Sweet Frugal Life

Being Frugal Doesn't Make Life Any Less Sweet

Over 20 Tricks for Travel on a Budget

By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

I am a member of online affiliate programs.  I will be compensated for purchases made from links in this post.  All opinions are my own.

Do you long to to see the world, but finances are always holding you back?  I get it, I have this inner struggle almost daily.  But guess what I have finally learned……you CAN travel while on a budget!

We have successfully traveled to Disneyland, Kauai,  New York City, and more, all without spending a fortune.  You can do it too!  You can travel, make memories, and see new places….no matter your budget!

Today I’m sharing 17 of my Favorite Budget Travel Hacks!  I also asked my Instagram followers for their budget travel hacks, and I’m sharing all of their awesome responses too!

20 Plus Budget Travel Hacks

First Things First

1.  Plan Ahead

Plan your trips well ahead of travel time.  This will give you the time to search out the best deals, learn the peak travel times, and begin your travel Sinking Fund.  I prefer planning at least a year in advance; but anywhere between 6-12 months is ideal.

2.  Research

Study, research, and learn everything you can about the place you want to go.  Read travel blogs, check out books from the library, and a few times a week look at travel websites to check on hotel and flights.  This gives you a good idea of how much the trip will cost, so that you see that good deal, you will know it!

3.  Be OK With Less

We have all seen the picture perfect vacations, with the expensive restaurants and luxuries.  It is fun to dream about these ideal vacations…but it’s more fun to be debt free!

Learn to be OK with a vacation that is maybe less than glamorous.  Ask yourself, “are you going on a vacation to relax and make memories, or to have the best pictures to show all of your friends????”

Most of us want a trip that is fun and relaxing, one that we can rejuvenate and make memories.  This can all be accomplished WITHOUT the fancy resorts.  Be mindful of your personal reality and financial situation.

This might mean your vacation will be a camping trip, or a stay cation.  For some it just might even be a stay at a resort island.  No matter the trip you can afford, love it, embrace it and make it the time of your life!

4.  Make a Budget and Stick to It

After some thorough research you should have a good idea of how much your trip will cost.  Use this information and your monthly income to make your trip budget.

Write this number down and commit to it.  You will find it extremely easy to spend a little extra here, and a little extra there, and before you know it you have gone FAR over budget.  Practice self control and don’t allow yourself any wiggle room.

5.  Travel Sinking Fund

After making your Travel Budget it’s time to create a Sinking Fund.  If you’re unsure what a Sinking Fund is, don’t worry, I have it ALL explained in my article; How to Budget With Sinking Funds.

Choose your target travel date, and divide your Sinking Fund by the number of months until travel.  For example:  if I had a budget of $1000 and wanted to travel in 6 months, I would divide $1000 by 12 and get $84.  I now know that I need to save $84 into my sinking fund each month to have enough money to cover the trip.

6.  Travel During Off-Peak Times

Find out when the off-peak travel times are for your destination, this will vary based upon where you are going.  Traveling off-peak will save you money on flights, hotels, and activities.  You’ll also be treated to less crowds!  (my fave!)

Remember tip #3, Be Ok with Less, traveling off-peak might not be the ideal weather or circumstances, but it will save you money, focus on the positive!

What’s Instagram Saying???

mommypa123:

“Besides having a vacation sinking fund, I buy stuff for vacation after season on clearance.”

melfinaw:

“RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH”

jane_tern:

“Trailer or RV travel instead of hotel.”

sellybelly:

“Travel off season!  Sometimes waiting just 1 week after “peak” times can save you hundreds.”

How to Travel When You are On a Budget

Getting There

7.  Tuesday Travel

Tuesday is the secret for traveling.  You will find the cheapest airfare on Tuesdays, so do what you can to make Tuesday your travel day.

8.  Road Trip

Seriously consider driving to your destination instead of flying.  The costs are significantly less, and some of the best family memories can be made in a car!  Really!

9.  Incognito Browsing Window

When you are searching flights, change your browser to incognito.  Websites use cookies to monitor your browsing habits; if they find you are searching for a particular flight, they will raise the prices.  An incognito browsing window gives you the ability to look at flights without being seen by cookies.

