Vacation Budgeting & Tips | M&M Mondays

[@roserains]

I LOVE Michael!!! It's like listening to my husband. He plans our trips and vacations with the same tactical precision. 'Saving for a big trip in a year from now. Thank you for the added valuable tips.

[@Melissabella]

We also love the Hop On - Hop Off bus tours. We've found that each tour guide shares different facts, so it's well worth doing the tours more than once. This was such good advice. Thank you and happy traveling!

[@lorihaley2292]

Love this. It is so important to expose kids to the world in general. Travel is so key in life. Glad you two make it a priority. Excellent tips!!

[@lizp8696]

Michael is becoming so comfortable on KZbin. Love it!

[@JENBARAK]

Marnie, I haven't been watching your Marnie and Michael Vlogs, but this was a topic that struck my interest. I've said it before but just have to say, your husband is so darn charming. He literally is always smiling! You can tell why he's so successful, who can resist a handsome, intelligent, smart man who is confident and ALWAYS smiling!! You are both adorable together and such great parents! Love you videos!

[@kristasiehndel3069]

Seriously loving these Monday vlogs! Please keep them up.

[@AntiquingArkansas]

Oh my gosh THANK you to Michael for making me feel better about my obsessive travel planning. my family made SO much fun of me for having a binder with a Google map printed for each day we were on Kauai from our cabin to the daily destinations. I loved having it planned and it made me feel more relaxed. :)

[@BettyHeath]

Lots of great advice. I just adore the two of you. This series is great, thank you.

[@KorenWiskman]

I love how you are trying to get him to look at the camera. He is doing great! I can't imagine how difficult it is to talk to a camera. Thank you for all your helpful advice.

[@thearmstrongs]

Great tips. My husband and I enjoy the planning of trips too. In fact I have said before sometimes the planning is the best part of the trip!

[@lisaprather3752]

I love how y'all plan your vacations together, I think planning a vacation is almost as fun as being on vacation! It's a great way to bring you closer in your marriage. Loved all the tips and love these M&M videos!!!

[@WellBehavedWallet]

So much fun! Fully believe that vacations are essential. Hoping to get to the point when I feel comfortable saving for that monthly, too!

[@realestateagentmona]

I wish my husband was a planner!!! Great tips. Thank you Marnie & Michael.

[@cindygray8322]

Some very good tips. My husband and I have traveled quite a bit as well and done a lot of planning, taken public transportation. I had to learn that I don't have to do everything and see everything on a sight seeing tour, because we could always go back another year. We enjoy eating locally and asking locals where they like to eat. We like to collect a magnet from everyplace we have been and put on the fridge.

[@brendadouglas9833]

A great series. Since I found this 6 and 7 years after the fact, I would love an update. Also, a few recommendations of places to go. The two of you are great and fun to watch. It seems weird that after all the videos I have watched of you Marnie that this series has just popped up. Thank you.

[@MsGoldgirl]

The tips are still true!! It’s still how we plan and budget for all of our trips!!

[@sarahberah1121]

Loved this video!! I agree with Michael, the vacation planning is almost as fun for me as the actual trip!!

[@raammartin]

Another great M&M Monday!

[@LukkyAV4]

Love this!! Very good points, and I'm with Michael I like the planning process and really researching areas, restaurants, etc before we go and it does make it less stressful for sure. One tip we do as well is when were planning a vacation where we plan to be outside most of the time, we have a couple "bad weather/rainy" day activities planned so if it arises we already know ok today were going to do this since the weather is not up to par. That is a big saver to have that planned ahead of time. Can't wait to read the blogpost, to see if Michael and I use the same vacation planning resources.

[@lorihaley2292]

Just got back from Chicago. We loved it.

[@sophielee271]

Such a useful and informative video, we are off soon to Copenhagen for a few days with our kids so timely advice for us! Many thanks indeed to both of you.

[@FortheLoveofOrganizing]

So many helpful tips! I love the idea of taking a quick bus tour of the city upon arrival. Your research and planning in advance is awesome!

[@Bandanalover]

I am absolutely loving your budget series. Thank you so much for doing these. You can really see that you guys put a lot of thought into making them and they are most definitely helpful to me! I love all of your videos of course ;) but these just are so different and I appreciate them!

[@mississippimom2]

Helpful tips!! Love your videos together

[@johdonnaharris2637]

I really enjoyed this video! YALL just get better and better together! 😉

[@MrsButtercup26]

Hi five Michael... I always do itinerary's before all my travels and I absolutely love it :)

[@snowqtee]

LOVE!!I can't get enough of all your great tips☺️Thank you!

