I'd take my family away for a weekend before we head back to school! We visited family this summer but haven't really had time yo just relax for a few days...

Hi...Winning this would be so wonderful! Our family, in the past 19 months, has lost four family members. Although, we are blessed in knowing they are in a far better place, we still feel the sadness of missing them .We wouldn't have to travel far but to have a chance to enjoy some time together for fun would certainly aid our healing process. I'd love to rent a huge house big enough for all us, maybe at the beach, so we could watcch the evening sunsets together. I find nothing more healing that n hearing the ocean while watching the sun sizzle as it sets on top of the ocean!
Thank you, if for nothing else, but the opportunity of dreaming!
Martha Hayes

I would love to take the family to Disney! I have four boys ranging in age from 3-10 yrs old. They are ALWAYS asking to go to Disney but we don't have passes and can't afford to buy tickets for all of us. ~ Karen Taylor

I would take a road trip to visit some sorely missed family.

I coupon, buy BOGO, use extra bucks, whatever I can to save money. I only ever buy clothing that is on sale. We are also in the process of downsizing our home to save on expenses. My husband and I own a small business and have not had a real vacation in 15 years. Our daughter works full time while going to college and also really needs a vacation. We have been saving up to take her hiking in Yosemite, but we may have to wait until next year to have enough money. This would help us get there faster!

I would definitely go on a mountain retreat. No phones, cooler temps, peace & quiet from all the hustle & bustle.

I would book a hotel near disney and take the girls to the theme parks.

It is very difficult for us to save for "rainy" days. The only way we have finally figured out a way to save is on pay day we put x amount of dollars into the 4 savings accounts we have created. We have a vacation account, insurance savings account, home repairs, and our 30th anniversary savings account. We sat down and created a budget and decided how much we needed for our monthly bills and how much we needed for the above items. And then when a bill ones in, the money is taken out of the appropriate account. Let me tell you, the first time I could pay my insurance bill without worrying was super!

$500 only goes so far considering the cost of getting to a destination. We would use the money for a stay-cation, taking advantage of local restaurants, spending time at the Ringling which we so rarely do even though its so close, and renting a boat for a relaxing day on Sarasota's bays.

500 is kinda alot. I know we are going to disney next week and staying at fortwildrenss and my girl want to go to see the castle but going to the castle it would coast 500 for all of to go . so i told them maybe next time . so we are chillin in the campground. we haven't been to busch garden, sea world, because it cost 500 for us to go. Or even take a trip to St.augstine and teach my girls some history.

I have been wanting to take my 2 sons to Universal studios but money is tight. So I would use this to take them there. My oldest is about to start kindergarten so what a perfect way to end off the summer! :)

We have a jar that we throw all of our loose change in throughout the year. I think most people would be surprised at how much you can save this way! We would probably use the $500 to do some day trips to the parks. My nephew is coming to visit us this week and I would love to show him some of parks and fun things that we get to be near all the time!!

look for discounts and book off season...I'd love to use this to visit family, thank you.

I would absolutely love to win, my kids (ages 5 and 6) have not been able to do anything this summer. We added a little one to our family last May and intended to take a few days as a family this year but were surprised this May as well with another bundle. Now with a 6, 5, 1, and 2 month old money is extra tight, my husband is going back to school and interning the next two summers so this was really our last chance to be together and do something as a family while school was out so. I know it would mean a lot to our older two to just do something as a family, however little it may be!

Can't afford a plane, can't afford a train, can't afford the gas for the car, can't go near can't go far. But we got our bikes and we love to hike. And Florida's the state we most like. So with your help and a little cash, we'll have our Hike and Bike vacation at last!

We would either spend a day at a theme park like Disney where my 4yr old princess could meet her fave princesses (she's been begging for months) and my boys could ride the coasters or maybe a short stay at a local beach.

I would so love to win the 500 dollar prize to take my two kids and my mom to Disney. My daughter is 14 and Disney reminds her of her Grandma, who has stage 4 lung cancer. My mom has done real well with her chemo and radiation, and my daughter keeps saying she is going to take grandma to their special place now that she is feeling a bit better. Both are two of the most devoted princesses on earth.

In NY our water bottles and soda cans had a 5-cent deposit so every time we recycled these items we would put the money into a change jar. My husband and I would also deposit our spare change into this jar. We would start in January and in December/January during school break we would come to Florida for a vacation. This year in January we decided to use the money to move here instead of vacation here so no vacation for us. The move was so expensive that we have not really had a chance to explore much of this beautiful place we now call home. We would love to take the $500 and do a few things in our local neighborhood we have not had the chance to do and mabye go to St. Pete Beach for a weekend. This time of year the rates are down and now we can get the Florida resident discount so $500 might buy us a few extra days of vacationing!

