Foreign Travel Ideas for the Quirky and Frugal

For many Americans, going on a proper vacation has grown more and more out of reach financially. With high fuel prices and the economy mired in a recession, taking a vacation seems impossible for many and, if you dream of traveling abroad, the declining buying power of the dollar makes realistic trip planing even more problematic. A growing number of people opt to not use their vacation time at all because of financial pressures, which is a shame. After all, a vacation--taking a break to decompress and leave one's routines and responsibilities behind--is just as important to one's well being as the ability to make money. Far from being a nonessential expenditure, vacations are good for one's overall wellbeing and future productivity.

In spite of the economy, there are a significant number of people who could have a great vacation if they had the right attitude and used their imagination--sometimes the difference between having and not having something comes down to wanting it bad enough. In fact, there are such people making use of their creativity and good sense and having memorable vacations on a tight budget.

Many more people could join them if they were willing to get accustomed to a different way of doing things. If you're an adventurous and resourceful traveler who isn't afraid to choose your own way and who doesn't need to be pampered to have a good time, the following travel suggestions may be for you.

Advance research and planning:
The most important thing you can do to ensure an affordable vacation is to set your travel priorities and research your trip well in advance of your departure date. Decide where you want to go at least six months before you plan to leave and then figure out how you can afford to get there and stay there cheaply. For cheap airfare, hotels, and car rental the simplest way to get good prices is to buy your tickets and reserve your accommodations and transportation as far in advance as you can.