[@MyLVFavJ]

I LOVE how he looks at you the whole time, you are AMAZING couple!!! 😘

[@lmmbchampion]

When we went to NYC/Pennsylvania/Washington DC last year with the kids for 2 weeks--it was a blast. We had saved but also we loosely planned. We knew where we wanted to go but planned each day just the night before. We only used the subway system in NY (including from the airport and it was incredibly easy and safe!) The only time we needed a car was to travel Philly & Gettysburg & to DC. In DC we used the Metro. One of our splurges is food--I must say, we love going out to restaurants and budget for that. We definitely are not saving in that department--but that is one of the things we look forward to when we go on vacation...lol

[@dailylivingwithcleo9093]

Having a budget is a definite must. Our family does do room service. We have an adventurous experience each vacation. But we don't use any credit cards. And we have a separate checking account at a bank neither of us use on a regular basis. We have no money net. We know exactly how much we have for that vacation and what we are going to use it on. We've pretty much said goodbye to that money. If we're not comfortable with the amount we don't go. And we also give our kids some responsibility. It's not an ask me for everything you want. It's a here is what you can spend from the budget but once it gone your not getting more. Treats and souvenirs are on them. We just make sure they have a place to sleep, their 3 meals and a schedule of activities.

[@tesslee100]

Great video, as usual! I'm watching this while on vacation. I'm stuck inside, when I want to be out on the deck drinking my coffee and staring at the beautiful ocean. Thunderstorm is not cooperating right now!

[@Ewa_]

loving this topic! I fully believe vacations are as important to health as doctors visits... My boyfriend wants to go to Ireland and I do too after watching your video (was it last year?) He is very into aviation and always finds insane flight deals. Last time he found a $230 ticket to Rome (we are based out of NJ)

[@JacFash]

Love your Monday videos! Would u consider doing any videos with tips, and anecdotes about trying to get out the door on time etc with little kids? My fiancée and I are still trying to get better and even with just one toddler it is challenging. Between being a full time college student and my fiancée starting a business it is very busy, but it is still a priority for me to have some time for makeup and all things beauty that I love and makes me happy. Would love to hear how you managed while still looking good. Thanks and keep up the great content!

[@smatnics1]

Great video. Checking out the blog post for more. We also buy snacks for the room. The hotel "market" is so expensive. $3+ for a bottle of water.....No thank you. We like to stay at the same brand of hotel to earn points to use for an upgraded room. If we know we are staying longer than 2 nights we like to upgrade to a suite, if we have enough points. We are a family of five, it can get a little crowded in a standard room.

[@busymama7903]

Perfect timing for this video! My family and I are planning a trip to Cuba for spring break next year, so I will definitely check out the blog post and save this video to my favorites list! Have you ever been to Cuba, if so, any recommendations are most appreciated, we'll be traveling with a 10 year old and a 14 year old. Thanks so much!

[@MsGoldgirl]

+Shari Puddicombe (Busy Mama) I've never been-can't wait to hear about it, though!

[@glllanberis2176]

Hey Marnie- great video! Cruise excursions are expensive sometimes double! The only drawback to booking directly with a vendor is making sure you arrive back to the port on time. One time there was a couple on the exact same trip (they

[@glllanberis2176]

booked direct and took a taxi). The taxi had a flat tire and missed the departure time). It's the passengers responsibility to get to the next port of call.

[@nadynemotherofcatz]

Another good tip would be to stay outside of the tourist destination. We went to New York City, but stayed in a hotel in New Jersey. Two buses and we were at Grand Central, only added 30-45 minutes to our travel. It was so much cheaper then staying in the city!

[@starquasar1]

I like this. I am learning something financially.

[@ClaudiaSteichen]

Marnie don't make that face when Michael mentions the wine I do the same girl lol this has been my favorite video from you too!

[@paulinepotts9976]

I could tell right away that your husband was military. I recognize the lingo. I am a military brat/ military wife. We are the most adaptable/ resourceful people.

[@Wildchile]

I'm kinda jealous. I love traveling but my husband isn't as interested in the planning. I love seeing how you guys interact, it's very cute, you are both lucky to have eachother!

[@amyk2902]

Oh, this came at a great time!! We are taking our kids and a friend each (4 kids in all) to Universal before Christmas this year. We have traveled here several times but I had never thought of going to grocery to stock up on food. That will be so helpful especially having 2 extra kids. We had done the concierge level before but wasn't really worth the extra cost. Your at the park most of the day and missed all the food except drinks. :-)

[@cheyannekelso]

Great video yall! I am a travel agent and you definately gave great advice!

[@paulaburrell3858]

Great video. Thanks for all the tips!

[@traciemcbeth6866]

Great tips! I love Sandals (Marnie, you and Mike really need to take a vacation to the islands alone, my husband and I love just us time) or Beaches for those that have children - ALL inclusive you know how much you have to budget for up front we do plan our own airfare, but they also will book that for you too. Love the Double Decker hop on/off, Boston, San Diego, San Francisco great walking cities. LOVE San Antonio what a fun city to play in, Segways!! We just returned from a family wedding in Boise, Idaho - yes BOISE what a great little treasure. Downtown has amazing hot spots, food and wine. The river green belt is amazing. I have a fitbit and I hit 10,000 steps every day! Budget for your travel and go worry free!