W e do the change jar thing to save for vacations. There are 7 of us ( me, my husband, 4 girls and 1 boy ) We put all our change in jug and when we get enough we apply it towards something we all want to do. It takes a while though to save up - especially with the use of debir cards these days and not as much cash spending . We have not saved enough this year to go anywhere so 500$ would be a great addition to our jar , but if not we will continue to save and hopefully make plans for next summer !

I would spend it on day trips with my finance and neices. With us going to places in the Tampa Bay/Clearwater/St. Petersburg area. There are many museums, and attractions I have yet to go to.

Everybody knows about the Florida resident deals at Disney, but did you know that there are vacation club rentals available on resort properties for half price? Search for Daves Vacation Club (dvcrequest.com), and put in your dates for the points converter. I'm staying two nights at Animal Kingdom lodge for half of the book rate. There's also a Concierge level that includes food/drinks all day, but you need to plan at least 11 months in advance for that. I'm also taking advantage of the buy one day get a year promo for both Disney water parks. You can't beat these savings, and it will help us beat the heat! Looking forward to finding the magical kid in me again.

I would pack up some camping gear, food, clothing, and bathing suits, wake my daughter up in the middle of the night, jump in the car and head to Grayton Beach State park for some last minute beach camping. There's nothing like a no-frills kinda fun before back to school. Hamburgers, hotdogs, nature trails, swimming in the gulf, beautiful sunsets, and embracing nature around.

We wanted to save for a beach vacation, so I took a cleaned out peanut butter jar, put a picture inside of a great beach and palm tree, and we stuffed it with extra cash here and there starting a few months before school ended. I will admit to taking some cash out when I need it fast - school lunches, etc. But it was a fun way to save and we were inspired by the gorgeous beach picture to save!

We look for Groupon or Living Social deals...would love to take the family on a Disney vacation before school starts!! :-)

Since being diagnosed with a progressive neurological condition, I have been unable to work, and money has been tight. We have 2 boys in college, and a 6 and 11 year old at home. We pinch pennies, clip coupons and conserve utilities to get by. My husband works full time, serves in the National Guard and is working on his masters degree. He works so hard for us and to be able to have a vacation anywhere for him to be able to relax and enjoy without worrying about the cost would be amazing! Also, my awesome kids have really stepped up to help when I'm having a hard time and they could really use a fun vacation too!

My honey and I have been married 26 years and dated for 6 years prior. We have never had a vacation ever. We didn't have a honeymoon either. Got married New Years Eve and went back to work the Monday after the holiday. We both work and we have a 21 year old son that goes to college and works part time. He has been a late in life blessing for both of us. If we are chosen, I think a week at the beach would be delightful.

i would take my little sisters to the nickelodeon resort because they love spongebob and Dora and they have been wanting to go every time they see it advertised on tv but my parents have not had the money to take them. With $500 we could stay there for a few days and enjoy the water activities and probably even have breakfast with the characters. They would love it!

My large family usually has a garage sale in the summer and we sell all the items that we no longer have any use for and clothing that no longer fits. We take our proceeds from the garage sale and use that money for vacation. I would use the $500 to take my family to Universal Studios and the Lowery Park Zoo, two places we have never been and would love to visit.

We keep a large jar and put all our loose change in there when we come home for the day. Every now and then we will throw in a 5 or 10 dollar bill. In the summer we roll it up, and it usually pays for the gas and food we need for a vacation, with some left over for fun!

i would take me nephews and nieces on a canoe camping trip in the everglades, on one of the 10,000 rabbit islands

Life has been hard and hectic for myself and my husband over the past two years.
He lost a job that he held for a long time, they no longer needed his services. After searching for a while for a new job he finally landed one 5 hours north of where we lived. He moved in with my mom and commuted 128 miles a day for work, until I could get our house packed up and sold, which separated us for 4 long months. After renting a house up here and house hunting, and finally securing a short sale home here in Land O Lakes, we are just trying to settle into a new life and a new routine. This has left no time for any kind of fun or just some plain relaxation time. It has been two long years since we've had a vacation. The kids are grown and we now have the freedom to do some travelling....if I win this, I would like to surprise my husband. I want to take this money and put it on a weeks long cruise somewhere in the Caribbean, I think he deserves it. Thank you for at least allowing me to dream for a bit....now back to painting and unpacking ;-0)

I would get married to the woman I love.

I happen to live in florida so that is a vacation in itself , having a yearly pass at Busch Gardens , & going to the beach is like my own mini vacation .. I cannot afford to really go anywhere else .. If there was one thing I could do for a vacation it would be a mini trip just to see my mom, she lives in Washington state , and is now in remission from cancer , Airline tickets are so much so been super hard to save .. so If for some reason I got picked to win ... I would definitively use part of that to see my mom .. I have had guilt issues that I haven't been able to go out there .. She means the world to me .!! To me that would be the best vacation in the world !! just to see her smile on her face ... we aren't getting any younger and she had us all in a scare over the past year .. Thank you for reading this and fingers are so very crossed !!!

