Airfare

I had a few precious moments alone in the car yesterday and while I sat at a red light, I used them to think about whether I could make a road trip with my 3-year old son a reality this summer. I have a fantasy of piling sand toys, swimsuits and a giant bag of snacks in the car and taking off for a long weekend somewhere out of laptop and BlackBerry and IM reach.

That is, I had that fantasy until the light turned green and I pulled into the gas station. There, hanging above my delusions of vacation grandeur was a sign that said $4.69 a gallon. Next to me and my hopes of road-tripping with my boy was a the fuel pump ringing up almost sixty dollars to fill up my car. My vacation budget felt busted long before I even emptied fishy crackers and dried fruit into Ziploc bags.

There are many families like ours, I am sure, who are itchy to get out of their towns and packed-tight daily schedules this summer but who also are feeling the burn of increasing gas, airfare and food prices. How can we all take a healthful step back, get the break we need and not deplete our savings to do it?

Maybe the answer is in planning mini "staycations" by exploring your own city with the same enthusiasm of a vacation to the Caribbean or Grand Canyon. Maybe we can keep costs low, the activity level high and feel refreshed on the other side of weekend away, just at home. Read More »