Guest Post: a Colorado Springs vacation on a budget

Thanks to Nony for being willing to share about their recent vacation to Colorado Springs.  Read on, I think you’ll enjoy the “outsider’s” look at the fun to be had in our beautiful city!

It was time for . . . the talk.  The budget talk.  Exactly how much could we budget for spending money on our vacation to Colorado?

Vacation money was tight because we had worked hard to build an emergency fund and finally met our goal . . .  two months before we were supposed to leave.

Lodging had been decided, and gas was considered.  “Spending money” got the leftovers.

In the past, we’ve gotten into trouble by having a budget in our heads, and then using our credit card for the “convenience.”  It was never convenient, though, when we received the bill and realized that we aren’t good “in our heads” kinds of budgeters.

We were determined to use cash only, and that cash had to cover food and activities for our family of five.  We needed to budget for 11 days, and had a whopping 500 dollars.  That comes out to about 45 dollars a day . . . except that the ATM spits out 20s.  We divided up the money into 11 envelopes with 40 dollars each, giving the first three 60.  Our thought was that any money not spent would go into the next day’s envelope.

And we did it!

We were in Colorado Springs for 3 days, and had such fun there.  Since part of our trip included me attending the Savvy Blogging Summit in Breckenridge, I had checked out other attendees, and found Springs Bargains.  It was a goldmine of information for a cheapskate tourist!

I didn’t write down our exact expenses, but I’ll do my best to remember.  Keep in mind that our breakfasts and lunches were made primarily from items brought from home (granola bars, pop-tarts, pb&j), and milk and fruit which we purchased in grocery stores.  For this, I used money out of our monthly grocery budget.

Monday, Day 1

We arrived in the afternoon at the Colorado Springs KOA.  I’d never stayed at a KOA before and was blown away by how perfect it was for our family.  What kid wouldn’t prefer a real log cabin, bunk beds, hayrides, a pool, two playgrounds and much more . . . . to a motel?  And I preferred the much cheaper price tag!  Plus, having so much to do at the Kampground (they spell it with a K, not me) meant that we spent our first day in CO Springs with plenty of activities to do, and no money coming out of the envelope!

Don’t Miss!

All of these cheap activities are listed in Cheap Things To Do!

On Monday evening, we set off to find Bambino’s Pizzeria.  Before any vacation, I search for a list of restaurants where kids eat free in the city where we’re staying.  (Here are the kids eat free nights in Colorado Springs.)

We loved Bambino’s!  The food was delicious, including the to-die-for bread, and the kids got to make their own pizzas at the table!  Two kids’ meals were free, we had water to drink, and we paid around $32 for our meal for five at a great restaurant.  With playing at the KOA for free, and eating picnic food for lunch, we stayed under our $40 budget for the day.

Tuesday, Day 2

We went to the Garden of the Gods, a must-see destination, which is FREE.  We arrived just after 10 a.m., and went to the visitor’s center where we learned that there was a free guided tour at 11:00.  If you go, be sure to take a family photo at the visitor’s center where you can get the sign, your family, and a spectacular view all in one shot.  (A little family photo tip here . . . ask other families if they want you to take their picture.  Most people are incredibly grateful to get a picture with both Mom and Dad in it, and always offer to take our picture as well.)

The Garden of the Gods is such a place of natural beauty.  We drove through the park, and stopped at multiple places to look around, take pictures, hike and picnic.    One of the best things about the Garden of the Gods is that you can customize your day for the needs of your family.  We spent about four hours there, which was perfect for our kids aged 4, 6, and 8.  It can easily be a full-day experience with older kids, or a quick scenic drive and picnic time for families with little-bitties.

After this, we returned to the KOA for a swim and some exploring before setting out on our next Kids-Eat-Free Adventure.  One of the things we love about finding these restaurants is that we see parts of the city where we might not otherwise venture.  We drove quite a distance to Indigo Joe’s, which is a fun sports-bar-style restaurant.  It doesn’t feel like a bar, but has TVs EVERYWHERE.    There was even a basketball shaped TV on the table itself, which allowed our youngest to watch the Backyardigans instead of the World Cup, much to hubby’s dismay.  While the experience was fun, the kids’ meals were quite small, and wouldn’t have been enough for our 6 or 8 year old boys on one of their hollow-legged days.  Our bill was around $33.  We went back to the KOA where the boys and Daddy played miniature golf for $2 apiece.

Wednesday, Day 3

We headed to the Olympic Training Complex.  This isn’t a full-day’s activity but is well-worth two hours of your time.  There is a small museum area with a bobsled the kids can climb into, and tours of the facility are free.  We saw gymnasts and swimmers in training, watched personalized workouts going on in the gym, saw the world’s largest indoor shooting range, and had a multi-sensory experience in the wrestler’s gym, meaning . . . that place reeked! Bring your camera, because photo opportunities on the grounds abound.

We then headed to Helen Hunt Falls.  We parked in the Falls parking lot, and walked back down the road a short way to the picnic area we had seen while driving in.  There are tables sitting just along a beautiful rocky stream.  It was truly an idyllic setting.

I had planned to only climb up the easy stairs to the initial waterfall, but the boys were desperate to climb a mountain, and our 4yo was willing.  We had to stop to rest a few times, but the view at the top was worth it.

Our day was completely full with great local experiences, and we hadn’t spent a dime!  On our way home, we went to Las Casitas, where 2 kids eat free per adult . . . and we only spent 15 dollars!

We were home in time for the KOA’s free movie at 7, and so we watched that while eating ice cream from their snack stand . . . completely within the budget even after a full and fun day.

Tips for Vacationing On A Budget

As you plan your vacation in Colorado Springs or anywhere else, look for sites like Springs Bargains, that are geared to the people who live in that area.  This is where you will find the lists of restaurants where kids eat free, the most kid-friendly and low-cost activities, and practical advice from someone who has tried out lots of different things there, and knows which ones are the best value.

Nony is a full-time mom of three, and loves stretching her family’s budget to the max.  She blogs about getting her home in order at A Slob Comes Clean