10.  Only Pack Carry-On Luggage

Instead of checking a bag, save that money and only bring a carry-on suitcase.

Honestly, this is so hard for me!  I’m always sitting on my suitcase trying to zip it up, looking longingly at my pile of clothes that didn’t fit in my luggage.  But!  It is WORTH IT!  And truly, I never miss that extra “stuff” once I’m on vacation.

11.  Check Multiple Airports

Look into multiple airports in the surrounding areas of your destination.  You can usually find much cheaper deals at a smaller, less popular airport in the area.  It might add longer driving time, but the savings is definitely worth it!

What’s Instagram Saying????

thingsilearntalongtheway:

“Flying isn’t the only way to get around.  I once took a 12 hour overnight bus to save $500.”

amandaraybould:

“Pack half of what you think you need to pack so you don’t ever have to check a bag!”

hayleebroadhead:

“Use the Gas Buddy app.”

kkrhea12:

“Gate check your bag for free instead of paying when you initially check in, $25 saved!”

Food

10.  Pack Your Own Food

Save on food costs by packing as much of your own food as you can.  If you’re driving, pack a cooler full of cheap, quick to fix meals.

If you’re flying use Walmarts Free Grocery Pickup to order your groceries online, and the pick them up when you get to your vacation spot.  Always pack your own snacks and a lunch to eat at the airport.  Airport food is so expensive!

11.  Book a room with a kitchen

Prepare your own food by staying at a hotel with a small kitchen, or even better stay at an Airbnb Rental.

Save yourself some time by planning quick to fix, easy meals.  We like oatmeal, sandwiches, frozen dinners, etc.

12.  Restaurant Gift Cards

Buy a few gift cards on Restaurant.com for restaurants in your travel destination.  These gift cards are sold at a discounted price giving you more food for less price!  (yay!)

You can also buy restaurant gift cards at Target.  If you use your Target Red Card you will get 5% off your purchase, including gift cards!

13.  Share Meals

Ask for a few extra plates and order one or two large meals to split between your family.  Most waiters and restaurants are happy to oblige to this request!

What’s Instagram Saying?

flybytheseatofourpants:

“Bring your own food, eat our once a day.  Use credit card hotel points.”

garnishathome:

“Book an Airbnb with a kitchen so you can do some, or all, of the cooking yourself.”

theresa.runn:

“I make pizza the night before our travel day so we save money and time by not having to stop for lunch.”

Where to Stay

14.  Rent a Home

Consider renting a home from Airbnb instead of staying at a hotel.  The prices are much lower than hotels, and we love having a little extra space for our family.

Bonus:  Save even more and get $40 off your first Airbnb Rental using this link! 

15.  Earn Cashback

Always book your hotel through the Ebates website.  This is the easiest way to earn cashback.

Ebates partners with many popular travel websites, such as Travelocity and Priceline, to give you cashback on your normal purchases.

Simply log into Ebates, click the website name you want to shop on, and book your room as usual.  So easy!  They send your cashback to you every few months.  I usually get 10% cashback on every hotel room I get!  This is free money!

Bonus:  Sign up for Ebates using this link and you will get an EXTRA $10 cashback after you spend $25 using Ebates (which is so easy to do if you’re traveling!)

What’s Instagram Saying????

jane_tern:

“Trailer or RV travel instead of hotel.”

3girlsmom29:

“Don’t buy anything at the hotel.”

Anonymous:

“I find that boutique hotels have modern looking interiors at a fraction of the cost of staying at a big hotel chain.”

Budget Friendly Travel

Entertainment

16.  Free Activities

You can find free activities in every city.  These are usually not the most advertised, but they are there.  Take some time, do a little research and find the free activities every where you go.  Spend the day at a beach, explore a new park, go on a hike or explore a free museum.

Here are 20 Free Things to do in New York City.

17.  Use City Pass

Explore a new city using a a City Pass, or something similar.   City Pass is offered in most large tourist cities and give you huge discounts on the top city attractions.

