Travel is one of the most exciting and interesting things that we can do as a family, solo, and with a group of friends. In today’s world traveling to exciting places is very costly for some of us. However, do not become discouraged.
One of the ways to still be able to enjoy travel is to set up a budget. We have budgets for pretty much everything in our life. Why not do the same for travel. Traveling on a budget has become more and more of a necessity.
For many of us keeping the cost low while traveling is very important in order to really enjoy your vacation. Whether you are a solo traveler seeing the world for the first time or a family with a carload full of kids heading for the beach or the theme park. You do not want to come back and realized that you are going to be eating beans and franks for the next month. Although there isn’t anything wrong with that combination.
Here are a few steps to help you come up with a travel budget, the first step is to determine where you would like to travel to will it be in the United States, will it be out of the country, will you be flying, sailing on a cruise ship, will you be driving, taking a train or a bus. You should decide what is important to you and where you can cut back a bit. For instance, some travelers are comfortable spending a bit more for a better class of hotel, while others prefer to save money by using budget accommodations and spend the money they saved on sightseeing or a special meal for the family.
The second step is to determine a budget for the various aspects of your vacation, such as hotel, airfare, rental cars, sightseeing, gasoline, etc.
By doing this you will have a good idea of what the vacation should cost and you will be ready to start shopping around for the best deals.
Once you have determined what is most important to you, it is time to start determining how to get the best deals. Often, admission deals on area attractions are the easiest to come by, since many theme parks, museums, and other destinations run specials to attract out-of-town guests.
To score big discounts on area attractions, the best place to start is the website of the attraction itself. Be sure to check the website for any specials, such as two for one deal, free admission for children, special reduced admission days, etc.
Third step if you belong to any associations or organizations for example, if you are a member of the military, a senior citizen or a member of AAA, or AARP there are often additional discounts available. Double-check with AAA they might sell discount admission tickets to theme parks, museums, and other popular attractions within driving distance, and most AAA offices sell discounted admissions to popular attractions like Walt Disney World as well.
The fourth step is if you are driving to your destination, and you are not renting a vehicle make sure you check all the necessary maintenance checks. Double-check the small details, such as under-inflated tires, worn spark plugs, check your oil these are things that can eat into your gas mileage and end up costing a bundle, especially on a long road trip.
If you have a free-standing GPS system, make sure it is updated another good idea is to map out your route prior to your leaving for your trip. Another thing is to familiarize yourself with your destination so you can locate the local supermarket, retail stores, and any emergency facilities. Remember familiarizing yourself with the surrounding area will make your vacation more pleasant and less costly.
No matter how you save money on your next vacation, having a budget and sticking to it will help you enjoy your vacation more, and worry less about paying for it. The key is to make your budget cost-effective and take advantage of all the great discounts that are available to you.
Now if this is too much for you – You can always reach out to your travel advisor and they will put an itinerary together for you, find the best rates for you and your family to have a wonderful time.
