain. Most people don't know this is an option. The full access half day pass is only $10 or so off a full day lift ticket price (between $60-80), but the side with only beg/intermediate runs is very cheap starting at noon ($25). While my husband and kids prefer the black diamond runs, they will spend time with me on the smaller side because there is a park they like doing too. I don't like skiing anything harder than intermediate though, so this option is obviously not for everyone.

mh1361

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Re: Saving while on vacation
« Reply #12 on: March 13, 2014, 02:23:02 PM »
I'd also add packing snacks, not just lunches. If you get hungry you don't necessarily want to have to stop and eat lunch. Maybe a ziploc of almonds can be a quick holdover and you will avoid vending machines. But I'm guessing you're already fairly well versed with handling food during a day of skiing.

JPinDC

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Re: Saving while on vacation
« Reply #13 on: March 13, 2014, 03:17:48 PM »
Make a plan for your activities BEFORE you go, and see if you can pre-purchase tickets online at a discounted price.

kimmarg

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Re: Saving while on vacation
« Reply #14 on: March 13, 2014, 07:29:07 PM »
I second the bring your food. Also plan what splurges you will do. I always plan to purchase a hot drink to go with my home packed meal.

Consider cheaper resorts. I just skied Colorado. Arapaho basin has an unadvertised deal if you carpool and have 4 in y our car. At Monarch we skied 2 for $63. Meanwhile some of he the bigger ones are over $100/day. So try a new smaller mountain and look around for deals.

Www.skifreedeals.com looks like you buy 10 gallons of gas to qualify. Luckily for us our relatives had bought gas in the past with this in mind...
« Last Edit: March 13, 2014, 07:33:18 PM by kimmarg »