My kids have been begging to go to the beach - and with money to spare I might even find it to be relaxing! We could lay around, eat popsicles, and enjoy family time together!

I would go on a stay-cation and stay at a hotel on Treasure Island or St Pete Beach. It would be a treat to see what it feels like to be on vacation in my own city! We are so lucky to live in such a beautiful area and I think we all forget to stop and smell the roses - or the salty air in this case.

After the damage TS Debby did to our Thousand Oaks neighborhood, and particularly our street and home, I would throw my neighbors a big Thank You block party. Without the help of everyone on our street, we would've suffered terrible damage. I'd like to show appreciation for their help and bring a little peace and happiness back to our community in the wake of this awful flooding.

We made some dietary changes this year that have allowed us to save on our grocery bill. We shop at farmer's markets now and by incorporating fruits and veggies into three meals a day, plus snacks, we're not spending very much on processed, packaged foods. It's probably saving us about 30% overall on our grocery bill and we're thrilled with how much better we feel! If we had an extra $500 to spend, we would purchase a Florida State Park annual pass and have plenty left over for several camping trips.

I have been on crutches for 18 months, so there hasn't been much vacationing since we moved here three years ago. We have a timeshare in Virginia we used to go to, but since gas got so expensive, we haven't gone. The extra cash would not only help with gas, it would allow us a week in the mountains, where I could actually walk around on my own two feet and we could enjoy the trip.

At the end of each day, empty your pockets or change purse into a jar. Never dip back into the jar and over the course of only a few months, you can save up hundreds of dollars and never really miss the change. Works for us. Last time, I waited a year and had over $1,200 saved up.

My wife and I love finding free things to check out. Sarasota also has various art shows and craft shows to attend. Hanging out at the beach is often another fun activity. Grabbing a bag of bait for fishing is another cheap and fun way to pass the time.

My parents would love to visit their homeland in Puerto Rico, and we would make arrangements to send them there, celebrating almost 53 years of marriage. It would be our gift to them. Thank you for the opportunity.

I just got an offer for a temp 2 month job in South Salem, NY. I will be going alone and leaving my fiancé behind. We don't have enough money for him to come visit. He's never been to NY, and as a professional actor he has always dreamed of visiting Broadway. If we had and extra $500, he could fly up to visit me and we could afford to go into the city for an evening at the theater! We would love to see Wicked, Evita, War Horse, Jersey Boys, Chicago or Rock of Ages. It would be so hard to pick one!

I would most definitely go to the beach(either Treasure Island or Sarasota area). And just relax with my daughter, who is on disability and is finally medically compliant and such a a different person from a year ago. Good luck to all:)

I would take my daughter to Lego land. She is dying to ride the rollercoasters.

Always plan our trips at least six month in advance. Most hotels(resorts) only ask for the first nights stay to book a room. That gives you the rest of the time to save for the rest of the stay.ALWAYS ask for the Florida resident prices. Along with saving our change everyday, we also save all our ones. They add up quickly. If I were to win $500, I would take my daughter to the Keys for Hookka diving. It is her biggest dream right now. She loves the ocean and ALL the animals in it!

Our house has been like a whirlwind this summer! Six weeks of out of state company. A revolving door! Of course we had a great time. A weekend at the beach to collect shells, watch the sea and revive and renew the soul would be wonderful!

I would love to take the kids to Universal Studios. We have three children and have never been there, so I know we would have a blast... Yes, we could pay off some bills with $500.00, but you only live once and so if we can make our kids happy, then our job is done. We have our health, so I know we are blessed, but we would love to have a great mini-vacation in Florida. Good luck to everyone and have a happy and healthy summer! Danielle

Best tips for saving money over the summer... I try and take my kids to as many free or cheap events as possible... the free movies at the Groves, the $1 movies at Citrus Park, I have signed up for 2 free games of bowling each week (although we have only done that once), the free splash park in Dunedin, and I am always looking for deals at other places - like Target Tuesdays at Glazer's Children's museum, groupons for Clearwater Marine, etc. We also have passes to Busch Gardens and Sea World (I have the free preschool pass for one of them) and try to go to one of the parks at least once every other week (I have gone to BG and spent less than $5 because of refills on cups and popcorn).

Our family is going to South Beach this summer. We love it because we can walk to the beach, pool, museums, great restaurants,marinas,parks and boulevard along the canal leading to the port. We can also hop on the $.25 bus and explore colorful, mulitcultural Miami. It is a whole different world over there worth exploring!

