How many times have you logged into social media just to see your friends traveling the world? It seems like everyone is taking a vacation these days! (That’s part of the trick of social media.) For a number of reasons, you might think traveling isn’t in the books for you this summer. But planning ahead and being smart about how to keep track of your money is possible while also making sure you get to go on summer vacation (we ALL need a break, and I know how important travel is to you)! With summer here, utilize these summer travel tips – they might help more than you think.
Summer Vacation Money Tips
No matter how much money you have, or don’t have.
You always want to have a plan when going on vacation but planning ahead and having clarity on how much it’s going to cost you is key to making sure you can actually do it. Here are a couple of tips to get you started.
- Define Your Priorities
If you’re not willing to accept anything but a top-shelf experience, you’re probably going to have to save up before you splurge. On the other hand, if your main priorities are to experience a different culture, learn more about history, or even just relax for a few days in a new spot, you can get a lot of vacationing done on a budget… OR a money tracking system that works better than budgets. =)
- Make a Travel To-Do and Cost List
The trick here is to list out what you want to do first! It’s hard to know if you can afford the travel if you don’t actually know what activities you’re doing and how much they’re going to cost. Avoid getting trapped into envy-land (aka Instagram). Go back to your priorities, and keep those in mind when putting your plan together. Think about how much you want to spend each day on vacation and plan for the extra activities you want to do that may cost more money.
- Travel During the Off season
If you have a flexible schedule, you can save a ton simply by traveling during the off-season. And, as an added bonus, you can benefit from less crowded attractions and have a less stressful overall experience. Tourist seasons vary by location so check out your desired destination’s seasons before booking. If it means waiting a few months and skipping summer vacation for cheaper travel expenses, maybe it’s worth it!
- Expensive Hotel – Negotiable or not Negotiable?
It’s always easy to find a hotel anywhere you go. But they definitely tend to be more expensive if located near the hot destinations (i.e. walking distance to Disneyland). Before you make a decision about your lodging, ask yourself this, “Is staying in the best hotel negotiable or not negotiable?” How do your travel partners feel about that? If you’re open to negotiating lodging, which other than airfare tends to be your highest travel cost, skip booking at the most convenient hotel and be willing to travel a bit longer to save on the cost of the hotel. Vacation rentals can be way less expensive than your average hotel. Motels, off brand hotels, and hostels are all other alternatives to consider. Having an understanding of what’s negotiable (best hotel vs. saving money on hotel) is really important when putting your plans together.
- Bundle Packages
Bundling is all the rage these days. From weddings to vacations, bundling is popular. And for good reason – bundles can save money. In fact, Costco Wholesale has some of the best travel package deals around. If you haven’t already, take a look at Costco Travel. They offer trips to almost everywhere with promotions on hotels, rental cars, and activities. Some travel credit cards will also offer travel bundles that can help you, depending on how many points you have. Expedia Travel is another well known site that can offer you many different deals, like saving on rental cars and hotels when you purchase airfare. Last but not least, AAA Travel has great travel deals that are not normally seen by the public.
It’s always important to look at all travel options when you want to get away on vacation. Don’t just go with the first price you see! That’s why planning ahead is so important.
Traveling doesn’t have to require you selling your first born or kidney.
When scrolling through your social media pages, you might see all of these people travel to luxury places and be wondering HOW?! But the truth is, you can get a luxury experience for far less by implementing some of these tips while you plan your next summer vacation.
Even planning a stay-cation can be luxurious by treating yourself to your favorite brunch spot, or taking advantage of that spa deal at your local hotel. It’s totally possible to get away and still have what some people would call a “budget-friendly vacation.” In other words, it’s totally possible to get away and enjoy your vacation without worrying about money.
If you are looking for more tips and tricks to saving money but keeping your $hit Together for your next great vaca, join my Facebook tribe today!