Take a Budget and Energy Friendly Vacation this Summer

Summer is a great time of year to go on vacation with the family. The problem is-it’s typically the most expensive time of year to go on vacation with the family. Plane fare is up, hotel rates rise, and common destinations are usually packed with people. A more economical alternative is a family road trip or day trip. The Weather Channel looked at the best road trips in each state (Amazing Road Trips in Every State), and in Michigan, it was to tour the lighthouses of the Blue Water Area (the coastline running up the outside of the “thumb”). These lighthouses are beautiful and historical, not to mention that driving along the coastline of Lake Huron offers many opportunities for scenic views! Doing this road trip could be a day trip with the family, or you could extend it over a few days. You could even keep going further north to tour more of what Michigan has to offer.

Staying in Michigan and driving instead of flying are two great ways to save money on your family’s summer vacation. However, FLAME wants to remind you that there are ways to save even more while you are away on vacation by having your home ready before you leave:

• Turn out all lights (for safety reasons, you may want to leave a light or two on in the evening, but you can put it on a timer so it is not running all day)
• Make sure that all taps are closed and that there aren’t any dripping sinks or leaky faucets
• Turn off the air conditioning and all fans-there is no reason to cool an empty house
• Turn down the temperature of the water heater
• Unplug any electrical items, such as lamps and chargers, that do not need to be consistently plugged in while you are away

For more information about getting your home ready for a vacation, contact FLAME! Enjoy the vacation!