How you will fund your next getaway...

Chances are you don't have a vacation fund, but it doesn't stop you from going on vacation every year. You just use your credits cards, move some bills around, dip into your savings (if you have one) or borrow from Mom & Dad.

Any financial planner & your common sense will tell you that if you can't afford to go on a vacation you should stay home. Realistically, that isn't always the case. Sometimes a week in South Beach with the girls is just what you need to keep yourself from telling your boss what your really think of her ideas.

Here are some ways to scare up some spare cash & vacay on the cheap.

Saving Money:

1. Make some change: Be that annoying customer that won't hand over the change when their total is something like $5.07. Take that 93 cents and throw it in a jar when you get home. I once managed to save over $400 in one year this way. If you want to speed up the process try folding up some dollar bills and tossing them in the kitty once in a while. Make sure you label it as your vacation fund so you're not tempted to dip into it for laundry or chinese take out.

2. Start an Automatic Savings Account: Have a small amount of money withdrawn from your checking account on a regular basis and deposited to an online savings account with a good interest rate, like ING Direct. The trick is to transfer an insignificant amount, one you won't really miss. Try saving only $5. or $10. /week. The great thing about online savings accounts is that if you need to use the money, it will take 2-4 business day to get access to it and that means no more impulse buys!

3. Be conscious of how the little things add up: You'd be surprised how easy it is to sap your funds if you don't pay attention. Parking in the wrong place can cost you anywhere between $25 - $150. Late fees on credit cards & bills can be anywhere from 5-20%. What if you reduced your cable package? Do you want to tell your grandkids that you skipped going to The French Riviera because you wanted to keep up with the Kardashians? Grab a tall latte instead of a venti. Cook at home more often. Bring lunch to work. Just keeping your eyes peeled for ways to save money can have you lying on the beach before you can say, "one more margarita, please."

4. Snag a part-time gig: If you thought your days of saving baby sitting money were over, think again. Moonlighting is great way earn some vacation money. And if you don't have an extra 12 hours a week to devote to, say a weekend job at a boutique, you can try selling your skills. Are you great at updating/ writing resumes, house sitting, walking dogs or tutoring kids. Can you bake delicious & beautiful cakes or plan events? Spread the word to your friends and family that you're saving up for vacation and looking for jobs. Chances are they'll be happy to help.

So, you've managed to squirrel away some holiday dough. Here's some tips to make it stretch:

Don't spend all of your money or time getting there: Scour the internet looking for great deals on flights. You can use sites like kayak.com or others. Some people swear by calling the airlines directly to get the best deals. A good tip is buying your flights separately. If you book your round trip flights as a package and for some reason miss the first flight, your return flight is automatically canceled! I found this out the hard way and had to cancel a trip to Paris...PARIS! And sometimes cheaper isn't always better. A flight that's only $100 cheaper may turn a normally 12 hour flight into a 20 hour trip with layovers in countries where you don't speak the language. Sometimes it's worth the extra money to get the most out of your vacation. You only have a few vacation days. Don't waste them in a airport!
Don't travel with anything more than you can carry onto the plane: Erykah Badu had it right when she instructed all of the bag ladies of the world to pack light. More and more people are only traveling with carry on luggage and I'm one of them. I get away with carrying on a small rolling suitcase and a huge "purse." As long as they fit in the overhead compartment or under the seat, I'm good to go. Carry ons make sense for so many reasons: they make moving from place to place alot faster, you can skip the baggage claim & checked bags fees and you can save money on taxis by using mass transit.
Save money by booking a vacation rental instead of a hotel: Great websites like vacationrentals.com & homeaway.com connect vacationers with great vacation homes to rent at a fraction of what you'd pay for a hotel room that's probably 1/2 the size. If you're traveling to an unfamiliar destination just check to make sure you're renting in a safe neighborhood.
Great vacations often come in packages: Travel sites like hotwire & priceline are great places to find travel packages that include air fare, car rentals & hotels all at one low price. There is a great site called contiki.com that specializes in super cheap international vacation packages for people aged 18-35. You simply decide where you'd like to visit, for how long and what your budget is and contiki finds you a vacation!
Do some good recon & plan your fun: Do some research, read travel blogs like Don't Forget Your Undies, talk to the natives or friends you know that have visited your desired destination. If you know where to go at the best time, you can save lots of money while having just as much fun.