It doesn’t take a large investment of cash to have a great family vacation this summer. You can find many destinations a short car trip away to pitch a tent and enjoy low or no cost activities like hiking, biking, swimming and fishing packed with family fun. ReserveAmerica.com is a great place to explore campgrounds in your own backyard with a variety of amenities starting at less than $10 per night. Once you have booked your site, here are five tips to keep your vacation budget on track:

1. Share the cost-Many campgrounds allow 4-6 people and 2 vehicles on a campsite. Team up with another couple of campers and divide the dollars. Splitting the bill will not only decrease your expenses, it will increase your good times.

2. Bring your own firewood-With a bundle of wood averaging 5 to 6 dollars, and a dusk to quiet hours fire consuming 2-3 bundles, the cost of lighting up the night can easily exceed the cost of your campsite. Scouting for downed wood at the campground and/or saving wood throughout the year to bring with you on your summer excursions can all but eliminate this expense. Word of caution: make sure your DIY firewood is properly seasoned or you will end up with more smoke than fire on your site.

3. Ice-This most critical of camping necessities pretty much doubles in cost once you reach the boundaries of the campground. You can buy 25 pounds of ice for under 3 bucks at a wholesale club the night before you leave, or pay a dollar a pound at the camp store on arrival. Do the math. For the most frugal of campers, start filling bags in your freezer a week or 2 ahead of time for a cost free way to chill out.

4. Keep the cost of gear under control-You can find all of your camping essentials for a fraction of the cost on eBay. Auctions almost guarantee you’ll pay the lowest price. A little patience can help you score both new in box and gently used gear for less than half the retail price. Word of caution: make sure to research the current retail rate at a site like Amazon to avoid over-bidding.

5. Firestarters-Sometimes the best things in life really are free. DIY fire starters are a great example. You can make these bad boys from remnants around the house that would otherwise be tossed, and they are more effective than the costlier version for sale in the camp store. My snappy camper secret recipe: take a handful of dryer lint, place on a piece of wax paper, pour melted candle wax over the lint, place in a paper sandwich bag and voilà, you have the world’s best fire starter.

A little creativity on the spending side can save you some green without compromising your good times!

Homemade fire starters will have your campfire roaring in no time at no cost.

Merriam-Webster recently announced their new words for 2009. In addition to many tech-related words such as vlog and webisode, one of the new words added to this year’s version of the dictionary is staycation.

stay·ca·tion
Pronunciation: \ˈstā-ˈkā-shən\
Function: noun
Etymology: blend of stay and vacation
Date: 2005
: a vacation spent at home or nearby
— stay·ca·tion·er \ˈstā-ˈkā-sh(ə-)nər\ noun

While the word may be new, the concept is an old one. Not to date myself, but when I was a kid, air travel seemed like a luxury–we even dressed up to fly! Most of our “vacations” consisted of driving to a relative’s or friend’s house for the day (which I guess is now being called a “daycation”; however, that word hasn’t made the dictionary yet!)

Staycation is a buzz word right now because people are stretched financially. But no matter what the economy is like, I think there are a lot of benefits to exploring your own backyard. Every state has things worth exploring and we tend to take them for granted. Would you believe that I lived in Arizona for eight years before ever visiting the Grand Canyon!?!

If you haven’t taken a good look around lately, visit the local Chamber of Commerce or Visitors Bureau to find out about free or low-cost entertainment and activities. You may be surprised to discover museums, community concerts, annual festivals, art exhibits, fairs and craft shows to enhance your summer without breaking your budget. Or consider some free “old-fashioned” fun like fishing, hiking, or biking.

Travel during the holiday season traditionally increases by as much as 50 percent—making it the busiest travel time of the year. This year’s economic uncertainty and resulting financial concerns have many travelers wondering whether they can afford to travel this season. In fact, 66 percent of respondents to a recent poll conducted by Travelocity.com said their concerns about the economy would affect their travel plans this season.

Meanwhile, travelers are not the only ones feeling apprehensive. Airlines are also preparing for a sluggish year. Air carriers across the board are cutting flight prices up to 25 percent, trying to fill the extra space on their flights. This kind of price-cutting right before Thanksgiving and Christmas is basically unheard of, but airlines, cruise ships, hotel chains and vacation resorts are slashing prices to help provide some incentive to boost travel sales during the holidays.

No matter how attractive the deal or how low the prices fall, it’s important to always travel close to your family’s budget. Here are some ideas to make your holiday travel more enjoyable and less draining on your family’s pocketbook.

Take the road less traveled. Gas prices have dropped by almost half since this summer, making driving more affordable. When making your travel arrangements, don’t forget to consider bus or train travel as an alternative. While it may take longer to arrive at your destination, driving can offer great opportunities for sightseeing.

Schedule your trip the smart way. Think twice about “early bird” specials and discount rates. Fares and hotel rates are expected to drop the closer we get to Thanksgiving Day. Keep in mind that a fee may be charged if you decide to cancel or change reservations.

Plan for related expenses. Be sure you’ve budgeted for all of the “little” expenses related to your travel. If you are planning to drive, be sure to budget for gas and snacks along the way, and also any car maintenance needed before and during travel. Remember to budget for your pets boarding costs if you are leaving them at home.

Use credit for convenience. You may want to take a credit card along for safety and convenience. However, it is important to remember that credit should not be used as an extension of your income. If you must use a credit card, be sure to have a plan to pay off any charges in a timely manner and to not spend more than you can afford. Also, keep in mind that gas cards typically carry a higher interest rate than a traditional credit card.

Finally, when determining your travel budget, be sure to consider other expenses that may be waiting for you when you return, such as bills, holiday expenses and next year’s taxes.