Saving Money on My Upcoming NASCAR Vacation

Our next family vacation will be to Las Vegas for the 2012 NASCAR Race. This has become an annual event for my husband and myself, so I have learned over the years that there are a number of ways to save money if you're a smart vacation shopper.

Start shopping early: As soon as I get the exact dates for the NASCAR Race in Las Vegas, I start searching the Internet for the best deals. It isn't always wise to book too early, as we have found some good last minute deals on vacation packages, but with the way the airlines are constantly raising prices and adding fees, if I see what looks like a good deal, I usually grab it. Sometimes I will purchase travel insurance also, if I book our vacation way ahead of time, just in case an emergency should come up and it would prevent us from going. We aren't out our vacation money if we can't go when we have travel insurance.

Check Various Options: Some Las Vegas hotels offer packages that include hotel accommodations, NASCAR Event tickets, and transportation to and from the speedway. I usually find this isn't the cheapest way to go, even though it's probably the most convenient, but I check this option anyway. Checking if it is cheaper to book your hotel alone or with your airfare is another option. We always fly to Las Vegas from Minnesota so the airfare is a big expense for us and sometimes it ends being a better value if you book it together with your hotel.

Discounts: There are a number of discounts that are available, just for the asking. Senior discounts are available at any number of hotels and airlines. Use that AARP card for what it was intended-saving money. Auto clubs like "Triple A" is another good discount that could save you some money on a number of travel services including car rentals. "Ask, and you shall find, seek and you can save", I say.

Airline savings: Airfares are costly, to say the least, and they're not going down as the airlines are constantly looking for ways to add a new fee here and there. I found by taking a flight with a stopover saved us a lot of money on our 2011 NASCAR vacation. Our friends, who took direct flights to Las Vegas paid almost twice as much as we did for their airline tickets. If money is more important then convenience, I suggest checking out the option of layover fights. Another way to save on flights is taking an airline that may fly just certain days to your destination. I know Sun Country Airlines flies just a few days a week to Las Vegas but usually their prices are somewhat better then the major carriers. If you're schedule is flexible, this is a money saving option, also.

Keeping some of these simple tips in mind when planning a family vacation, no matter how big or how small your family is could save you a lot of those hard earned dollars that could be used on other pleasures while your on your vacation.

Sources: Personal experience