[@ashleythomas1425]

Michael saying on the ground so funny y'all are adorable and now I want to go buy a ton of travel books. What's your favorite to buy once you have picked out a city

[@MsGoldgirl]

Frommers is a great one!

[@Birkinbag09]

Just found your videos you have great chemistry and seem very happy and respectful of each other. I hope one day I have a marriage like this x

[@rfamily2112]

The chickens hahaha free lunch 😂 I'm planning our first family trip with a toddler I'm so nervous

[@bltbree]

In New Orleans it is $4.00 for a 24 hour trolley pass. It goes all over New Orleans. In Nicaragua it .50 to take the bus 30 miles from my house to Managua.

[@Hudson1910]

Wonderful information!

[@bethjensen]

Marnie and Michael, great informative video, you two should write a book with all of your fab tips!!! Question: what is the name of your necklace, the link didn't bring it up:(

[@_JoyceArt]

Where I'm from, if you have a job you get an 8% over your annual income vacation allowance paid out in May. I actually get 8.33%, which makes saving up for a vacation a lot easier.

[@_JoyceArt]

It's funny about the meals, because our last vacation we started with having lunch at a restaurant, but because we were traveling around in Spain, we often were hungry during siesta. So after a while we'd just go to the grocery store and got some bread and such. We'd never do this for dinner however, because a big part of vacation for us is eating local food. And compared to Dutch restaurants, you can eat excellent for not that much in Spain. Not that the food in the Netherlands isn't good in restaurants, it's just a lot more expensive. Then again, I am really spoiled compared to perhaps Americans when it comes to traveling, most, if not all people who work have at least 20 paid vacation days, of which you are required to take a minimum of 2 weeks in a row.

[@Nelise14]

Hi Joyce, you are also from the Netherlands! How fun, me too

[@tericastarr]

love.you.guys!!!

[@molly4495]

You guys should check out Airbnb next time you're traveling if you're not doing a resort style vacation. You can often rent an entire apartment with great amenities for less than a hotel. I've done it all over the world and in the USA and have had great experiences.

[@traciemcbeth6866]

+molly44 Great idea, I've had friends say that's the way to go! Maybe NYC soon! Thanks for the reminder!!

[@888biedronka]

Lol Michael I'm just an OCD when it comes to planning...I love scheduling stuff before but yeah the extra fees and parking is a bitch in Hawaii...yikes! Guys...I propose you plan next vacation and take us with you...I guess that would be a "working vacay" ;)

[@MarieClaireMonterey]

We will be going to Edinburgh in December. What restaurant, store etc. was your favorite.?? or any other tip? Thank you very much for your answer in advance. Greetings from Germany.

[@flippinpages6550]

This makes me laugh. I made a huge mistake in Washington DC. We wanted to go to Mount Vernon and we didn't know how to get there so we took a Taxi. Do not do that, it cost $50, The taxi driver was wonderful and full of stories and luckily there were 3 of us, but the Metro was only $3 each way. It was insane. LOL Mount Vernon was awesome, plus, we did the Congressional Tour by contacting our congress person's office and they gave us 4 free mostly private tours around DC Capitol and White House and Mt. Vernon. I can't recommend this enough. Santa Barbara on and off bus was not that great. We spent a lot of time sitting in parking lots behind hotels waiting for people. Boston bus and DC bus were fun. A lot of aspiring actor types are the tour guides on those buses.Mom and I had private drivers in Ireland to get from town to town, across island and it was worth the money to me. One driver sang the whole way and one driver told stories about the schools and religion and one guy was from a fishing village so he shared some stories about that.

[@annedelriccio1065]

Have you ever travelled with an organized tour group, or do you always do your own thing? favourite city/ country so far? Place you MOST want to go?.

[@MsGoldgirl]

We did do a Tauk tour once-it was actually a lot of fun. Place I most want to go...Ireland!

[@kristyhuffman9025]

I think it's great that he does videos with you. how long have you two been married if I may ask?

[@MsGoldgirl]

18 years

[@mickyunit]

Thanks for another excellent video! I'm at a stage in my life where I'm interested in "group tour" traveling. So, if anybody out there has any tips, please share?

[@MsGoldgirl]

+mickyunit We've done Tauck Tours (maybe it's Tauk) and loved it!

[@Transfertravelcom]

Great Video

[@motherto3girls]

I like to use the web site VRBO.com and homeaway.com to find places to stay on vacation. I have done this for the past 5 years and never had a problem. I usually get a 2 bedroom condo, use the kitchen for breakfast and lunch and we eat out for dinner. This saves lots of money. I use google maps to see what restaurants are around us as well as activities and check prices. The past few years we have paid less than $800 for a condo for the week and I always make sure there is a pool for the kids and most of the time a hot tub for me.