What’s Instagram Saying????

stewbrosmom:

“We always do Restaurant.com, Groupon, Living Social for discounts on food and activities.”

chantelle.hitchock:

“Camping is cheap. Also, travel near national parks – hiking is free!  Pack snacks for road trips.”

garnishathome:

“Google the best free sights/activities for the area you are visiting and plan ahead.”

 

I always need to learn new travel tricks!  How have you been able to travel on a budget?  Let me know in the comments!

A New York City Weekend

By: Sweet Frugal Life5 Comments

NYC Weekend Travel Guide

I have always dreamed of visiting New York City.  There is just something about the lights, the buildings, and the hustle and bustle that appealed to me.  I’ve talked about this dream with my sister for years and one day she stopped me and said, “Let’s do it! Let’s go visit New York City this year.”  And I said, “Ok!”  We decided to try to keep the budget low and to only visit for 3 nights, one weekend.  After making our list of “must stops” we started planning.  I was a little worried that only one weekend in New York City wouldn’t be enough time, but I was wrong.  Fortunately, we were able to do everything we wanted in just a few days.

weekend in nyc

Day 1:  Thursday

We arrived in NYC at around 6 pm and after checking into our hotel we hit the streets!

*Money Saving Tip*

–Our hotel was booked on Priceline.  We found that they had the best deals (this is NOT sponsored!).  We also used rakuten which gave us an extra 6% off the price.  It was a pleasant surprised when we scored a boutique midtown hotel (with a king bed) for only $200/night.

Our first stop was pizza at Uncle Pauls Pizza.  The pizza was delicious and only $4/slice.  Win, Win!

After dinner we walked around and enjoyed sight seeing.  We visited Grand Central Station, St.Patricks Cathedral, window shopped down 5th Avenue, and ended the night in Times Square.  Everything we saw Thursday night was completely free!

 

Day 2:  Friday

Breakfast Friday morning was at Home Front Deli.  This is a small little restaurant, but boy was it delicious!  They made the best bagels I tried all weekend!  I highly recommend!

After breakfast we headed to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, or The Met for short.  This was one of my favorite stops of the entire trip!  It is WELL worth the money!  You could spend DAYS in this museum.  We focused on the Egyptian Room, The American Wing, and European Art.  Everything was absolutely incredible!

 

*Money Saving Tip*

–To help on costs we bought the Explorer Pass.  This was the cheapest option we found for us to be able to see our “must stop” places.  We used it for The Met, Top of the Rock and 9/11 Memorial Museum.  You can customize the Explorer Pass, enabling you to pick and choose the places you want to go.

After The Met we rode the bus down to Top of the Rock and were treated to absolutely amazing views of New York City.  Going to the top of Top of the Rock is not only cheaper than the Empire State Building, the views are also better.

 

Next, was lunch at The Halal Guys for the best Gyros I have ever had.  This is seriously a must stop.  The portions was huge and only around $8 for a platter.

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That night we had tickets to go see The Lion King on Broadway.  This was one of our big splurges for the trip and it did not disappoint!  We paid full price for our tickets to The Lion King, but there are ways to get discount Broadway Tickets.

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*Money Saving Tip*

—You can buy same day Broadway tickets at the TKTS booth located right in Times Square.  These same day tickets are heavily discounted for a select shows.

–For Hamilton tickets download the Hamilton app onto your phone.  You can enter a lottery with the winner given the option to buy two Broadway Hamilton tickets for just $10 a piece.  Warning:  I have entered this lottery numerous time with no success!

–Check out Today Tix for discounted tickets that can be bought in advance.  We used this service for a Broadway show Saturday night and were very pleased with it!

Day 3:  Saturday

Saturday breakfast was at Zuckers Bagels.  I didn’t enjoy this breakfast quite as much as Home Front Deli, but it was still really good!

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Immediately after breakfast we headed to the 9/11 museum.  We were treated to an amazing museum full of heart wrenching photos, survivor stories and gut wrenching facts.  Total we spent about 3 hours walking around and taking it all in.  But, honestly we could have spent all day there, they had so many exhibits and information to look through.

