Saving Money When Taking a Vacation

I don't know how it is for you but I don't get much vacation time. It is hard to plan for time off from work. My husband has a different work schedule than I do and their vacation policy is different than my employer. Vacations are expensive. Saving money when taking a vacation can be challenging. We are trying to pay off debt and it seems counter-productive to take a vacation, right? In spite of all of these challenges we recently managed to schedule eleven days in Las Vegas with family.

3 Ways to Save Money When Taking a Vacation

1. Accommodations - We stayed with family that live in the area we visited. I know this isn't always possible. There were a number of discounted hotel options that were available but we were happier staying with family especially in such a large city. We paid for meals out a couple of times for our family as a way of saying thanks. We tried to be good guests and be respectful to their routines. This can save money on accommodations.
2.  Transportation- We opted to fly a discount airline. We have used this   airline in the past and did not experience any issues. This time we         learned the seats we had selected and paid for had been changed. The airline did agree to refund that portion of our ticket price for which we were grateful! The seats we did have were a little cramped but we made the best of it. This helped us save on transportation costs.
3.  Food- Food can be a real budget-breaker. We have used coupons for chain restaurants. We have ate a late lunch in place of a traditional evening meal. The lunch menu is usually quite a bit cheaper at most restaurants. We often take a cooler with drinks and snacks when we leave for the day. Picnic lunches are way less expensive for an outing with several family members. When we do choose to eat out we choose carefully and consider times when kids meals are free with adults or other specials that might be available. These are some of the ways we save on food during a vacation.

These are some of the ways we save money when taking a vacation. I am sure there are many others we have not considered. What are some of the best ways you save money when going on a vacation?