Taking a Vacation doesn’t have to mean escaping from your other financial goals.

Are you dreaming about basking in the sun, exploring the ocean floors, shushing the slopes of Aspen, or seeing the world? If so, you might definitely need a vacation.

But, before you spend an arm and a leg or worry about forfeiting your other dreams, know that vacations are not a necessity, not a luxury. They’re essential for your health.

In deciding how and where to take your vacation, here's a great rule of thumb: if you will need to pay interest to finance the vacation -- meaning if you can't pay off the whole credit card charge when it comes in -- the hard truth is that you can't afford the vacation.

But, to enjoy a vacation and stick to your financial plans, here are tips from many financially savvy vacationers:

• Take a five-day trip you and your family can drive to, rather than a seven-day getaway that involves airfare and a rental car.
• Choose a hotel where the room has a fridge and simple kitchenette. Instead of eating three meals out each day, cut back to one or two. Breakfast can be a huge expense for families; it's easy to drop $50 or more a day for a family of four. Do that over the course of a week and you're looking at $350. I bet you could make everyone happy with cereal, eggs, bagels, and fruit for less than $75 for the entire week. Save your money for fun dinners out, or maybe even an extra day at the hotel.
• Take a vacation at home. Don't groan. This can be a ton of fun if you live in an area where there is plenty to do, but you never have the time to do it. The trick is that the entire family must commit to being on a vacation. That means no email. No phone calls. No running errands. No laundry. You and your family are to plot out a bunch of day-trips. Museums. Hikes. Picnics. Tickets to the ball game. A drive to the beach or a state park you've always meant to check out.

If a big vacation is a priority, plan to save for it. Right now you can earn high yields in any of Coastal’s money market or certificate accounts. Or, if you must travel and don’t have the cash to pay for it outright, consider using the equity in your home with a great rate on a Coastal Home Equity Loan.