After the museum we headed Downtown to hop onto the Staten Island Ferry.  This is a completely FREE ferry that takes you right past the statue of liberty.  It was so simple to walk right on to the ferry.  I recommend going to the very back so that you can also be treated to a view of the NYC skyline.

The views of the Statue of Liberty were even better than we had expected!  Once we arrived to New Jersey, we walked off, went around the corner and walked right onto the next ferry to ride back to Manhattan.  This was really easy, and you just can’t beat FREE!

Next, we headed to Brooklyn for a walk across the iconic Brooklyn Bridge.  It was a wet and stormy day, but we still enjoyed the views on the bridge. The architecture was incredible!

 

That evening we had dinner at The Melt.  They make gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches.  The food was amazing and very budget friendly!

After dinner we headed to another Broadway Show, Waitress.  To save money on this show we bought our tickets using TodaysTix.

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Day 4:  Sunday

We had half a day on Sunday before needing to catch our plane.  Breakfast was at Wafels and Dinges.  Which is absolutely delicious, and a MUST stop when in New York City.

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Following my sweet tooth we went straight from breakfast to Levain Bakery for the absolute BEST cookie I have EVER had!!!  You MUST, I repeat, MUST stop by Levain Bakery.  Their cookies were absolutely amazing!

 

We ate our cookies in Central Park and then spent the rest of the morning wandering the paths and enjoying the day.  It truly is a beautiful park with so many unique areas and sights.  I loved strolling through all of the different areas.

 

Our trip was a busy whirlwind, but I wouldn’t change anything!  We were able to see everything we wanted to see, and had a lot of fun doing it!  I can’t wait to go back again one day and visit even more of the amazing sights.

Be sure to check out my post 20 Completely Free Things to do in New York City for more budget friendly New York City ideas!

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What are some of your favorite things to do in New York City??

20 Completely Free Things to do in New York City

By: Sweet Frugal Life5 Comments

Enjoy NYC with these free things to see and do.

Did you see my post about our recent whirlwind of a trip to New York City?  We had so much fun in the big apple!  I fell in love with all of the beautiful buildings and delicious food.  We tried to keep costs low and were still able to find plenty of fun activities to do.  During all of my research and planning I just couldn’t believe how many completely FREE things to do in New York City.  I’m sharing a few of those ideas with you today!

nyc on a budget

20 Free Things to Do While in NYC

Explore a City Park

1.  Wander Around Central Park

You could literally spend DAYS in Central Park.  There is SO much to see and do!  We loved wandering around watching the performers and enjoying the beauty.  Be sure to visit The Mall, Belvedere Castle and Bethesda Fountain.

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2.  Walk the High Line

The High Line is a beautiful elevated park.  It was made from an old railroad no longer in use.  The High Line provides a miles of walking paths and gardens.

3.  Washington Square Park

Washington Square Park has over 9 acres of beauty located in Greenwich Village.  It is well known for the landmark Washington Square Arch.  This park provides many different things to see and do.

4.  Bryant Park

Bryant Park is located right in midtown, making a visit quick and easy.  We visited Bryant Park in late October and they had their Christmas Shops and ice skating rink set up.  It was so fun to walk around looking through the cute little shops.

5.  Battery Park

Located near the entrance to the free Staten Island Ferry you will find Battery Park.  It is another large city park with paths and many statues and memorials.  A visit to Battery Park will also give you a good view of the Statue of Liberty!

Famous NYC Landmarks

6.  Take the Staten Island Ferry to Statue of Liberty

You may not be able to go visit the Statue of Liberty for free, but you can get a free boat ride that will take you right past Lady Liberty.  The Staten Island Ferry is a completely free round trip ride with fantastic views!

7.  Visit Grand Central Station

It only takes a few minutes to pop in and visit Grand Central Station, but it is WORTH it!  The architecture of the building is absolutely breathtaking!  I loved ever minute we spent inside.