When saving up for a vacation, you should always pick your vacation destination and then set up a plan of how much to save up. You should always plan vacations way in advance so you have time to research what fun things the vacation destination has to offer! I would use the money to take my family somewhere we have never been so we can experience something new together!

I am not entering this Summer Contest for me but for my amazing daughter in law, son and family. Tim and Kim. They have been saving up for a cruise for this December to re new their wedding vows. They have been married now for twenty years. An amazing accomplishment for anyone today. They have four amazing children. The youngest Kalynn saves every penny! She is the one in the house who watches what Mom and Dad spend at the stores! Kalynn watches prices! Shes doesnt mind shopping at thrift stores or outlets and this is a young girl of 13!! The oldest of four children, Cole, just recently graduated from high school and went on to become a Marine, we are so proud of him. Christian and Kyle are proud members of the ROTC in their school. I am a proud grandmother and know how hard both my son and his wife have worked not only one job but two to get this vacation. This would just make it all that much nicer for the six of them to enjoy something special. Thanks Beverly Debes bdebes1598@aol.com 727-505-4115

Debra M
I would like to share this vacation saving tip with the readers of Patch since it has always helped me. I open a savings account at my local Land O Lakes credit union and deposit my loose change and $5.00 every Friday and before you know it you have some Vacation money ! Now what would I do with an extra $500 well thats easy, I would spend it locally here in the Lutz/Land o Lakes area first buy some new outfits to wear at consignment shops . Then every Friday night I would bring some friends and enjoy eating out at all the restaurants here in our hometown and do things that I find on Patch to spend the rest. Thanks again for the opportunity to explore and enjoy my own hometown

We are headed to the beach. We always find the beach a great place to relax and reconnect as a family. I always try and find a place with a kitchen so we can stay in for our meals. Makes it more affordable, plus we get to have fun making things as a family!

just found your site, love the local news. my best tip is to be sure to combine your shopping trips so you don't waste so much on individual ones.

Thanks everyone for the great tips and ideas - keep them coming! Mr. Chafer, welcome to Patch! We're glad you found us!

How we are saving this summer: Store brand popsicles!

hello this is how i save I look on groupon for savings, and plus when i go to restaurants i look for one day deals. like sunday my boyfriend and i Went to mugs and jugs ordered chips and salsa they had a 5.00 off coupon the bill came out to 35 cents..what a bargain. I would like to take a mini cruise with the 500 dollars or go to universal with my boyfriend..after my surgery on monday . I really need a vacation.. ..I am a hard working woman.. i worked hard all summer.. and school starts up again august 13,2012..

This is mine and my husband's last summer just the two of us. In October we are expecting a beautiful baby girl, and we can't wait! It would however be nice to have one last get away, just the two of us, before she arrives! We both work very hard, physically stressful jobs, so we would take the money and head to the beach for a weekend of peace and relaxation!

Since we've had a staycation this summer and have one planned in the fall, we would take a trip to NYC in December. Things we would do - window shop, take in a show or two, have bagels, buttered rolls and coffee, see all the holiday decorations and visit the 9/11 Memorial as that was a day that changed my immediate and extended families lives forever.

With my wedding quickly approaching (only 18 days away) and finances dwindling quicker than i can get them, id take my wife on the honeymoon she deserves.

I try to save money by couponing, looking for good deals and only purchasing what we need. I would love to take my daughter to the Keys to go snorkeling.

I would take my babies to Disney, or to visit dear friends of ours in Key West!

I am a single mom of three wonderful kids and as back to school is quickly approaching i would take thr money and take them on a trip to see their grandparents who they love so much but unfortunately with money so tight we haven't had a chance to visit in over two years.

My best tip: Buy the Busch Gardens pay for a day and come back the rest of the year passes, then upgrade one of the passes for free parking. With four teenagers, the passes are a blessing. I'd fill up my jet ski and head to the water for some much needed adult fun time if I won the money.

Would love to have one last beach weekend before school starts. We took a vacation to the mountains in July. We set a budget, saved for it and it feels so good to come home to a paid-for vacation and not dreading the bills from a vacation that wasn't well planned.

My daughter and I just moved back in our mold condemned house after 6 months of cleaning it out. We love the half off depot coupons that allowed us to 'get away' for a night out and get a Brusters ice cream waffle cone. Or Living Social coupon that helped us forget about our living situation and take a whitewater rafting trip. How could we afford to go? Publix! buy $50 gas cards for $40!! We saved them up to take the best vacation ever! I would use the $500 at 'couponSeven.com and buy my daughter some nice school clothes and take a last minute vacation before school starts to one of the many available options thru Hotels.com.

