How to Go on an Affordable Vacation During This Economic Recession

1. Plan your vacation ahead of time. Block some vacation time on your calendar at least two months ahead of departure. Book your flight far ahead of time- this could cut your vacation costs in half. Planning ahead of time also means speaking to the necessary authorities at work, scheduling the pet's stay at the kennel, and stopping the newspaper delivery and lawn mowing service. Make sure to tie up all your loose ends so you don't end up paying for it due to last minute scheduling.

 2. Book your flights online. Be sure to use every resource at your disposal to book the cheapest flight possible. Many sites allow you to compare flight prices and details, be sure to use these tools. Always consider flying into or out of a less-trafficked airports (i.e. Oakland  instead of San Francisco). Some examples of well known sites that allow you to compare flight prices across various airlines are Orbitz and Expedia

3. Book your lodging at a vacation-ownership sponsored resort. This essentially means that you will have access to  an extra-discounted hotel or resort lodging in exchange for attending a timeshare sales pitch at that resort. These pitches are harmless and usually only take up to 90 minutes of your time. The benefits of doing this mean extremely deep discounts as well as freebies like gas certificates, dinner coupons and theme park tickets. There are several sites online that are partnered with resorts across the country and provide the best deals out there like Vacation Offer

4.  If you are traveling with a large family or party, you can save a lot of money by shopping at the grocery store instead of eating out. People often have the inclination to eat at restaurants when they are on vacation, however, cooking in a condo or grilling outside is far cheaper and usually more relaxing.

 5.  Go where the natives go. Keep your eye out for restaurants, shows and shops that are meant specifically for tourists. These places are the most expensive areas and are also where you are most likely to empty your pockets. Try to do some research ahead of time as well as speak with the locals to figure out where normal people go around the destination. If you follow this rule of thumb throughout the vacation you are likely to save quite a bit of money.  Lonely Planet is a great resource to find out about a destination's flavors, culture, and local hot spots ahead of time.

 6.  Take public transportation. People often forget how expensive taxi cabs can be, especially when they are on vacation. In any city center or popular destination there is almost always a mode of transportation on the cheap that the locals take advantage of.  Be sure to find this out ahead of time to drastically cut down on transportation costs.  Google recently added a  that allows you to calculate bus and train directions as if you were driving.