I wanted to talk a little bit about the practical aspects of taking your family of four to Hawaii for two weeks. For some people, perhaps the financial aspects of such a vacation do not present a big worry… However, for most people, there’s a fair bit of planning and saving that accompany such a big trip. Also, ‘Baby, let’s go there!’ is the title of a great song by The Brothers Osbourne.  Check it out!  In no particular order, here’s a list of what made it work for us. The hashtags are because I flatter myself a comedian, and because the kids in my daughters class have been yelling “hashtag” followed by crazy stuff for the last year.  I thought it would be funny to treat practical concepts, like airfare, with the same #importance. 

#saveyournickels – if you are looking for a great way to save money for your trip – check out Smarty Pig. You create a savings account (FDIC insured, of course) and give it a meaningful name like, Hawaii… Link your bank account and download the smartphone app.  Now, it is easy as pie to transfer money in for your vacation! You can set up recurring transfers, or make them on the fly.  So, the next time you overcome temptation and skip buying your caramel macchiato, throw an extra $5 to the pig and have one in Hawaii! 

#yougottashoparound – Shop, shop, shop for airfare, but when you think a price is good, don’t wait.  We had originally planned on flying Hawaiian airlines over here, because we really like the experience. (Call us corny, but it kind of makes you feel like you’re in Hawaii that much sooner.) Also, most of the time, they are the most affordable of the major airlines.  At least, they were when we were comparing.  Imagine our surprise when we finally went to book our trip, and found the fares had increased by at least 200.00 per person. We waited too long. I think we should have booked about a month earlier, which would have been about 6 months before our flight. I know there are people who say you should wait until 45 days before the trip, or whatever magic number, but I kept checking airfares after we booked. They never went down. So, I say book when it looks good and assume prices will go up! 

#helpsomebody! – If you are traveling with another family, pool your resources. We resolved the airfare situation because my BIL had access to a travel concierge thru his credit card company.  Look at resources through your auto club, credit union, Costco membership, credit card company, your employer, (mine belongs to several discount services that offer discounts to employees, such as http://www.ticketsatwork.com). You would be surprised the ways you can save money just by checking these things out. If you find yourself the beneficiary of a kindness due to a resource from a family member, do what you can to reciprocate or say thank you in some way.  

#wheelsforcruisin’–  Bookmark this website now – Discount Hawaii Car Rental. I do not know how they do it – but they will search all of the major car rental companies, and offer you rates that are much lower than anything you can find anywhere else.  You do not have to even leave a credit card to hold your reservation, and you can cancel without penalty. We saved about 600.00 on the rental of a Jeep Wrangler for the week.  Don’t let the listing of companies as ‘A’ ‘B’ etc put you off – they are all national companies and you can find out who they are with a quick Google search. You’ll also get the company name when you receive your confirmation. This is 100% legit and a true savings.  Also, in my humble opinion, the Jeep was ubiquitous, but perfect for our family vacation.  There are some rough roads in Hawaii! 

Affordable, comfortable and ubiquitous!

 #aplacetolayyourheadandeatawaffle – When it comes to lodging, I have one piece of advice if you are looking to do this reasonably.  Do not stay in a hotel. Rent a place with a kitchen! We rented an ocean front condo for a very reasonable rate through VRBO, and have saved a ton of money by cooking in the condo. Try to find one with good BBQ facilities, because it’s really pleasant to not have to heat up your condo if it’s hot. 

#findsomegrindz – Speaking of food, there is pretty much one way to do this affordably, and it’s name is Costco. If you don’t have a membership, get one. It will pay for itself on the trip, no lie. Make a run, stock up (don’t forget lots of bottled water!) and away you go.  Treat yourself to a 1.50 hot dog and soda while you are there! 

#readallaboutit – Finally, if you are looking for a guidebook that is truly worth your cash, look no further than the book below. Yes, I’ll get a little money if you buy the book thru this link, but I bought my first copy of this book on my honeymoon 14 years ago, and it was the first thing we ordered when we began planning to go back. It’s honest, comprehensive, and at times, pretty funny. It’s an invaluable tool in making sure your trip is everything you want it to be. They have a smartphone app too (you have to buy it separately) but it’s well worth it for figuring out where you want to get lunch on the fly!

   Hawaii The Big Island Revealed: The Ultimate Guidebook

I think that’s about covered what it takes to get here. Later, I’ll share more highlights of our trip and the things I would probably have changed a bit.  Although, it’s hard to have regrets about much when you’ve been waking up to this view for the last 14 days! Aloha and Mahalo for reading!   PS. If you are following this and I blew up your inbox with emails saying the post has been updated, then please accept my sincerest apology – getting the links right has proven only slightly more difficult than tightrope walking.       

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