How to Travel Without Busting Your Bank Account

Memorial Weekend is upon us. The unofficial start of summer kicks off the travel season. Just because you're paying down debt and saving money doesn't mean you can't enjoy a vacation or two. This is where your budget comes into play.

Your budget is basically you telling your money where to go. So just like you save money for your emergency fund, if you want to travel, you must save for it. Many think that you have to have a lot of money to travel, but you really don't. There are lots of ways to travel without breaking the bank, or your budget.

1. Cheap airfare. Remember a couple years ago when there was a glitch and people got round trip tickets to Dubai for $187? Glitches like that happen more often than airlines would like to admit. Sign up for airline mailing lists to get the inside scoop on deals. Also, you can use sites like Skyscanner and Google Flights that will notify you whenever there's a price change. 
2. Ditch the hotel. AirBnB is a great alternative for an inexpensive place to stay while traveling. Your stay could be 75% less than if you were to stay in a hotel.
3. Hotel rewards. If you just can't give up hotel amenities like continental breakfasts and turn down service, don't worry. Most hotels have a rewards program. You can sign up for them and get discounted hotel stays and earn free nights.
4. Deal sites. Sites like Groupon, Living Social and Amazon Local are great to find deals on the must-see and do places for your trip. They even have great vacation deals.
5. Discount cards. If you're a student, teacher or under the age of 26, you can get discounts on attractions, restaurants and various other activities.
6. Book an all-inclusive trip. Resort packages and cruises are popular because your meals and activities are included with the cost of your room. This keeps the cost down because discounts are built in. 

Use these tips to start planning. Once you've figured out the cost, you can work it into your budget and have a debt-free vacation!