 

8.  Walk Across Brooklyn Bridge

We had so much fun walking across the Brooklyn Bridge.  The architecture is absolutely beautiful and it only takes about 30 minutes!  The best views are when you walk from Brooklyn into Manhattan.

 

9.  9/11 Memorial Plaza

To gain entrance into the 9/11 museum you will need to pay, but walking around the grounds and seeing the site of the beautiful memorial is completely free!  There is a special reverence on the grounds that will touched me.

10.  Times Square

There really is nothing quite like Times Square.  A true melting pot of lights, colors, people and sounds.  Times Square is completely free to visit and a great place for people watching!  It’s fun to visit at least once, but I wouldn’t recommend staying for more than 5-10 minutes.

11.  Rockefeller Plaza

Home of the famous Rockefeller Skating Rink is Rockefeller Plaza.  It’s a fun section of the city to walk around and explore for a few minutes.  We visited when the ice skating rink was set up and we loved watching the skaters for a few minutes and window shopping past the buildings.

 

12.  Flat Iron Building

The iconic Flat Iron Building is a perfect spot for an Instagram photo!  It is such a unique building and I can’t wait to visit it someday.

10.  New York Library

I’ll be honest with you, I didn’t really believe a library was a worthwhile stop on our trip, but I was SO wrong!  This building is absolutely beautiful!  We spent about 20-30 minutes to quickly walk around and view the different rooms (be sure to stop at the Rose Reading Room!).  This was one of my favorite buildings we saw.

 

11.  Charging Bull

If you are in the Wall Street area, you must stop by and see the famous Charging Bull.  It’s another picture perfect spot!

Free Museums

12.  Bronx Museum of the Arts

The Bronx Museum of the Arts is the home to many unique art exhibits.  It is large and open and rarely ever crowded.  The best part is it is completely free!

13.  Museum at Fashion Institute of Technology

If you have any interest in clothing and fashion, you would probably enjoy the free Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology.  It’s exhibits showcase the history and workings of the exciting fashion world.

Visit an Old Church

14.  Trinity Church

A visit to Trinity Church on Wall Street gives you not only a visit to a beautiful old church, but it’s also has an old cemetery on the grounds.  You will be able to find a few historical figures buried there, including Alexander Hamilton and his wife.

15.  Cathedral of St. John the Divine

The Cathedral of St.John the Divine is the largest cathedral in the world.  With plenty of detail and beautiful stain glass windows, it is worth stopping at!

16.  St. Patricks Cathedral

St. Patricks Cathedral is a must see when in New York City.  I originally thought we would only stop by for a few minutes, but the cathedral was so gorgeous with lots of details to look at, we ended up staying much longer.

 

Explore a New Neighborhood

18.  Walking Tour

Google “NYC Walking Tour” and you will find countless free guides that tell you exactly where to walk and what to visit in each neighborhood.  One of my favorite parts of New York City was taking in the beauty and uniqueness of each neighborhood.

 

19.  China Town

There is really nothing like visiting China Town.  I love walking through the streets, browsing the shops and taking in all of the sights, sounds, and smells.  China Town is a place you could spend hours in, or just walk through quick, it’s completely up to you!

20.  Window Shop on 5th Avenue

We had so much fun walking down 5th Avenue and peeking in all of the different stores.  This is not shopping for the cheap!  But, it is free (and fun!) to look!

 

There really is nowhere like New York City.  You can enjoy this great city, without breaking the bank!

New York City (1)

Be sure to check out New York City in a Weekend for more budget friendly NYC tips and tricks!

How to Move While on a Tight Budget

By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

My husband and I have had plenty of practice moving!

We have been married 14 years and in that time we have moved 9 different times.  This includes 6 different cities and 4 moves across the state border.  We have made many mistakes along the way, and over time have learned the best ways to keep the move simple and most importantly, frugal.

I wanted to share a few of the tips and tricks we have learned a long the way to help you on your upcoming moves.

moving on a budget

10 Tips for Moving on a Budget

1.  Budget

The moment you know you will be moving, make a plan.  Set a budget of how much money you will be able to spend on this move.  Once the budget is made, stick to it.  Whatever number you decided on, find a way to make it work.  It might not be easy, honestly it probably WON’T be easy, but you need to do what you can to stay in budget.

