You can never start saving money for and planning your summer vacation too early.
That’s the message Charlene Wilde, senior vice president at the American Armed Forces Mutual Aid Association, has for both military veterans and active duty service members.
“Start saving money early on,” Wilde said, even if you haven’t picked your vacation spot out yet.
Consider placing the money you are saving for summer vacation in a bank account that is designated specifically for that purpose. That’s something Wilde, an Army veteran and military spouse, and her husband did.
“Every month when we got paid, we just put money in that account, whatever we could afford that month,” she said. “And whatever we had, that’s what we used for vacation.”
The couple had been married for a few years before they began the praqctice and Wilde said she wished they had started it they were newlyweds.
“It took us a couple of years to get it down, and then [it became] this is what we have,” she said. “Some people think vacations have to be this grandiose thing, “But it's really disengaging from everyday life and taking your family somewhere fun.”
Wilde said her family had to sometimes think differently when it came to selecting their vacation destinations.
“When it was a slimmer year, it didn’t mean we had to stay at home and be bored,” she said.
Thinking outside the box may include vacation camping trips, and that doesn’t mean you have to pitch a tent. “Forest Service cabins are free,” Wilde noted.
And sometimes families have to manage expectations.
“Maybe drive instead of fly and instead of a hotel, get an Airbnb,” Wilde suggested. “Take some time to figure out priorities. Is our priority to go to a cool place, or is our priority to stay in a cool place? If I’m on a limited budget, I probably can’t have both.”
Check out the internet for military discounts that are available for servicemembers and veterans, she said. And, don’t be afraid to ask for a military discount when booking.
Wilde and her husband also gave their two sons money at the beginning of each vacation to spend on the souvenirs they wanted. When that money ran out, the couple stood firm on not giving the boys any more.
“It only took one vacation where their money ran out after a couple of days and it was hard, it was really hard for me,” she said.
That taught the boys important lessons on budgeting and buying items that were important to them - lessons that they used throughout the year as they earmarked some of their allowance money for vacation spending.
Grandparents can also get involved by sending gift cards that kids can use while on vacation. Money that is received for birthdays or holidays can also be earmarked for use on family vacations.
“Make everyone feel a part of it so the pressure isn’t just on you as parents,” she said.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.