I would love to book a room on Siesta Key! A couple of days at the beautiful beach!
Peggy Eason

An end of summer vacation sounds lovely to me. Haven't seen the leaves change color for many years, that would be my vacation. Cool fall weather in Minnesota, I can dream for now.

I would love to take my children away for a week-end, a one tank trip, maybe explore the other coast?? : )

My husband is such a wonderful man, and he has never had a vacation Our budget is very tight, and i am a big coupon clipper..Have to cut costs and plan meals, and watch the money...We have been married for twenty five and a half years, we have both had a lot of medical issues, but it would be a real dream to get to go to spend a day with the dolphins and sea life at discovery cove ! I have always wanted to see a dolphin up close,and touch one...just to be near one...how amazing that would be! it would be something we would remember for all of our lives!! 54 years and have never seen a dolphin up close!

This past year I have had medical issues and ended up on the hospital twice without health insurance. So cannot afford to take ant time off. I would love to win $$$ for a trip . I would use it to go away for a week and just relax.

I would pack up the family and the paddleboard and head to the beach for the weekend! we live i paradise...why not explore it??!!

We would go to the beach and take a picnic lunch with us. Visited a lot of the parks in our area that are free to get into and would take a lunch and enjoy the afternoon feeding the birds, squirrels, watching the alligators sunbathing or just watching us. Would love to visit Busch Gardens before school starts or just take an over night trip to the beach and enjoy the family memories we would make.

It'd be awesome to take the family to St. Augustine to finish out the summer! We've always wanted to go, but haven't worked it into our budget yet.

We've been saving to purchase a new house and I haven't wanted to dip into that savings so if you make this possible, my family will be headed to northern GA in the country to enjoy some peaceful, cell phone-less, relaxation time. My 2 dogs will come with us too since one of them was just diagnosed with Cushings Disease. They will love the country air!

Hello,
It'd be nice to use the card for an outing in central florida. the weather has been nice lately and this is a great oppurtunity!

We would purchase tickets to Busch Gardens! We would also stay at the DonCesar. We've always wanted to stay at that Hotel, and wake up to the view of the ocean at our window.

when we went on our last vacation, we purchased an entertainment book ahead of time online for the area that we were going to be spending our vacation time in... just using one or two coupons out of the book paid for the book itself and you can become familiarized with other local businesses that way as well

Every day is a vaction for us! We embrace the Law of Attraction fully, enjoying fun and adventure and excitement each and every day. We have all we need and want and our lives are incredible! Knowing we have it all - we DO. It's a truly beautiful thing. =))

on Friday i will leave with my folk grass band, Passerine, for a two and a half week tour... we sure could use $500 to offset costs. we'll certainly be cooking instead of eating out when we can, as well as busking where possible...

With the $500 prize: i will buy a bunch of gas cards and drive to North Carolina to visit some friends in the mountains.

Would love to win this! we are planning a disney trip in sept. for my daughters birthday presents and this would go far to spread the joy!!

We have annual passes to Busch Gardens and SeaWorld Orlando. We'd love to get a hotel or condo and stay for a long weekend... maybe WITHOUT kids?!

Winning would be great for my son and I to actually take a vacation. I would LOVE to take him away for the weekend. Thanks! Love and light.

I have lived in the USA since 1993. One day I want to visit New York City and see all the great places there!

If I won, I could rent a pontoon boat and take several friends for a ride to sam's beach for a nice dinner at Inn on the gulf, watch the sunset and listen to the band play. If I won the grand prize, we could rent a couple hotel rooms there and wake up to the waves. Love pasco county !

I've been trying to find a job for the past thirteen months since moving to Florida with a daughter and three grandchildren. It's been very challenging to say the least. With no income of my own coming in, and my daughter struggling to pay rent, utilities, feed the kids, and all the other "NEEDS" that come with trying to raise three children as a single parent, we are thankful for any and all help we can get, so it would definitely be a blessing to receive the five hundred dollars to buy toiletries, laundry supplies, gas for the car to get to places we NEED to go (church especially). We could all use a smile on our faces for a change. :)

This year we needed to cut back on our spending so we as a family focused on "day trip vacations". One day we took the kids to Ybor and showed them a "city experience". Another day we visited creative places in St. Petersburg with a museum visit and a pottery experience. The kids really enjoyed these adventures and we saved money by using discount voucher websites like GROUPON, HALF-OFF DEPOT, DEAL CHICKEN, LIVING SOCIAL AND CLDEALS. If we won we would spend the money buying more of these deals to fund day trips over winter break. I like being able to offer my children exposure to enriching activities on a budget. This practice also supports local businesses and helps me to find opportunities within my community I did not know were there.