2.  Make a Sinking Fund

After you have your moving budget, you will want to set up a sinking fund.  This sinking fund will help you slowly save up cash, so that when the time comes you will be prepared financially for the move.

If you know of the move months in advance this should give you plenty of time to contribute to your sinking fund.  If the move is quicker and you will only have a few weeks still make your sinking fund and try to save as much as you can each day.  You want this sinking fund to be able to cover the cost of your move.

3.  Skip the Moving Company

You can do this!  It won’t be easy, and it won’t be fun, but you can move without a moving company!  I PROMISE.

Begin packing and organizing the MINUTE you find out you will be needing to move.  Enlist a few friends to spend a Saturday helping you pack boxes and another Saturday loading and unloading the moving trucks.  Make sure to buy these amazing friends some pizza or donuts to let them know you appreciate their time and service.  You will save so much money simply by doing the work yourself.

4.  Shop Around

If going the DIY route for moving isn’t the best option and you will need to hire a moving company.  Always shop around before hiring anyone.  Get quotes from a variety of moving companies and check referrals to find the best company for you.  Consider doing half of the work yourself and hiring the moving company for the other half.  Don’t be afraid to barter a little and ask them to beat competitors prices or give you a discount.  The worst thing they could say is no.

5.  Do Not Buy Boxes

From the very first minute you find out you’re moving be on the lookout for boxes.  If you know where to look they can be very easy to find.

Ask all of your friends and family to start giving you all of their amazon boxes or any other box they might get in the mail.  Look for boxes at the grocery store.  You can usually find a cart or two full of empty boxes from employees stocking shelves.  Most stores are more than happy to let you take boxes.  We found the BEST boxes at Lowes.  Some employees will happily give you large boxes, but others weren’t so sure…..so maybe ask a few different people!

6.  Organize!

There is no such thing as to much organizing when it comes to moving.  Be sure to label all boxes.  Include the box contents, the room it needs to go in, and whether it contains fragile items.  Try to pack items together that will need to go to the same room.  This will save you a ton of time when you start unpacking.

7.  Find Packing Filler at Home

Pack your fragile items with a few of your soft household supplies.  This will save you from needing to buy packing paper.  I will usually wrap my dishes with my dishcloths and pack some of my fragile decor with my towels.  There are so many options, get creative, you could use sheets, clothes, blankets, etc.

8.  Sell or Donate

Moving is the BEST time to donate or sell items that aren’t useful to you anymore.  The less stuff you have to pack means the less boxes, tape, moving power, etc. you will need.  It WILL save you money!  AND, if you are selling items, you can even EARN money at the same time!  (double win!)

9.  Shop Utilities

With moving comes cancelling/setting up utilities.  Before setting up internet, cable, phone, or dish be sure to shop around.  Many of these companies will give a good discount to new customers.  This could also be a great time to change habits and ditch the cable all together.

10.  Be Flexible

Moving is STRESSFUL, expensive and hard!  Give yourself grace and try to be flexible with all of the ups and downs that will come your way.  Remember that the hard moments will be temporary, and one of the only ways to get through it is just to grin and bear it.  Be true to yourself and your budget, but also be willing to go with the flow once the time comes.

What are some ways YOU have saved money on a move?  Please share in the comments below so we can help each other spend less and live more frugally!

Kauai on a Budget

By: Sweet Frugal Life5 Comments

 “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.” 

I have never seen anywhere more breathtaking than the beautiful Hawaiian Island of Kauai.  With it’s gorgeous green mountains, cascading waterfalls, and picturesque beaches, it is my idea of a perfect vacation spot.

 

When I was planning our trip to Kauai I spent hours and hours researching everything there is to know about the “Garden Isle.”  I wanted to enjoy every inch of the island, but without having to spend much money.

