Going on holiday and traveling takes money, even if you have timeshare documentation and a place waiting for you. Still, if you’re like most people, you dream of going away to a wonderful destination where you can relax and let off some steam. The good news is that there are tips and tricks you can apply to plan for a cheap vacation. If you’re thinking about going on vacation, you don’t have to worry about if you can afford it because, with the right planning, you can always find something to suit your budget. Your dream vacation is still possible as long as you’re willing to make a few sacrifices and do your research. If you’re looking for some cheap vacation ideas, you’re in the right place, so read on to discover what you need to do.
Start By Budgeting
If you want to go on a cheap vacation, one of the first steps to focus on is creating a suitable budget. How cheap is cheap? You need to have a reasonable amount saved up to cover the expenses associated with your vacation. This is particularly so if you’re planning an international trip because the flights alone will cost more versus a vacation that involves a road trip. Regardless of your destination, there are basic costs that you have to plan for from the beginning. For starters, how will you get to your destination and where will you stay? Will you be eating restaurant meals, street food, or making your own meals?
All the big expenses that are associated with your vacation should be accounted for. This includes airfare, lodging, and transportation. Depending on how flexible your budget is, you can consider additional costs, such as rental car insurance, roadside assistance, internet provider costs, and entertainment costs. You should be able to distinguish between necessary expenses and optional expenses and try to eliminate or minimize as many optional expenses as possible. Make sure you plan for each and every cost in advance to avoid any surprises. Once you have a budget in place, your next task is to stick to it as much as possible.
Do Your Research
Going on a cheap vacation will require doing as much research as possible before the trip. That’s the only way to minimize the risk of unexpected costs that derail your budget. Additionally, if you’re hoping to save money by capitalizing on vacation deals, how else can you find them if you don’t go looking? The truth is there are many people all over the world that have mastered the art of traveling and vacationing on a shoestring budget. Doing this requires hard work and plenty of creativity because you have to plan every aspect of your vacation carefully. You have to think about how you can save money on every expenditure.
For instance, if your goal is to keep your vacation costs as low as possible, don’t just pay for fancy hotel accommodation with an expensive price tag. You can still find somewhere safe and secure to lay your head down at a fraction of the cost. Your best bet is usually a reputable hostel or shared accommodation. You also need to plan ahead for your meals and look for the best bakeries, restaurants, and establishments where you can get affordable meals. The good news is that the internet makes it possible to access the information you need. Search online to find the cheapest deals and offers you can get that can reduce your vacation costs. You can also ask around and join forums to connect with other thrifty travelers that can give you some pointers. For example, someone can recommend DIY tours using a smartphone, so you don’t have to hire a guide or Geocaching with free city Wi-FI. You can also avoid using ATMs abroad to avoid steep transaction fees, and your research can uncover many free and fun activities to make your vacation more memorable.
Plan Early
If you want to go on a cheap vacation, you have to be the early bird that catches the worm. That’s because planning a vacation at the last minute can be extremely costly. Take flight costs, for instance. Booking a flight or private charter is usually cheaper if you do it while there’s still time. But try booking a flight the day before, and it can be shocking how much more expensive the tickets will be. The same also applies if you try to secure accommodation at the last minute – the prices will only continue rising as you approach the check-in date. On the other hand, if you book early, this gives you many opportunities to save. Let’s say you have booked several nights’ stay at a particular establishment.
When you book early, it’s not only possible to get a good deal, but you can still benefit if a promotional rate comes along and you make an effort to call and negotiate a price adjustment. Even when you have booked a flight, you might notice afterward that the flight price has dropped. In that case, you shouldn’t hesitate to contact the airline and ask for a price adjustment. More often than not, they’ll give it to you. It can be frustrating to delay making a booking only to come back and see the price has increased. To avoid this, you should do your research and compare prices to discover the best offers on the market as early as possible. Always make sure your return flight is sorted out, so you have a guaranteed ticket home, even if your money runs out unexpectedly.
Choose Off-Season Dates
You have to factor in the dates you choose to travel when planning a cheap vacation. The best time to travel is usually the off-season, regardless of your destination. This is usually before or soon after the high season. The reason for this is that during peak travel season, there’s a lot of demand for certain services, and according to the law of demand and supply, the greater the demand, the higher the prices. Therefore, you can expect to spend much more when you’re competing with many others for a seat on a flight or a room at a hotel. Additionally, your holiday destination is likely to be crowded with other tourists if you decide to go during the high season.