[@Jasmine10001]

check out AirBnB and Homeaway for your vacations. My family loves to rent beach houses or apartments in big cities.

[@sophielee271]

And to add...any plans to visit London again soon?

[@MsGoldgirl]

+sophie lee Not any time soon!

[@sophielee271]

Ok! No worries just thought I'd ask. You mentioned last year I think perhaps it might be a possibility. Great video Marnie; practical advice as spot on as ever.

[@lauriebo]

How do you get your boys to share a bed? Once mine hit teens I could not get them to sleep together so we were always having to look for a room with 2 beds and a pullout which limited us.

[@MsGoldgirl]

As I've said before, it's not a democracy. :) They're just grateful to go on a vacation!

[@kimjorg]

+Laurie Bourgeois If they wanted to go on vacation I don't see where the option is. You either share a bed or you don't go

[@RosalindTapper]

hi marnie. love you m&Ms! I have a question/s. what %of you income monthly do you set aside for holidays and.... how far in advance do you usually book them? thanks and love from England!

[@MsGoldgirl]

It's not a percentage. It's just a number we feel comfortable setting aside after all our other budget items have been satisfied. The first few years of our marriage we didn't save for vacations because we didn't have enough extra income.

[@danielletanner206]

We are starting to plan our honeymoon! Where would you recommend we go!? We have been to Mexico and I am fair and the sunburn was not fun. Still wanting to relax but also have activities to do I get quite bored! What would be your suggestions!

[@MsGoldgirl]

+Danielle Stark It depends on your budget and your interests and when you're getting married. I'd recommend a cruise-there's always something to do and also time to relax whenever you want.

[@danielletanner206]

+Marnie Goldberg I have never been on a cruise. Do you have a favorite cruise line ? We are getting married in June and the groom is taking care of the expenses. Also, can you have private dinners ?

[@BlueCoastStitcher]

I agree with Marnie. A cruise is perfect for honeymoon. We did a Baltic Cruise for our honeymoon. We loved every bit of it. It was 23 years ago, you can do as little or as much as you want on a cruise. Everything is pretty much paid for before you set foot on the ship. Except for alcohol. That was one area we really watched ourselves. My husband was still in University. So money was a little tight. We saw a number of our fellow passengers get hit with large bills at the end of the cruise due to large bar tabs.

[@christine5669]

For European travel, Rick Steves is my favorite resource. His books and website, ricksteves.com, are super useful for travelling economically & like a local. I'm fortunate to have family living abroad with whom I can stay (husband's family, really!), so that has allowed me to travel more than I would have otherwise. Great tips, thanks for the advice! ~Christine~

[@ilovetexas5399]

I hear you've discouraged viewers from parking valet from a budgeting perspective it's expensive, I get it and completely understand. However, viewers if you do valet or use the assistance of having your bags carried up to the room, please by all means, TIP THEM! They do not get a portion of the fee that it costs to valet park, they make less than minimun wage and completey rely on your tips. My son works in valet for a very nice resort here in SA, and also goes to school full time, the tips is what he uses to pay for college. While most are mindful of the fact that they work off tips, others seem to not know better. That goes for anything, if you eat at a restaurant, have your luggage unloaded from a cab/shuttle. TIP WELL...I think the ones that have worked in the food/hotel/service industry would greatly appreciate it.

[@smatnics1]

Do you have any favorite resorts? What has been your favorite place to travel?

[@smatnics1]

My husband and I were stationed in Iceland for 2 years and loved it!!! We are planning to visit in a few years once the kids get a little older. I highly recommend a trip to Iceland. Summer is the best time to visit and it's definitely a working vacation. 😀 So beautiful!

[@MariaVargas-oq1bh]

You did not put the web sites that Michael likes to look for vacations, please marni you said you will post it maybe you forgot

[@MsGoldgirl]

Read the blog!!

[@bltbree]

Ok, please for give me before hand...... OMG......I do not think Michael has ever showed his chest before... Just a lil peek!!!😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍😛😛😛👍👍👍 I love hair on a mans chest. My daddy was hairy. The back, arms, chest. Everything but his head.. He was bald. Lol just saying that you have one heck of a handsome hubby. But, you already know that. I made it 33 seconds into this video before I had to post.

[@TheSilverLining80]

Great video! Very practical tips....I hope people pay attention when watching this! xoxo

[@sophielee271]

Such a useful and informative video, we are off soon to Copenhagen for a few days with our kids so timely advice for us! Many thanks indeed to both of you.

[@BusyBeingMomof3]

Great tips!

[@BusyBeingMomof3]

Great tips!