If you’re like everyone else around here and are ready to escape the snow and cold, but are worried about how much it’s going to cost, not to worry. Here are a few tips on how to take a big vacation on a small budget. 

Have you ever bought anything on ebay or in a silent auction? Did you know you can buy a vacation the same way? The website Family Getaway auctions off family vacations, and you can use the “Buy Now” button and score a vacation for up to 65 percent off what it would cost you to buy the package deal anywhere else. The website Jetsetter does “flash sales” and offers super deals on a limited number of trips for certain travel dates.

I’ve always just rented a hotel room for vacations that I’ve taken, but did you know that people offer up their homes and apartments for rent? Oftentimes it’s a lot cheaper and it gives you a lot of space for not a lot of money. You can cook for yourself, saving you tons of money on meals out. Flip Key, AirBNB, Home Away and VRBO are all websites where you can shop around for apartments and houses to rent. They offer photos and reviews from other renters.

Did you know that you can get money back just for traveling? Neither did I, but apparently Ebates is a cash back shopping website and when you’re on the site and click through to a travel provider, they translate your purchase into cash back for you. It works for car rentals, plane tickets, and hotels. You can get anywhere from one to ten percent cash back. If you like to travel often, it can really pay off. Literally.

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