We have a family of 4. My wife & I have government jobs; so the pay isn't great at all. With me being a teacher & not seeing a raise in 6 years makes it more difficult. We also pay daycare for our 2 children. So we really watch our spending. First & foremost save , save, save! Most banks have an available vacation account, where you may put away a portion of each paycheck. Putting a portion away each paycheck will help because you won't miss it as much. When it comes time for a vacation, you'll have a good portion already saved up. There are also many vacation saving websites out there such as Amazon, Living Social, Groupons, etc. There's also a little luck. Depending on your occupation, you may be eligible for discounts. Being a teacher, there are many. For example, we wanted to get a way for a small vacation in Orlando. I found a Hilton for $62 a night through fldoe teacher discount program. Also a little luck... we were able to score 4 Universal Studio tickets from relatives who had comp tickets they had won & weren't going to use them. So I was able to barter for them. Don't be afraid to ASK for free stuff! You never know if you don't ask....

Our family saves up our change and uses that towards our vacation or just for spending money for where we get to where we are going. Sometimes it amazes me how much it can add up to. I have three children ages 11, 8 and 11 months and we would love to spend a weekend by the beach for the last hurrah of summer.

Life is such a blessing, but it isn't always easy! LOL! My husband just began a new business about a year ago and I am still working on a contract in the school system. Our two teenagers are so patient and willing to make sacrifices financially, but it would feel so very nice to spend some time together to celebrate these last few weeks before school begins. We live in one of the most beautiful areas in the world...it would be so much fun to just plunge right in and ENJOY!!

I would rent an rv for the weekend n drive to Ocala national park and stay at an rv park by the springs and/or lakes. We have never done it and think that would b lots of fun.

I would book a trip to California for my 25th wedding anniversary! Or maybe to the Keys! Or maybe to the mountains! Or maybe.....Or maybe....whatever I found the best deal is where I'd land, but one thing is for sure....I WOULD CELEBRATE!

I would put the money towards a plane ticket to surprise my Nana in England for her 90th Birthday in November

Since I live in Florida and all of my family are up north, no vacation would be better than to visit my family.

I would use it to take a trip to the Bahamas with my beautiful girlfriend

My family and I are moving from Buffalo, NY to Florida, asap. We have been traveling to different areas of Florida to help us decide where we want to live. It gets rather pricey traveling from Buffalo, NY. So the money would be used for our next vacation to FL in our hunt for a new home.

(: We would use it as a stay-cation and spend it locally :)

To save money, we would book a vacation home instead of two hotel rooms or being cramped in one. Also having a kitchen would save money on meals.

I use restaurant.com to get gift cert for restaurants where we plan to be on vacation. I also do a ton of research online to find free or less expensive things to do while there. If I win the $500, I would buy airline tickets for my 2 girls to come visit us. One lives in Chicago and one lives in Ohio. With airfare so expensive, it's hard to see them often.

My daughter wants to visit Disney and meet the Princesses. I would use the $500 for Disney tickets and a room for the night. She would have a blast and hopefully create some lifelong memories.

I would get air fare for son and family in Mn to come vist his dad who has alzemer before he forgets them.

I've been unemployed for 3 years so money is really tight. We'd keep it local and use the money to go visit our daughters in Jacksonville and Tallahasse. We talk on the phone all the time but it would be great to go see them.

I would take my husband away for the weekend to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. We had dreamed of going to Italy but we took a hit financially as a result of this poor economy and a child entering college put that plan on hold. Winning $500 would allow us to take a weekend to celebrate ourselves without feeling guilty for spending money on ourselves or worring if we can really afford it.

I love cruises for a couples weekend. All enclusive resorts are also fantastic. With the kids, a theme park and 3 night hotel stay is perfect. Many Orlando resorts have added huge pools. They are great for after park fun and hotels at all price points offer them.

If I won the $500 I would take me and my boyfriend to stay at the Hard Rock hotel in Tampa, before starting college and a second job. It would be a lovely getaway! hopefully get some luck at the casino ;)

I would take my 3-year-old granddaughter and her beautiful mom to Disney world for a couple of days. After a hard year on both, the money saved for such a tirp is dwindling. Thwy need some joy in their lives . . .and that would make my heart happy!

Floridians can find much more satisfaction in a stay-cation than many others. Consider the fact that thousands of visitors pour into Florida each year. What have they come to see? If you try to see Florida through their eyes, you may find yourself ooohing and ahhhing just like they do. If I were to win this prize, I would take my son to Titusville for the bioluminescent kayak tour at the Haulover Canal Launch, and we would spend another day exploring the Kennedy Space Center. I might even spring for a tandem skydive myself, since the best skydives in the state can be found right there!

