Making summer inexpensive, fun

Hello, everybody, and welcome back to another Cecil’s World in Print. Summer is here and that means it is time for a vacation. Many people have already taken a vacation this year, but there are still a lot of you who are planning one over the next few weeks. The big question is, can I afford to take a vacation this year?

Money is tight and the economy is not exactly booming. Now, do you not take a vacation, or take a shorter vacation a little closer to home? That is the big question facing many families. My wife and I just completed a vacation a few weeks ago. Where did we go? Surfside Beach, a beautiful beach just a few miles from Myrtle Beach. We had a ball. Oh, yes, I forgot to tell you, that is where I live. We decided to stay home and enjoy the beach and it was a lot of fun. My son and his family were here for a visit and it turned out to be a great vacation.

I know many of you always plan a big vacation so you can relax before returning to work.

How many of you are planning a cruise to some exotic island or a trip to Disney World?

Don’t get me wrong, all of that is great, but can you really afford that kind of vacation this year?

Statistics indicate more people are taking shorter vacations and are staying closer to home. You can search the Internet for neat places to spend a few days and enjoy your vacation. If you live in South Carolina, how about a trip to Maggie Valley, N.C., where you can do some trout fishing in some neat mountain streams? The fishing is free. All you need is a pole and some bait. And the fun is free, too.

There are so many things you can do and still have a vacation while spending less money and not traveling so far. The beach is a great place to visit for a vacation. You can rent a beach house or a motel room and stay a few days instead of an entire week, cutting your expenses way down.

Now, if you know someone who has a second home at the beach, start making friends now and next year you may be able to use it for free. No, don’t call me. This is my permanent home. I do not have a second home at the beach you can use. Also at the beach, you have some 1,600 restaurants to choose from and a number of shows you could take in.

The price of gasoline is what is hurting everyone this year when it comes to taking a vacation. Gasoline is topping the $4 mark and that is so hard for me to believe. I remember when I was in school back in the ’60s, paying 35 cents a gallon. If you’re traveling a long way by vehicle, it is going to cost you not one arm and a leg but both arms and legs, and it is going to be hard to drive without any limbs.

Something you might want to check into sometime is whether you can fly cheaper than you can drive to your vacation spot. If you are traveling to a resort, you won’t really need a car. You can do it all on the property, so it might be cheaper to fly than drive the family car. I know that is hard for some of you to comprehend, having no car on vacation. You could rent an electric golf cart so you won’t have to buy any gas, or you could rent a bike and get some exercise while riding to different areas.

Remember, it is always nice to save money for your vacation rather than charging it and having to pay for it later. Vacations are supposed to be fun, so put a little money back every week and, before you know it, you’ll have enough money for a great vacation.

I have a huge water jug I put all my change into at the end of each day and, after about six to eight months of saving just my change, I normally have about $500 to use for what ever I want. The main thing to remember on vacation, no matter if you stay at home or go somewhere: it is a vacation, so have fun and enjoy.

See you next week, right here in the Morning News and on the tube.

— Cecil Chandler is a veteran reporter at WBTW News13. His column appears Mondays in the Morning News.