Planning a summer vacation?  Decide ahead of time how much you want to spend for the entire vacation, then make a daily vacation spending plan.  Include food, transportation, lodging, souvenirs, and treats.  Once you have your plan, make a copy for each family member.  During your vacation, have everyone try to under-spend the daily plan.  After the vacation, put the savings in the tin.  You could even offer a prize for the family member that under spends the most.

If you and your spouse eat at fast food restaurants frequently for lunch, start ordering the children’s lunch.  These usually cost the same or a little less than the adult portions, and almost always come with a toy.  The toys should be put in a hiding place at home.  These accumulated toys make great stocking stuffers at Christmas, and you will probably drop a few pounds by eating smaller portions.  I did this many years ago, and after 3 months on the children’s lunch I’d lost 10 pounds, and had enough little toys to really fill the stockings.  I also saved about $60 on the lunches, and another $50 because I didn’t have to buy any stocking stuffers for the kids. 

Instead of a vacation, consider an outing to a favorite or new attraction in your own area.  A trip to the zoo, a museum, art gallery, or even a local fishing hole will be fun for the family.  The idea is to get away for a day and spend time together.  Plan several of these activities for 3 or 4 days in a row, and come home each night to sleep and eat dinner.  It will have many of the same benefits of an extended vacation without the expense.

If you and your family are taking a vacation during the summer months, try to avoid purchasing souvenirs.  They are very expensive, and usually just end up in a garage sale in a year or two.  Instead, take photos and collect the “free” souvenirs.  Ticket stubs, maps, brochures, gallery catalogs, drink straws, business cards, etc.  You can place the photos and souvenirs into a small photo book or photo box when you return, and I promise they will enjoy this much more in the years to come than a $30 t-shirt that they won’t ever wear.  When my Grandson made his first trip to Disneyland, I had his parents take lots of pictures.  During the fall months, I put together a memory book for him about his trip and gave it to him for Christmas.  It’s been a couple years now since the trip.  The souvenirs are long gone and forgotten, but he still loves to take out the memory book and look through it. 

Don’t forget the seniors on your list.  You can purchase a photo box or pencil box, both of which should be on sale this month.  Tuck in some all occasion cards, a pen with a comfort grip, a few stationery sheets with envelopes, and some first class stamps.  You can also make a great buy any time of year by purchasing a card shop in a box here: http://www.bobbibopstuff.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=11_30  While you are looking at cards there, be sure to check out their Christmas cards and dollar section.  You’ll find some great bargains.