Before we go on to the money saving topic, here is a stat that will make you think!

According to American express, about one in three Americans plan to spend at least $1,000 per person on their next summer vacation – or $4,000 for a family of four.

Now, do you really think it is worth it? It’s your earning. You have put in all your effort, your sweat for that amount. How can you plan for a vacation so loosely?

I know you want to have a lavish time and for once, spend your money without thinking. Okay! Do that. However, ensure you get worth for that money.

Spending a huge amount on airline tickets at the last moment, just brings out your carelessness.

So, how do we plan a budget vacation that will give you that king-sized life and save your money at the same time?

I do have a few vacation budget tips that you can implement and not fret later!

Use gum and stick to your budget

Yes! Literally if you need to. The main reason we end up spending more on our high-end vacation is we don’t stick to the plans we made.

We fall for the Instagram quotes saying, ‘You only live once’. ‘Don’t stop yourself from getting what you desire’. While that is good to read and motivate you, but you need to understand that your desires can be met without making a well sized hole in your pocket.

So, the first thing you do is Google, of course and find out the market rates. And not just travel, food and places, the whole itinerary must be looked into. The restaurants you will eat at, the places you will spend more time in less funds, the free places where you can have the best of experiences, I mean. One of the best thing about New York vacation rental is that you can walk on the ‘Brooklyn Bridge’ in NY for free. So, why not do that more.

This budget will also stop you from impulse purchasing. And if you really need to buy something, that’s what the saved emergency money is for.

Another suggestion is selling a couple of things before you arrive for your vacation. Find things in your house that you don’t need any more and sell them on online sites or to the roadside reseller. It will get you more funds than you think! Now, you can drink wine in this money and relax on that Terrace café with the Sydney’s ‘Opera House’ view.

Don’t be afraid of accommodation research

There are many vacation home rental agency and hotel agency available in the market so research the best & never compromise on location, because that’s what you’re going there for! If the view from your vacation rental or hotel is a dustbin, would you really feel energised and revived?

Spend money where you really need to! Booking a vacation rental if you’re going for more lengths of time will be preferable as hotels are too expensive and hostels are not too privacy friendly. Romeloft.com

Adding to that, vacation rentals are proof on how to save money on travel! They are much cheaper than a luxurious hotel and offer better amenities with all the space you need.

Always call the owner of the vacation rental and negotiate for the price.

Chances are they will come down to your price as they are also waiting for somebody to book their homes that hey renovated only for this purpose!

Look for as many discounts as you can. It might be tedious, but hey! You’ll save a lot that you can later spend on food or shopping, perhaps!

How to save money on travel by choosing the apt travel time

I know you have the urge to see the Christmas eve at NYC or the Niagara Waterfalls in the peak season, but that would cost a lot and you would just see humans all around!

Do you really want a vacation that makes you feel you’ve reached your office again? Certainly not!

Hence, the next vacation budget tip is to travel in the off-season. Places are less crowded, giving your body and mind more space, and you can experience all the major attractions in their best form, as they are, natural!

Try to travel overnight, saving you time and energy and even, money at times. Also, Q tip – Never book airlines just a week before! Don’t be that guy please.

Book seven – eight weeks in advance for fairly reduced airfare.

For choosing the best period, look for the periods between two peak seasons. You would experience the city more like a traveller rather than a tourist. You might even want to write about it after you head back, because it was just so peaceful and serene!

How to decide on what to do, what not to do

Another one of the best vacation budget tips is to spend more time in places that are free of cost and give you the actual feel of being in that city.

Just visit ‘The Eiffel Tower’ and picnic in the park for half a day. See how the French converse or just people watch. It’s fun I’ve heard!

Now, I am not saying only run after the free stuff! Spend on the things that would really prove their worth.

Like visiting an observation deck in New York or visiting an Aquarium to say Hi to whales in Sydney – ‘The Harbour City’. These are the things you will relish once the vacation is over.

Always, always use public transports and get yourself discount cards for travel which are available in all the popular cities. Unless you’re planning to live in an igloo in Antarctica, travel will be easy and affordable!

Interact with the locals and don’t be the shy person going with the crowd. Just say hi and ask about the best places. They know best! Like an employee really knows about his/her own company and will vent out when just given a small trigger, locals will give you all the information you need. And hey! You might make a life-long friend!

Random ways to save in your vacation budget tips plan

This might be surprising but book everything, hotels, flight tickets, even theatre shows tickets in incognito mode. The browser won’t know you’re looking for such stuff and will not ping back to travel companies, who in return will send you over priced ads as cookies and pop-ups. Believe me, it works!

If you’re not sure about your travel, get refundable bookings where you will not just give the money to the hotel and airlines for nothing in return. Every travel brand has a month’s return policy that can be checked out on the website and air travel is refundable, you know that. Don’t be lazy to call them!

