Don’t limit yourself to a hotel. Search and you may find a condo or time share rented by the night or week for not all that much more expensive and with a kitchen. Eating some meals in can more than pay the extra expense. Try to go just prior or just after the normal season for better rates. I rented a one bedroom, sleeps four, with cooking facilities in Florida in April for less than $500 per week. Their main season starts in May for families and January through March for snow birds. Even a lessor motel would cost that.

Use the Priceline.com feature ‘name your own price’. I’ve gotten 4-star hotels in downtown Chicago as low as $60/night and in Florida for as low as $45/night.

We went to Nashville. Drove down on a tank of gas. Stayed at the Super 8, or something like that, which had a GREAT free breakfast in the mornings. We were really close to a grocery store, shopped there, and went hiking in the beautiful hills there (which is FREE). For dinners, we ate out, but the hotel was so cheap that it was affordable. It was good to get out of town, and to see a different city.

Tight budget? People with tight budgets shouldnt even be taking vacations. Isnt this the type of who cares let just spend attitude that got so many people in trouble in the first place? Oh well st least you will be stimulating the economy. You may loose your home and car but at least the kids got to see Branson.

There is nothing wrong with taking a vacation, if you can afford it. It may just be that you can’t afford as extravagant of a vacation this year as in years past. It’s not irresponsible.

I have friends who have used craigslist or find a apartment or house to rent for a week in a foreign city - much cheaper - possibly even trade with someone in another city - they see STL you see some other city - no cost housing - just the flight/drive and food…

Gee Karen, aren’t you just a ray of sunshine?

Every year I love to get away with friends and go on a float trip. There are many nice resorts within and 2 hours from St. Louis. I get away fro 3 days and never spend more than $200 at most. Nice and quiet and away from the city for a while.

We decided to take a road trip to Gulf Shores the summer. Keeping it simple we went out online and find rental condos through owners. Went to a condo across the street from the beach instead of on the beach and saved hundreds of dollars. With a full kitchen we can cook in often and not eat out all the time. All this gave us the opportunity to get away to the beach this year without spending a crazy amount–all paid in cash.

I have found cheap accomodations in Licking, MO. Plus, you are near the Current River and you can take in the local flavor at a number of small local taverns. Plus, there will be no $9 cocktails at these places.

We’re going to the Lake of the Ozarks this summer (a group of 12) and renting an amazing 7-bedroom lakefront house and pontoon boat from a private owner for $350 a night. People need cash and will accept pretty absurd offers - they did for me anyway. We plan to bring food and drinks to eat at the house rather than waste money going out. The total cost per person for the week (groceries included) is $200. Strength in numbers!

Memphis is a reasonable drive from St. Louis. My friends and I enjoyed a two day trip there once. We went down and watched a triple A baseball game followed by a night out on Beale Street. (There’s also plenty more to do in Memphis, especially if you’re an Elvis fan) For something a little different and not much further, you could drive west from Memphis to Hot Springs, Arkansas and pamper yourself in a hot springs bath house. My visit there left me feeling like a million bucks! Also, while passing through Sikeston, MO on your way to Memphis, you can make a pilgrimage visit to Lambert’s Restaurant (Home of the Thrown Rolls).