Winning this money would mean so much to my family, I would take my family and kids to worlds of fun or a few concerts. This would be nice because my family has never been out of our state and never have had a vacation before because of not having enough money. Thanks:)

My middle child is in her 20's. She graduated from U of FL a few years ago and she wasn't ready to go right into graduate school. So she applied and was accepted into the U.S. Peace Corps. She is living in a small rural village in Panama, where she is teaching the community about ecology and environmental sustainability. She has been gone over a year and still has another year to go in her contract. It's not in my budget to fly down to see her, but I want to very badly... I miss her so much!! I am very proud of her courage, her huge heart and her dedication to make the world a better place. I would love to surprise her and be able to go see her.

I have been unemployed for 8 months and my kids have had little to no fun over Summer vacation, so I would book a hotel at the beach for a weekend and enjoy some time with them.

I would plan a "Staycation" for some family fun before school starts. We live in the most awesome state and there is lots to enjoy right here in Florida!

3 years ago, I was laid off for a 2nd time (same company). I couldn't find a job anywhere in FL. I happened upon a very low paying job and it just so happened that the owner of my complex in Orlando had a complex I transferred to in Dunedin. I had to leave that low paying job and take a contract job where I got no vacation time or benefits of any kind. I recently got a work from home job with benefits but won't get vacation time for another 9 months! I tell people I don't need a vacation because I already live in paradise! $500 would go a long way supporting the local economy in Dunedin and the surrounding cities!

Times are definately tough for everyone. I recently had my hours cut for my work from 40 hours to 17 or 18 a week. This has certainly taken a toll on our finacial situation. My wife has been looking for a job and unsuccessful. We have two teenage kids and it would be wonderful to have an opportunity to maybe see a home Tampa Bay Rays baseball game or head to the beach or Orlando for some much needed family fun. I wish everyone luck--thank you for giving us all a chance to win such a nice treat! :)

Like many other people, we have had a rough year financially. It would be great to use the $500 to take a beach vacation. Even though the beach is only 7 miles away, it would be great to look out the door and see the sand and water while the sea gulls are calling overhead. Can't you just smell the salt in the air? I am relaxed just thinking about it.

My good friend quit smoking and is saving that money for a trip to his homeland, Scotland. I am so proud of him.. $5 a day is adding up!

We've been wanting to take a trip to the Keys/the Everglades so I think we would do that with the extra money .... or save some of it for a "rainy day."

Boy, could I use a vacation!

There are so many possibilities... my family up north would be distraught if they found out I got some extra money and didn't use it to visit them (it's been a loooong time since I was able to go to MI to visit) so I guess I would have to keep it a secret
;-) LOL

St. Augustine is my favorite city in FL, so I think I would like to go up there. It is by far one of the most beautiful areas in the country. I love the history and the brick streets, the fort by the water.

Another possibility is visiting the keys. I have never been, and have always wanted to go. My birthday was a couple weeks ago and I had originally planned to visit the keys to celebrate but due some other situations I was unable to go. This would be a perfect birthday gift!

I would say that my best tip for saving up for anything, including summer fun, is to be intentional and use a budget. It helps to set a goal and put it in writing. Once you have determined how much you need, figure out how much you need to save each week or month. Then figure out what you can cut out of your current spending (dinner out, clothes shopping, etc.) or see if you can reduce some of your bills (shop car insurance rates or try to use less electricity).

I would use the prize money to take my family to the beach for a weekend. We have a 5 month old son and would love to get that first "toes in the sand" photo!

I would use the $500 to take my Mom on a cruise out of Tampa to no-where. Just get on the boat, put up our feet, and sip Margaritas until they make us get off.

I planned a trip to the FL Keys when TS Debby hit. I would go there now.

When I traveled through Europe I was on a shoestring budget. To minimize cost I took part in what's known as Couch Surfing, a program where you stay with people for free in each of the places you visit. There is an online social site that matches up potential surfers and hosts and you choose who you want to stay with based off their profile which explains their personality, background and surfing arrangement. The idea then is that you open your house to other surfers when you are not traveling.

While this may sound scary or horrifying to some people it is actually quite safe and extremely rewarding. You meet amazing people and gain a local perspective when you travel and you have such pride in your hometown when you host. By traveling this way I stayed on a sailboat in an Norweigan fjord for a week, a farmhouse in the Swiss Alps, and a University at the Vancouver Olympics. I have continued to use the site when I travel and have hosted some wonderful people. It saved money and allowed my first trip overseas to include 11 countries over a span of 2 months and I'm still in touch with some of the friends I made on that trip through Couch Surfing.

If I were to win the $500 I would take my boyfriend to Washington DC to help with his job search. He desperately needs a new job where he will be treated better. Combine play with work, another way to pinch a penny!

