I know you’re wondering…I would too! I cannot lie to you. Alaska is not cheap, and in order to do some (but not all!) of the really cool stuff, you will need to be willing to fork over some money. Since paying off all of my consumer debt in April of 2022, I have remained committed to paying cash for all of my trips so I can stay debt free. So here is how I work through every trip, but particularly Alaska since it cost a lot more than normal trips.
Strategic Booking
I plan the really big purchases around times I know I get large chunks of money. For me those are: my taxes (I typically file mid-February), my Outdoor Track coaching pay (May), my summer stipend check (end of June), and my marching band summer hours (September). I also pay attention to what months I get 3 paychecks, which in 2024 was/is March and August.
I booked my flight to Alaska at the end of October and paid it off with leftover summer hour money. I booked most of my lodging in December through PayPal Credit, which is 6 months interest-free for any purchase over $100. I paid as much as I could monthly, but then paid it all off in May with my coaching money before interest was charged. WE DON’T PAY INTEREST OVER HERE.
Rental cars can be tricky – here’s why. I almost always book a rental that is free cancellation and pay at pick-up so that I can keep searching for a better rate. I never found a better rate for Alaska, so it was charged on the statement I’ll get in September, which I will use my marching band summer hour money to pay off (WE DON’T PAY INTEREST OVER HERE!). However, last year for Colorado/Utah I booked free cancellation and ended up finding a REALLY good deal in early spring, but I had to pay right then and not at pick-up. So for my rental cars I always keep in mind I might need to use some of my reserve money in order to get the best deal.
Excursions
Once you have the big 3 (flight, lodging, transportation) covered, pick out your excursions. There might not be any! I didn’t do any excursions in Arizona (2019), Utah (2020), or Hawaii (2021). In Florida (2022) and last year in Colorado I only did 2 on each trip and none of them were very expensive, so I just booked them when I found myself with extra money.
This year in Alaska my excursions were the ATV ride and the Major Marine cruise. The ATV ride was $150 and the Major Marine cruise was $320. I think I booked both of them with tax money and when I had an extra paycheck in March. The transit bus I guess is an excursion but it was only $33 per ride. Some excursions are more urgent than others. I wanted to book the Major Marine cruise early because they fill up fast. I wasn’t super worried about the ATV trip because there are multiple companies that run multiple tours a day. So make sure you know what excursions are more popular and need booked ASAP.
Be willing to make sacrifices
This goes in both directions, be willing to save money in one place so you can spend it in another (“rob Peter to pay Paul” if you will).
Here are the sacrifices I am almost always willing to make:
- Drive more
- Buy groceries (I normally buy breakfast, lunch, and snack foods and eat dinner out)
- Stay in the cheapest nicest lodging option
- Pick the higher priority
Driving – I am not ALWAYS willing to drive more. It really depends on the park town and if there’s other stuff I want to do outside of the park in the opposite direction. My drive into Denali was over an hour, but I really wanted to stay in Seward for Kenai Fjords. I really wanted to stay in Springdale (Zion) and Moab (Arches). But for some other parks I didn’t really care, or didn’t want to stay in the park town. For example: when I went to the Smokies I stayed 45 minutes out because I found a great AirBnB and I just cannot with Gatlinburg. My drive to Black Canyon of the Gunnison and Cuyahoga was 30 minutes. You pay more for convenience.
Food – I love a good iced Americano more than anything, but most of the time I want to get out the door in the morning and don’t want to worry about waiting on places to open. In almost every park I’ve been to, food is limited so I HAVE to bring lunch. Or I’m hiking and want to eat lunch on trail. I love getting dinners out on trips, so that’s how I plan. But do what is important to you!
Lodging – Stay in the cheapest nicest lodging option – I worded it correctly! LOL. First I decide between AirBnB or a hotel, because neither one is always the best option. Some towns have restrictions on AirBnB’s (Springdale, Moab, NYC) so I have to get a hotel. Some parks are in such odd places that the AirBnB options are not great (Mesa Verde). Once I decide which route I want to go I sort the price lowest to highest and find something middle of the road. Places are cheap for a reason, but sometimes places are expensive for NO reason. There are really good options for a decent price, you just have to do a lot of research.
Priorities – By pick the higher priority I mean: you probably can’t afford to do all the fun things, so pick your top priorities. For Alaska I looked into kayaking, rafting, zip lining, and a glacier hike, but ultimately decided my priorities were the Marine cruise and ATV trip. I decided the glacier hike would work better on a future trip due to traveling distances to and from the hike. I could have done everything on my list if I really wanted to, but I always make sure I have enough to pay off my credit card balance in full each month. WE DON’T PAY INTEREST OVER HERE! I am also now in the position that I could have afforded a few more excursions and still paid them off, but I am desperately trying to still live below my means. Doing those two excursions and filling the rest of my days with hikes or ranger activities felt below/within my means.
Find the cheap or free stuff!
Go on hikes or do the free ranger programs! My trips are 10-12 days long and I normally only do 2 excursions. The other days I’m hiking or driving the scenic roads enjoying the lookouts. So on your next trip, seek out the free activities!
There are also always activities that are not free, but are really cheap, like renting a bike, or some sort of bus ticket. My transit bus ticket in Denali was $33. I did the scenic train ride in Cuyahoga for $17, and the Cliff Palace tour in Mesa Verde for $10. None of these were expensive but took up several hours of my day. I do realize I am one person so a family will need this x4 or x5. However, a bus ticket for $33 x4 is SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper than a $150 ATV ride x4.
Make your trip your priority
All traveling is my priority. I spend very little money on anything else. I do not get my hair, nails, toes, eyebrows, etc. done. I spend next to nothing on home decor (actually nothing in 2023 – I tracked it!). I only buy clothes when I need them and I don’t replace furniture/kitchen gadgets/electronics unless I need to. My grocery budget each week is $50. I eat 90% of my meals at home and meal prep regularly during the school year.
You spend money on what’s important to you, remember that!
Do your trip for you, and what you can afford
I touched on this in a Facebook post, but try and plan your trip for you…what you will enjoy…and what you can afford.
When I was at dinner on my ATV trip (it was included), there was a couple across from me who takes 5-6 cruises, among other international trips, A YEAR. I told them I had some extra time in Denali and asked for suggestions of things to do. They said I should do a flight-seeing tour, as if I had a spare $700 lying around. I felt embarrassed telling them it wasn’t in my budget and was kind of beating myself up for putting myself in the position to have to say it out loud.
But then I remembered I had an amazing trip planned, and so, so, SO many people had told me prior to leaving that Alaska as on their bucket list and they couldn’t wait to see my pictures. That really put it into perspective for me. Some people just cannot travel as much as I do because of their job, kids, health, etc. My pity-party only lasted a few minutes because I realized I love how and where I travel because I do it for ME. I go to the places I want to go and do the things I want to do for me and me only. I’m not trying to impress anyone. Alaska was over the top because I was celebrating a huge achievement in my life, and I wanted my trip to match the achievement.
Final Thoughts
If you read this far, I hope any of this was helpful. If you find yourself wanting to plan a trip to Alaska, please reach out! I spent 9 months planning and researched more than what I actually did on the trip. Happy traveling!
Leave a Reply