No matter if it's near or far travel like a king on a pauper's budget.

Name 4 Great Ways To Vacation . . .

LAND:  Drive in leisure. Save on future car repair bills by renting a car for domestic travel, especially if the travel will be for a week or more. Most car rental facilities only require a 24-hr advance to get the car ready. Choose from small compact cars up to SUVs and mini-vans. Price is determined by model and length of time.

Some rental car companies have special week-end rates or specific popular (tourist) destination rates.

Cheap vacations often revolve around the outdoors. If you're a camper, get discounts at more than 1,700 RV campgrounds and parks! Join the Good Sam Club.

Take advantage of the outdoors, nature, walking trails, child activities, open-air conveniences.

Vacation home rentals are a great way to take advantage of popular resort areas without paying the high cost of hotels. Homeowners with vacation homes are eager to rent them and last minute DEALS are available.

A recent study found that an estimated 1.26M second homes are available for rent in the U.S. for families looking for an alternative to hotels and other lodging options. Vacation homes overseen by property managers and active owners often provide strong customer support, clear check-in / check-out processes and other support services consumers value.

By choosing a vacation rental instead of hotel, travelers can spend an average of 50 percent less per square foot on their accommodations. In some cases, we can bring friends or other family members to share the cost. Pet friendly, too, in many cases.

Imagine waking up with a babbling brook outside your bedroom window. Cooking up your own breakfast instead of trying to find a local restaurant. Stepping outside, perhaps, to the ocean surf. Now you can. 

WATER: There's no cheaper way to take a vacation than on a cruise ship. Consider comfortable room, transportation to a resort location, all the food we can eat (more than 3 regular meals) and Las Vegas style entertainment . . . and anyone can see the cost per day is minimal when compared to traditional land vacations.

Example: 7-day cruise for $499! That's approximately $71 per day, excluding alcohol, gambling and offshore (ports of call) excursions.

Think "movies under the stars". Think "free gym equipment". Think "hot tubs on the deck". Think "relaxing sauna". Think "dancing 'til midnight".

Cruising recently has turned more toward "free-style" cruising, where no dress code and no fixed dinner seating is required.

Staterooms are modern with modern baths. Storage is compact, yet plentiful for our vacation wardrobes. I've been on a cruise vacation once a year for the last three years.

If you've never been on a cruise now's the time to take one. Family Cruises can be had for a few hundred dollars. Plus FREE babysitting! Cruise off season or at the last minute and save more money!

AIR: Did you know there's another online travel company that rivals Orbitz? TRUE. Travel companies who advertise heavily get your attention but they also build their advertising expense into their prices.

We found a little travel company who has great low prices because they also have low advertising costs.

 Cheap-O Air has special rates worth checking into, including packages with hotels and rental cars.