I read a lot of books about Kauai and the very very best one I found was The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook: Kauai Revealed.  This book was everything!  I consulted it about beaches, hotels, restaurants, etc.  EVERYTHING you could want to know about Kauai is in this wonderful perfect book.  My husband teases me that I have it memorized because of all the facts I kept spouting out of it.  🙂  Seriously though, if you are going to Kauai read The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook: Kauai Revealed.

After a lot of research and planning we were able to plan the perfect vacation and stayed within the budget.  Today’s post is going to be sharing what worked for us and all of the money saving tips I learned along the way.

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Where to Stay

We were able to find a beautiful condo to rent for $100 a night on Airbnb .  It was a studio on the beach with a small kitchenette.  The kitchenette enabled us to make a lot of our meals right in the condo.

Airbnb is seriously amazing for finding great deals on lodging while traveling.  It has a lot of options and was very easy to work with.  I will use them every single time I travel to Hawaii.  You can get $40 off your vacation rental if you book it using this link!

We decided to stay on the East Shore so that we would have easy access to both the North and South sides.  It was only ten minutes from the airport and very quick and easy to find.  The East Shore hotels were all cheaper than the other areas, which is exactly what I was looking for!

Rental Car

If you want to spend any time outside of your resort you will need a rental car in Kauai.  We reserved an economy sized vehicle on discounthawaiicarrental.com for ONLY $6 a day.  YES!  You read that right!  $6 a day!   The prices change often so you will want to check the website frequently, and when you find a low price make sure to snatch it up because the price will change.

Where to Eat

We ate most of our meals in our condo.  Immediately after arriving in Kauai we went to the local grocery store and stocked up on easy quick foods to prepare throughout the week.  We stopped at Foodland in Kapaa, but I know others who do their shopping at Walmart or Costco.  We had fruit and toast for breakfasts, packed sandwiches for lunch and stopped for quick dinners while we were out exploring.  A few of our favorite cheap eateries were Tacos Al Pastor, Da Crack, Hanalei Taro & Juice Company, and Puka Dog.

We ate Shaved Ice every day while in Hawaii.  It is so good and is a MUST try!  Our favorite shaved ice was at Hee Fat General Store in Kapaa.  We always ordered one to share to save a little extra money.  We did splurge on ordering real fruit syrup, this was definitely worth the splurge.

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What to Do

There are so many fun FREE activities to do on Kauai.  You do not need to spend a lot of money, or any money to have a great vacation.  We had a great week adventuring around the island and spent very little money on activities.

Snorkel Bobs

We rented snorkel gear for the week from Snorkel Bobs.  It was only about $15 for the entire week.  It was so nice to have the gear with us all the time so we could pull it out whenever we came across a great snorkel area.  Our two favorite snorkeling beaches are Hideaways and Turtles.  Snorkeling is very best in the morning, so get their early!

Beaches

Kauai has so many beautiful beaches.  With golden coarse sand, blue turquoise water, and large green mountains for a backdrop it is the perfect place to spend a day relaxing and playing in sun and sand.  The beaches and parking are all FREE, so take advantage of them!

Our favorite beaches on the North Shore were Kee and Hideaways.  Kee is at the end of the very end of the road.  Parking is limited and fills up quickly, so I recommend getting there first thing.  Hideaways is a little bit harder to find which makes it a perfect, quiet, and uncrowded beach.  To get there we used valet parking at the St.Regis Princeville (this is free, but it is a good idea to tip!).  There is a trail a short distance away to hike down to the beach.  The trail is steep and slippery, so wear good shoes.

 

Our favorite beach on the South Shore was Kiahuna Beach, also known as Sheraton Beach.  Kiahuna Beach is located directly in front of the Sheraton Kauai Resort.

Hiking

Kauai is known as the adventure island for good reason!  There are so many beautiful hikes to do and beautiful places to explore.

Our first day we hiked along the Kalalau Trail.  This is an intense 11 mile long hike along the Napali Coast.  We just hiked the first two miles of it to Hanakapiai Beach.  The views along this trail were incredible.  The majority is right alongside the ocean.  The Kalalau trail starts out extremely rocky and steep, so be prepared.  It is worth hiking the first 1/2 mile at least for a fantastic view of Kee Beach.

