I’m off today, but you are welcome to browse my site and check out these links I’ve listed for you to enjoy.

I found some wonderful homemade Mother’s Day gifts that are sure to be a highlight to any mother’s special day. You’ll just have to take a look for yourself and see what I mean.

• Marie at Make and Takes shows how to Etch a Glass Vase for Mom. You only need a plain glass vase, a few supplies and your imagination to make a beautiful vase for mom. This looks really fun too.
• If you’re looking for a sweet and sentimental gift for mom try these great Message Gift Boxes. In her guest post on Living Locurto, Cathe Holden explains how to make these wonderful little boxes. (In addition, she gives a few other suggestions for these boxes other than just Mother’s Day gifts.)
• Blissfully Domestic has several other super cute Handmade Mother’s Day Gifts to take a look at also.

I hope you enjoyed these links. Thanks for stopping by! I’m off to play!!

Oh yeah, don’t forget to come back tomorrow for the continuation of my Vacation Planning series.

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2. Playday Thursday: Kids I’m off today, but you are welcome to browse my site and check out these links I’ve found for you...
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Welcome back to my vacation planning series. Yesterday in Tips for Family Vacation Planning, Part 1: Deciding Where to Go, we looked at a few things to think about when deciding on the right destination for your family vacation. Today, it’s all about making sure we budget well for the trip.

Budgeting plays a vital role in making your vacation less stressful because you have a better idea of how much money your trip will cost and how much cash you should take with you.

Here is how I budget for my trips:

As with any budget, set up the categories in which you will be spending. I have listed below several to help get you started. In addition, I’ve included my Vacation Planning: Budgeting Chart for you to download if you wish.

The first three really don’t need much explanation; they are pretty straight forward, and you know how much they will cost before you leave home. However, don’t forget to write them down in your budget because they are part of your trip costs.

• Hotel- Remember to check and see if there is are additional charges for high speed internet, valet parking, or other guests services that might be of interest to you.
• Airline Tickets (if flying)
• Car Rental (if applicable)
• Gas - If you are taking a road trip try to determine an approximate number of miles you will be driving so you can get an idea of how many fill ups you might have on your trip - going, coming and at your destination.
• Attractions, Amusement Parks & Entertainment- Most large attractions and parks can be found on-line, and you can usually find ticket prices on their websites, or by calling. Sometimes there are additional costs once you get into the gate, so double check and see if those costs are also listed. In addition, some places require a fee to park your car, so allow a little extra for that.
• Meals & Snacks- This may be a little tricky. However, by determining whether you are going to eat fast food at lunch and at a nice restaurant for dinner, for example, will help you make an educated guess. Also, don’t forget to check and see if the hotel where you are staying provides a continental breakfast, a breakfast that will be added to your hotel bill, or no breakfast at all. Remember, too, that in most amusement parks, food is available, but it is usually very expensive.
• Souvenirs- I find that the best way to handle souvenirs is to set a dollar amount for each person and stick to it.
• Extra Cash for Emergency- You never know when an emergency is going to arise and you need cash to cover it. Put aside a little extra cash for emergencies, but try not to touch it for anything else on your trip.

Of course, there is no way anyone can budget to the dollar every expense for their trip. Nevertheless, if you compile a list of any expenses that you can foresee, even if some are only estimates, it will help give a better idea of how much your trip will cost and how much you should take along. Happy budgeting!

The next part in this series is Tips for Family Vacation Planning, Part 3: Don’t forget to take… In this segment, I will be listing a few things that you might not think about taking on your trip, but might wish that you had. You’ll also find a packing checklist available for you to download and print.

This post is linked to We Are THAT Family for Works for Me Wednesday.

Related posts:

1. Tips for Family Vacation Planning: Introduction Are you ready for that super fun great vacation with your family? I mean, are your really ready? Well, I’m...
2. Tips for Family Vacation Planning, Part 4: Playing it Safe Are you finally packed and ready to go on that long awaited and much needed vacation? I hope that yesterday's...
3. Tips for Family Vacation Planning, Part 3: Don’t forget to take… On Wednesday, we took a look at budgeting for a vacation in Tips for Vacation Planning, Part 2: Budgeting, so...

Posted on April 28th, 2009 in Kids and Family | 8 Comments

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While vacations should be fun, exciting and memorable times for you and your family, they can be stressful if you have not planned well and budgeted in advance.

Deciding where to go is the first step to any great vacation.

Although you may have a few ideas in mind of where you would like to go, here are some things to think about before you make your final decision:

• How much do you want to spend on this trip? Setting a limit on how much you are willing to spend on your trip can, in many cases, narrow down possibilities. If you only want to spend $500, Disney World will probably get crossed off the list quickly.
• What are the ages of your children, and what will they enjoy? Think about the ages of your children and the types of activities that might be available to them on your trip. For example, if your children are 2 and 4 years old, going to a large amusement park might be too much at that age. Large amusement parks tend to involve a lot of walking, and much of the rides and entertainment are geared more toward older children and adults.
• How long will your trip be? This is very important because, you don’t want to plan a 5 day trip to go to a city where there is only enough entertainment to keep you busy for 2 days, and vice versa. Another reason to consider the length of the trip is very young children wear out quickly. Therefore, you may want to limit the number of days for the trip.
• Will you be vacationing “in season” or “off season?” Usually “in season” is from about the middle of spring to the middle of fall, and the other times of the year are considered “off season.” Of course, major holidays, such as Christmas,  may be treated as “in season” for some destinations.

Here are a few factors to consider when deciding whether or not to choose “off season” times for visiting your destination.

1. One reason you may not want to go during “off season” times is some places close certain attractions during this time, due to either lack of tourist or proper weather conditions for the particular attraction.
2. One reason you may choose to go during the “off season” months is many times there are discounted ticket prices for attractions, as well as, hotel rooms. In addition, attractions are usually a lot less crowded during “off season” times.

Most of these questions can easily be answered with a little effort thanks to some research on the internet. Although, your children’s interests play important roles in deciding where to spend you family vacation, don’t forget, it is just that - a family vacation.

I have included my family Vacation Planning: Destination Information worksheet for you to download and print. This is how I keep up with information about the specific attractions we plan to visit while on vacation.

Remember though, this is just a guide. Nothing is set in stone. You don’t want your vacation to be so tightly scheduled you can’t enjoy yourself because you are just trying to get from one place to another.

Be sure to include activities that you and your spouse will also enjoy. It’s okay if everything doesn’t particularly interest your kids. It is good for them to learn that others should have an opportunity to enjoy their favorite things, too. Happy planning!

Tips for Family Vacation Planning, Part 2: Budgeting is the next topic in our vacation series. Check back tomorrow, so you don’t miss it.

Related posts:

1. Tips for Family Vacation Planning: Introduction Are you ready for that super fun great vacation with your family? I mean, are your really ready? Well, I’m...
2. Tips for Family Vacation Planning, Part 2: Budgeting Welcome back to my vacation planning series. Yesterday in Tips for Family Vacation Planning, Part 1: Deciding Where to Go,...
3. Tips for Family Vacation Planning, Part 3: Don’t forget to take… On Wednesday, we took a look at budgeting for a vacation in Tips for Vacation Planning, Part 2: Budgeting, so...

Posted on April 28th, 2009 in Kids and Family | One Comment

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