We save any way we can by clipping coupons & using the buy one get one free's @ local grocery store. Due the economy & obligations; we have NO money left for vacation. I'd give anything to visit my 3yr old grandson who was born and lives with my daughter on an island in Honduras. Due to legalities, he cannot leave the country w/o his fathers signature. Therefore, I have not seen my grandson in 2 1/2yrs.Sometimes I cry myself to sleep praying to God-please make a way for us to visit him. He is so precious. I am thankful for skype but it isn't the same as HOLDING,HUGGING,KISSING him! Luckily, 2 months ago, my daughter had to fly to Alaska for her job & they allowed her to stop in Tampa for 2 days - the 1st time I'd seen her in 2 1/2 yrs! I would love to hold her son/my grandson! Maybe, I will be chosen to win this to help pay for a ticket to fly there. Thank you for the opportunity/possiblity to having a chance to win! Sharon Alvarez

Win $500, and my family would be buckled up in the car to explore as much of the beautiful state of Florida as every penny would allow. My kids often hear how lucky we are to live here because people wish, save, and dream to come here everyday. So, hold on kids here we go - to explore the treasures all around the state.
First, start in Tampa to Tallahassee, stopping by Weeki Wachee for a quick mermaid show. After a little state history in Tallahassee, we would look for a little nightly rest in one of the beautiful southern plantations. Next off for a full day of exploring in St. Augustine (via the beaches and sea shells of Jacksonville). I bet the kids would sleep well after a ghost tour! Sight seeing in the car next as we drive the eastern coast and make way to the Keys for the night - okay maybe two! Everglades on our way back to Sanibel for our favorite shelling ever! Treasures in tow back to Tampa.
What did I say kids, yes we are blessed that the military allowed us to live in the beautiful treasure chest of Florida and we have one week before school!! Get in the car - wait, do you have your shoes??

Emailed from Patty D.
We've been purchasing gas cards ahead of time for our upcoming trip (using a $10 off coupon from a local supermarket). Not only is this helping to spread the cost out but since some gas stations have a different price for cash/credit, we can use the cards to get the cash price. Of course, we are already saving $10 on each $50 card so that helps too.

I would renew our annual passes to our local attractions. My son loves visiting Busch Gardens, The Florida Aquarium, Lowry Park Zoo, and the children's museum!

I save thoughout the year, using coupons, and deal sites. We usually try to take the kids on vacation to a state that we haven't been to yet. However, this year, we were not able to afford a vacation so we try to take the kids to the aquarium, the zoo, or any museum we haven't been to. You can usually find coupons for these places too.

As a hard working teacher who hasn't had a raise in a very long time, I would take my two young adult children up north to see their 86 yr old grandmother and many cousins, who they haven't seen in many years because we can't afford the plane fare. It would be a lovely mini-family reunion before school starts and we would be ever so grateful!

I have recently had to make some drastic changes in my life because of a relationship I was in. I have now moved into a nice home for me and my boys. However with all the costs of leaving everything behind, starting over and moving we don't have money left for anything except living expenses and that is tight. I know my boys are very happy just at being away from the other situation however it would be so nice to take them on a well deserved vacation of their choosing to just let loose especially before school starts back.

We would probably re-up our Legoland passes, or just use it to defray the end-of-summer beach getaway we do every year at the Tradewinds or another Pinellas County beachfront property.

Wow I can only imagine what my crazy family of 5 would do with this money!!! The kids have been asking to go camping and also to Orlando so it would definately be one of those choices. We have been cutting coupons all summer to do trips around town so this would really be a treat!

A great way for a family to save money is to use a personal rental instead of a Hotel. Decide where you want to go then go to a site like, VRBO.com, HomeAway.com or FlipKey.com and search the city you want. A house or condo rental for the price of a Hotel or less.

We keep an eye on discount travel sites like travelzoo.com to find deals that allow us to go on vacation

Omigosh I am so upset!!!!! I entered this contest - or so I thought.... but apparently commented on the official rules section. Why is there even an option for comments there anyway!? How upsetting!! I was hoping I had a chance at winning and then to find out I had no chance at all. :( Well here was my entry, which is still over in the "official rules" section.....::sigh:: 'The best way for us to (try to) save up for summer fun is to have a yard sale. We try to do this every year, but this year my son learned about the concept of "paying it forward" and "good karma." Instead of a yard sale, he wanted to donate our items to help others in need. So we went to various charities throughout the area and donated toys, small appliances, and other various nick-nacks. He learned what it felt like to do good for his community. He loved it so much that he wants to do it again. I have to admit....I would love if some good karma came our way/his way!'

I like these contests to watch all the people beg for money. The unique ways to try to win such a nominal amount of money. Begging like they will never see this amount of money ever again. It reinforces what I think about the general public.

I have a family of six, so flying is pricy. I'd put the cash toward plane tickets to see family at Thanksgiving!

...and the winner is????

Yeah, I have been wondering the same thing. Whoever the lucky winner was, Congrats!

We will be posting a story this week about the winners.