It isn’t always easy to make sure that you have everything for a vacation, even a small weekend trip. There’s the list of everything that has to be taken along: there’s the allowing for fuel, car maintenance, food, and a small emergency fund. It can be quite hectic, and the plan can actually take a lot more than is always anticipated. Here are a few things that should (almost) always be included in any weekend trip. Make sure to budget in advance for each item that you have to pay for, so there are no problems down the road!

1. Fuel. This is the most obvious if you are taking a car trip. If you know your car’s mileage, then you are likely to be able to budget this fairly accurately. Also make sure that the car’s maintenance, such as oil change, transmission fluid, etc. is all up to date. And check your tires before you go out onto the highway! Don’t forget to check the spare.
2. Food. This can get more costly depending on where you’re going and what you’re doing. Eating in restaurants is always more expensive. A tip is to pack a cooler and put whatever you can in there, that way food expenses are minimized and the money can be better used elsewhere. Make sure to plan every meal, and include a few extra snacks; you never know. And don’t forget about drinks!
3. Changes of Clothes. These are something that men are more likely to forget than women. Is that a gender or cultural thing? Think of every event and place you want to visit, as well as the number of days. Make sure you have the right number and style of outfits. This is a great boon to already have what you need. If you’re going rafting or swimming, bring appropriate clothing. Same for dining out. And take an extra change of casual clothes, just in case. If you have to buy anything for the trip, plan it well in advance, that way you can make sure to spend less by getting it at a sale.
4. First Aid Kit. While this isn’t mandatory, and hopefully you will never have to use it, having a first aid kit is a good idea. You just never know. There are lots of small kits available just to store in a car. And sometimes these are on sale. Maybe even just have a look at the items in a kit and put together your own. You never know, it might be cheaper that way.
5. Entertainment Money. Is that the whole point of the trip? Unless it’s a family visit (or maybe because) you will need to plan and budget the entertainment events for the trip. Make sure to allow sufficient funds for this, or plan the events around how much you can realistically afford to spend. This is one area that a lot of people go overboard, so being aware of it and the budget ahead of time is the best way to avoid going overboard. This is called actively managing your budget.

A tip for entertainment is to take along some games. Even a ball or Frisbee can make a lot of time pass and be great entertainment! Take some cards. Take a couple board games. Take some horse shoes or lawn darts. Whatever games you and those you are with will enjoy. Brainstorm to see what everyone can do in the few hours of downtime that you might have. You might be surprised at what inexpensive ideas there are.

Saving money is more than just buying the item that has a lower sticker price. There are other costs involved that people don’t always examine.  How much does it cost to go to a certain store, versus going to the one closer? What about your time – what’s that worth? These things, and more, need to be taken into account when you’re comparing items. Here are a few examples…

Electric versus Disposable Razors
Yes, disposable razors are a lot cheaper. This saves instantly on cash flow, which may be worth it for that alone. But consider the long term advantages, too. Shaving with an electric razor costs very little in power, so little that it is likely more expensive on water alone to shave with a disposable. But we’ll ignore that, since we can’t measure it. A good electric razor will cost about $160. Some say they only last three years, but I’ve never had one last less than 5 years. So, 160/5=32. That’s about $32 per year for a really good electric razor. I spent about $25 a year on disposables ( I buy bulk packs that last months). Okay, so I save about $7.00 right there. But I also have to spend more time using the disposable. I don’t use soap or shaving cream/foam, only hot water, so that is no expense. And it takes more time to keep buying the disposable razors.  But I have a fairly thin beard, so the disposable razors last longer with me.  If someone had a thick beard, it would likely be about the same cost per year for either type of shaver. In that sense, it is best to get what saves the most time and is easier on the skin. Therefore for most men the electric is probably the best bet, based on that. And even then, it’s so close that it really doesn’t matter.
Conclusion: pick what you like most.

