Many people don't realize how much money they spend on convenience and boy does it add up. I am going to share some of my frugal and practical tips of how to save money for the vacation you always wanted. Before we get started make sure you setup a vacation savings account, if you don't have a savings account setup look into an ING Direct savings account. (Find out how to get $25.00 just for opening an account in our forums)

Now that you have an account to put all of your saved money in, you will have to determine what is important to you. Is that cup of Star Bucks coffee worth having to drive to Gulf Shores for your vacation? Doesn't a trip to Hawaii sound better? Now cutting out your Star Bucks won't pay for your vacation to Hawaii, but it will pay for the plane ticket. If you are getting a cup of star bucks 5 days a week at $4 dollars a day that equals $20 a week. Which turns into a savings of $1040 dollars a year. Is that cup of coffee that good? Remember you don't have to cut back completely you could only get Star Bucks two days a week and over a year you would save $624.

If you go out every weekend to see a movie, you can save a bundle by cutting back. Instead of going to the movie, rent the movie at the video store. If you rent a movie instead of spending $8.00 on a ticket and spending $10.00 on popcorn and drink, you spend only $6.00 on a movie at video store. If you have to see a movie in the theatre, choose to go once a month. Whether you cut back or rent you will save $12 dollars a week or $624 dollars a year.

Shop around for home and car insurance. Many people assume since they have been with X insurance company for so long that they have the best rate. WRONG! Shop around every 6 months or year when your policy runs out. This can save you a bundle. I have two vehicles, a 2001 Ford F150 and 2002 Mazda Prot?g?. We were paying around $2000 a year for full coverage insurance with $500 dollar deductible. When my policy ran out I did some calling around for the exact same coverage through a different insurance company my yearly premium went to $1400 that's a savings or $600 a year.

Here are a few additional tips to help save money. Disconnect or reduce your cable or satellite TV channels and you will save $10 to $80 dollars a month. Bring your lunch to work 4 out of the 5 workdays will save you $20 a week. Cut back on dry cleaning can save you $10 dollars a week. Send your kids on the bus instead of driving them to school you can save $5 to $10 dollars a week.

If you do the just a few of things I mentioned above you will have over $2000 dollars in the bank for that vacation you have always wanted. Maybe you have additional ideas of how to save for that vacation, tell us your money saving ideas in our forum.

By: David Adams
Investing Money Forum Investingpub.com