Summer is here and there is so much on your brain: Where am I going for vacation? Do I have enough money for vacation? If I cannot afford to go on a luxury vacation, is there something that I can do locally that will still be fun but also be nice to my pockets at the same time?

So, you’re sitting at your desk pondering on these questions. What’s the next step? Summer is here and we should be thinking about what works best for us. We get so tied up looking at everyone else’s life on social media that we forget that everyone is different and that what works for one person, may not work for you. First things first: What is your financial situation? Think about how much you have in your account to spend on a vacation first and then make a list of places that you are interested in (maybe your top 3). Do your research and find out the cost to explore the places that you have listed on your travel list. Find the cheapest options to make the vacation worthwhile, but the best for your finances.

Check your groupon account and check out the deals for good hotel discounts and activities in the place you’d like to travel. They usually also have good deals on food on groupon. A good option to save money will be to set your bank account up to where it adds money to your savings account with every purchase or with every paycheck. It is a good way to build your savings account quickly.

Lastly, if you cannot afford to go somewhere far for a vacation, check your local listings for fun things to do in Houston or whereever you are. News station websites normally have a community section to show the fun events happening right in your city or state. Maybe an affordable roadtrip might even be in your near future! Wherever you decide to go on vacation, know that with the right research, you could make this your best summer yet!