Saving for a vacation can be difficult but is totally doable. I know you can google “ways to save money for a vacation” and come up with a billion ideas, but today on the blog I wanted to share a few of my own with a little bit of a Salem spin on it.
The first tip I have for you is to create a change jar to save coins and (if you can) bills. You could even go as far as to decorate it with orange and back ribbon or whatever spooky Salem vibe you like best. Paint it, cover the outside in glitter and clear coat, whatever makes you excited about using it. Whenever you break a bill, dump the change in there. Do this over time as you get closer and closer to your visit, then right before you go, change it in! Bring it to a bank that offers a coin machine (with no fees!!) and convert it to paper money to put into your pocket for Salem.
Next is an easy one…if you’re visiting Salem over Halloween, DIY your costume. Save money by making something yourself or reusing what you have instead of visiting a big box type store and buying one that is already assembled. Google “DIY Halloween costume”, search Pinterest (check out my Halloween costume board for some inspiration) and reuse what you already have in your home. For Halfoween I did a guest post swap with Miranda at Spooky Little Halloween and she wrote a “costume in my closet” style post for me regarding American Horror Story: Coven. You can read that post right here and also use it to spark some ideas of your own. What can you create with what you already have?
Purchasing tickets ahead of time is a good way to ensure you’re able to visit the attractions you want and also to possible save a little money. I’d suggest searching Groupon and keeping an eye on social media for discounts. I also have a category of blog posts dedicated to savings, so feel free to browse those here.
In regards to hotels and airfare, I’d suggest signing up for email alerts from your preferred travel companies and websites. Set yourself up to receive emails when discounts happen in and around Salem so you can jump on that if something good pops up. You never know who might offer a flash sale!
Lastly, I’d say consider visiting during off season. I know, I know…everyone wants to come to Salem on or around Halloween. However, hotel rates jump up significantly around then and many places have a two or three night stay minimum. You can more than likely find the same accommodations, attractions, travel, etc. for less money during off season in Salem. Do a little comparison to see if it’s worth it, you never know. The savings might make a big difference to your budget.
Good luck!! I hope this is helpful and feel free to comment below with your own savings tips. Enjoy!! <3
You might also enjoy…
Five resources for discount tickets in Salem, MA
Five FREE things to do in Salem, MA
Five things to do in Salem, MA for $10 or less
Salem on a budget
Chelsea
The best. Way we learned to save money in Salem is to Google free things to do. I dug thru trip advisor , facebook and even Google reviews. The town is so beautiful and I was afraid of missing out. I will admit of all the things we did; we still didn’t do over half the list. Best thing is Boston airport isn’t too far. Pay for a train, bus or what have you..then walk the rest around town. 🙂
Michell
My daughter and I visited in February this year for the first time. We stayed for 4 days. We had so much fun, and despite the many wonderful things we got to see and do, we need another trip to do what we didnt have time for! We rented the most adorable Air BnB on Beach Street. I cant wait for a return trip, but we will most definitely do it in the off season. No crowds means it is easier to do more!
Alyse
It sounds like you had such an awesome time, hopefully you can come back soon to see the things you missed!! <3