This might be corny but keep an eye on breakfast buffets. These have the best cuisines and are complimentary. I mean free food that’s clean and authentic, why would you not get up early?

This will sound discomforting but ‘Pack light’. Pack only limited stuff. Make a plan for that too.

You don’t want to go out and buy another bag just for bringing your shopping impulses back to your place. Pack decently and leave some space for the new things you will discover! It’s not impossible, please!

Hope these ‘How to save money on travel’ tips work for you!

November 22, 2018 by James Adam

Challenge Coins Rules: The History and Tradition of Collecting

Business

What are the Challenge Coins rules? Learn here how the tradition of collecting Challenge Coins started and the etiquette that you must follow if you collect.

Your military platoon or friends might collect challenge coins, but do you know how they started?

While challenge coins have become a popular gift and collectible for a myriad of occasions, they actually have a very unique history.

In addition to their unique history, there is also a set of challenge coins rules that govern their collection. So, if you’re going to collect them for fun or to honor your service, you should know about their proud heritage.

In this article, we’ll go over the history of the challenge coin. We’ll also go over some of the rules of the etiquette so you don’t commit a challenge coin faux pas.

Where Did Challenge Coins Originate? The Myth of the Coin

“How did this tradition get started? I tell you,” Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof asks the audience before pausing to state, “I don’t know.”

Much like the traditions Tevye discusses in the famous musical, no one really knows how challenge coins began. But, there are many different theories that have made their way around the Internet. While no one knows which one is correct, there is likely some truth in all of them.

Historians know that challenge coins in some iteration existed in ancient armies. Greek and Roman soldiers carried similar items to commemorate battles. Additionally, they also know that fans of gladiator matches traded and purchased coins with the likeness of their favorite gladiators.

The most popular myth of the challenge coin inception remains that of one during World War I.

The Challenge Coin of World War I

A popular story is that of a World War I serviceman who volunteered for the army early on, as many young men did. A wealthy lieutenant, seeing war as an adventure, wanted to give everyone in his unit something to remember their time together by. So, he had coins minted for each serviceman.

That same lieutenant wore his challenge coin around his neck. Some state as a necklace, others in a small leather pouch.

After his plane was shot down in Germany, he was lucky enough to survive. However, he had every one of his items take from him, except that challenge coin.

He escaped from the clutches of the Germans and posed as a civilian Frenchman. His lack of knowledge of French and his American accident were dead giveaways that he wasn’t who he said he was.

As such, the French thought he was an enemy officer and were ready to execute him. He showed them his challenge coin, and since one of the French officers recognized the insignia on it, they decided not to execute him.

It has been stated that ever since members of the military have worn challenge coins to ensure that they are never mistaken for the enemy.

The Korean War

Another myth that surrounds the challenge coin is one that took place during the Korean War. This is another challenge coin creation story.

Colonel “Buffalo Bill” Quinn of the 17th infantry minted challenge coins for all of his men. One side of the coin had a buffalo on it, an obvious nod to Buffalo Bill. The other side had the infantry’s insignia on it. The men wore them around their necks.

However, there is no heroic story attached that saves anyone from death at the last minute due to the challenge coins from the 17th infantry.

Post-World War II

Another challenge coin inception story takes place in Germany, just after World War II.

The tradition started after Americans in the military stationed there adopted a native tradition of doing “pfenning checks.” At the time, a pfenning was the equivalent of a penny, the lowest coin minted in the country. The tradition entailed men drinking at a bar. When it was time to pay the tab, they conducted a “pfenning check.” If you didn’t have a pfenning, you were stuck paying the tab.

This evolved to the challenge coin. If someone wanted to challenge someone else, they would slam down their challenge coin on the bar. If their opponent didn’t have their challenge coin, they would have to pay for both drinks.

Challenge Coins Rules

Today, Custom Challenge Coins are made for a variety of reasons. People may make them for military service, but they can also be given out for almost any occasion.

They’re now popular gifts for weddings or other big life cycle events. They’re also given out to members of clubs, fraternities or sororities or just to commemorate a good time.

There aren’t a plethora of rules surrounding challenge coins, as each organization may create their own. But one rule that has stuck is the secret handshake. Most challenge coins are passed from one person to another through these secret handshakes, and the coin isn’t meant to be seen by an outsider.

This is especially true in the military or other clubs like fraternities and sororities that have secrets only members can know.

Challenge Coins as Gifts

In recent years, challenge coins rules have waned due to the fact that they have become popular as gifts for almost any occasion.

As such, there isn’t a need for secrecy, especially if the coin is being given away as an honor or to congratulate someone for an event. In those cases, the person giving the gift and the person receiving it will want to display it to everyone.