Making Bulk Foods to Save Money
Some people love the idea of making enough meals in an evening to eat all week. And others hate the idea of eating the same thing five, six or seven days in a row. If you end up going crazy, is it really worth saving a few dollars? Instead, try cooking up a variety of meals in the same evening, with perhaps a similar theme. This will give the variety that is craved, but still save the time (at least a little) and the money (for sure) on buying lunches and so-forth that the bulk cooking session requires.

One thing I do for this is cook up a big pot of pasta and about three different types of meats and vegetables to go along. Then I can make a couple of different casseroles, one or two more easy sauces, and have a few different vegetables on the side. And I have enough meals to get me through the work week, without having to eat the same thing every day. And it really only takes about five or ten minutes extra to add the variety in meals. And my costs are still low, because I use frozen vegetables or have fresh veggies on the side each day. Frozen is cheaper than fresh, but sometimes the fresh are just so good they’re worth it!

Conclusion: making one huge bulk dish isn’t worth it. Mixing it up in one session saves the same $$ and keeps you sane with only a little more time spent.

These are just a couple of examples. I’m sure that there are lots more that people can think of. The idea is to critically examine the tips that people give you and see if those tips work for your lifestyle and are really going to save you money. They may not work for everyone!

Another thing to consider when analyzing your expenses is to look at those items that are highest on an annual basis. Are there ways to cut those down overall? Groceries is certainly going to be one of those. As I’ve mentioned before, there are several ways to cut down on your grocery bills.

1. Start by looking at what you’re really eating. Are you buying gourmet items that tend to cost more? What about instant meals? Again, these cost more, and you can make your own at home with a couple hours work and a freezer to store the meals for a couple of weeks.
2. Look at the brands you are buying. Generic brands are often the exact same product as one of the name brand products, simply repackaged in order to get the market for those who are being more frugal.
3. Check out what coupons are available for the kinds of groceries you normally buy. Don’t buy something just because it has a coupon – yes, people do this. Only buy what you really need and don’t go overboard. One place I looked online for coupons is MySavings.com. It’s okay, but you’d have to see for yourself, as it varies depending on where you live.
4. Shop at the grocery store with the lowest prices. Surveys have shown that prices on the exact same grocery cart can vary by as much as 30% depending on what store you are shopping at.

Examine all of your expenses. If you spend too much on clothing, then you need to know why. Are you really hard on clothes and buying styles that just wear out too quickly and therefore you have to replace them too often? Or are you buying fancy clothes, and a too many for what your needs really are.

Identify your want versus needs. This is crucial to stay within a budget. Wants are those items that we desire but are not necessary in our lives. Most of the things that we spend money on are actually wants. You need to decide which of those are flexible or expendable and then see where you can cut back, of necessary. Needs are those things that you just have to have in order to survive. But this also means that there is some overlap. Sometimes we need a car in order to make a living. But we don’t need an expensive SUV, only something large enough to get us by. Nobody actually needs an SUV that I have ever seen. And I challenge anyone to prove, beyond a doubt, otherwise.

What it is, is the person doing the budget each month is working on a cash only budget (no credit cards), and is not permitted to use the debit card from the bank. This is done purely to learn budgeting and is an exercise that may or may not be followed long term. At the beginning of each period, which is usually a pay period (when pay cheques are given), all the income is taken and put into different envelopes. Each envelope is labeled according to what the money is for, such as rent, groceries, cable, transportation, etc. Due dates of bills are also written on the envelopes.

The person managing the budget must be aware of how much is in each envelope and track the contents properly. Each envelope is then used only for what it is labeled to be used for. Of course, using these in conjunction with a calendar is a good idea, that way bills aren’t missed. And most bills are then paid either at the counter of the billing company or in person at the bank. It’s kind of a basic system for those who have never managed to understand budgeting or used for people who need a system that has restraint built right into it.

Keep in mind that this system does not allow you to use any credit cards whatsoever! You are restricted to the cash in each envelope. I kind of thing this is a good idea for those learning, and I will definitely use it for my kids when they are old enough to understand. What do you think?