This can be a little less fun because it also means that most amenities are crowded and less accessible. For instance, you may be hoping to check out an elite private golf course and invest in the country club membership, but this will likely be more fun if the place is not crowded. The good news is that most popular attractions will still keep their doors open during the shoulder season, so you should still be able to enjoy yourself. That said, some tourist attractions might be closed, and the weather might not be ideal for traveling if you’re holidaying at any time other than the peak season. Another way to save money is to avoid traveling on weekends because they tend to be more expensive as airlines and accommodation establishments hike their prices.
Come Up With a Savings Plan
After you have estimated a budget for your travels, you might realize that you need to save some more to meet the required expenses. The rule of thumb when saving is to find ways to earn more money while cutting back on your expenses. This means you’ll have more funds to set aside for your upcoming vacation. During the days leading up to the vacation, you can take on a side hustle or two to generate more income, such as offering child care services. You can also investigate additional ways to reduce the expenses associated with your vacation. For example, you can redeem the rewards and bonuses you have accumulated on your travel credit cards to get free flights and hotel stays.
If you’re going to be saving for your vacation for a while, there are some tips to keep in mind. It’s best to have a dedicated account where you can store all the travel funds you have accumulated. That way, you can avoid accidentally dipping into your savings for your vacation. If you receive a financial windfall, such as a tax refund or work bonus, make sure you put it towards your vacation as this speeds up the process. If you’re going to be receiving gifts from your family and friends, you can always ask for cash gifts where appropriate so you can go on your vacation sooner rather than later.
Look for Deals
You might be worried about the quality of your vacation because you’re choosing to spend much less than the average traveler. For instance, because you have a tight budget, you might not have access to the best hotels around. This can be a downer, but you can improve the situation greatly by looking for as many deals as possible. For instance, there are many websites all over the internet that can give you the lowdown on the best discounts for travelers available at the time of your travel. Online sites like Tripadvisor and Google Flights can help you score the best deals so that you can still enjoy a quality vacation experience without splurging so much.
There are many bargains that you can capitalize on if you know where to look. Best of all, you hunt for deals in the comfort of your home by signing up for hotel and attractions websites and looking for coupons. Let’s say you have booked a trip somewhere near a beachfront and are hoping to spend some time out on the water. If you do your research in advance you can get a combined deal that also gives you access to a used boat for all your fishing activities. Some establishments will even reward you with some free stuff if you accept their offer. Taking the time to look for the best deals is worth it because you can even free up extra room in your budget so that you can splurge on other things.
Don’t Forget To Have Fun!
When all is said and done, going on a cheap vacation doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. When you budget accordingly and research to find the best deals, you can still have a vacation of a lifetime. You might not get everything you want but it’s a win-win because you’re still traveling and seeing new places while saving money. Although it’s true that traveling and going on holiday will still cost you more than spending time at home, the benefits are worth it. A cheap vacation still provides you with plenty of unique experiences, and the exposure can have a meaningful impact on you.
That time away will still give you a much-needed break away from the stresses of work and daily life, and if you plan things right, you’ll come back feeling refreshed and still in good financial health. When planning a cheap vacation, your mindset will play a big role in whether you’ll enjoy the vacation or not. You have to be willing to make some trade-offs. Instead of focusing on what you could be missing out on by reducing expenses, challenge yourself to make the most of your vacation on your existing budget. You’ll find that it can be exhilarating to have a fun vacation experience without spending as much as the average traveler. The beauty of it is that when you know how to plan a cheap vacation, you can plan more vacations in the future.
These are some of the helpful tips that can make life easier for you when planning a cheap vacation. The good thing about opting to go on a cheap vacation is that you don’t have to wait months and months for your savings to come together. You can start planning a wonderful vacation right now without breaking the bank. This also benefits you because you’re living within your means. That way, you don’t have to splurge on a vacation you can’t afford, only to come back and deal with financial woes created by your vacation expenditures. So, start following these tips today, and we hope you’ll have a budget-friendly vacation that will create many happy memories for you.