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Secret Falls

Secret Falls is a magestic 100 foot waterfall deep in the rainforest.  The only way to get to  Secret Falls is to kayak down the Wailua River and then hike about 30 minutes through the rainforest.  You could pay for a guided tour that will take you to Secret Falls, but we decided to go with a much cheaper option.

We rented a kayak from Kamokila Hawaiian Village in Kapaa.  It is right on the Wailua River and you launch the kayak right from the village.  It cost us $35 for a daily rental.  They give you a map showing where you need to go and will answer any questions you might have.

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We kayaked about 15 minutes up the river, docked the kayaks and hiked to the waterfall.  This trail is very muddy, so bring water shoes!  We passed MANY people hiking barefoot because it was to muddy for sneakers.  When we arrived at Secret Falls a large tour group just happened to be leaving and we were able to have the entire place to ourselves.  It was so fun swimming under the waterfall.

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Once we got back to our kayak we paddled up stream another 5 minutes to a cliff jumping spot and were able to jump off the cliff and swim in the river for a little while.

We loved this entire day and it was really so easy to rent and find where to go all by ourselves.

Sightseeing

There are so many great sight seeing stops around the island.  They are all free and fun to stop at.  I’ll list a few of our favorites.

East Shore

Wailua Falls:  These falls are very easy to get to, and a only a quick stop alongside the road.  They are absolutely breathtaking!

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Opaekaa Falls:  I’ll be honest, I was a little underwhelmed by Opaekaa Falls.  But, I do know of many others who have enjoyed seeing them.  They are very easy access right off the road and only take a few minutes to view.

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South Shore

Tree Tunnel:  While driving into Poipu on the South Shore you will pass through what’s known as the Tree Tunnel.  It is a beautiful section of road lined with Eucalyptus Trees.

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Spouting Horn:  Spouting Horn is located near Poipu Beach.  A blowhole is naturally formed when water crashes through a small hole in the lava rocks.  The water can reach up to 50 feet in the air.

Waimea Canyon:  The road to Waimea Canyon is a little long, but the views are spectacular!  It is called the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.  The reds of the canyon next to the green vegetation were breathtaking!  We did not spend a lot of time here, but there are a lot of hikes in the area that all sound fun to do and explore.  Drive a little further up the road and view the Kalalau Valley Lookout.  It is another view of the beautiful Napali coast and was once home to an ancient Hawaiian village. The history buff in me enjoyed imagining what life was once like there.

 

North Shore

The North Shore is my FAVORITE and the next time I go to Kauai I will be spending all of my time here!  It is so green and dense with vegetation.  This is the part of the Island that gives Kauai the nickname the Garden Island.

Kilauea Lighthouse:  This picturesque lighthouse is located just a few minutes off the main  highway.  It is a beautiful sight..  We only viewed it from the parking lot, but I know that there is a bird sanctuary and other fun things to see.

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Hanalei Pier:  Hanalei Beach wasn’t my favorite, but it was a very pretty area to view and I am glad we made the visit.  It is a popular place for boogie boarding and surfing and we were able to catch a few waves and a bunch of laughs for the afternoon.  I did love walking out on the pier and watching the locals jumping off.

Hanalei Valley Lookout:  Right along the main road right, just past Princeville you will find this beautiful area of taro farms.  They look like a green patchwork quilt and is a great stopping spot for a few pictures.  When we were there we counted 8 waterfalls on the mountain right behind the field.  It was a breathtaking sight!

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Souvenirs

The best place to find souvenirs is at the ABC Store.  We stopped at the one in Kapaa on our last day in Kauai.  I was happily surprised and impressed to see how much cheaper the souvenirs were here than at the other places we looked at during the week.  They have all your typical souvenirs; shirts, trinkets, food, etc.  We bought a few things to bring back home to our kids.

 

If you do some research and planning you can visit Kauai on a budget!  We spent less than $2,000 for our entire trip.  Half of that was spent on airfare.

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Have you ever been to Kauai?  What was your favorite thing that you did?

 

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