Life can become very heavy if you don’t have something to look forward to. Every day starts to feel the same and pretty soon even the fun things aren’t enjoyable any longer. Life loses its luster and you’re wondering why you try so hard just to work your fingers to the bone.
The good news is that you don’t have to. You can enjoy a great vacation and still stay within a reasonable budget. Here’s how:
Look for deals
There are several different websites that offer you discounted deals if you book the airfare, hotel and car rental at the same time. Some of the major ones include Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz, but you have more options than that.
Start looking up your destination on the internet and you’ll likely find some local travel agencies who will give you rock bottom prices just to get you to their destination.
Go in groups
Most places will give you better prices if you have a larger party. So, get a group of your over-worked pals together and head out of town to enjoy a much needed break at a lower rate.
Plus, imagine all of the fun you’ll have with a bunch of your closest friends in tow!
Make it personal
Online searching is a great way to see how you can vacation on a budget, but nothing beats a personal phone call to your desired destination. Oftentimes, they will give you a better deal on the phone because you’ve established that personal connection.
They want your business and may be willing to throw in extra things just to get it.
Find things to do that are free
Not every time away from home has to involve luxury days at the spa or expensive 18 holes of golf. Sure, those are nice but if you can’t afford them, it’s better to have a vacation without them than no vacation at all.
Search the area you want to go to for free expeditions and you’ll likely find many. Besides, sometimes it is the free things that are the most fun.
Limit meals out
Time away from home can be very costly if you’re trying to budget for three meals a day. They can easily wind up taking $75-$100 per person out of your vacation fund. But, if you don’t plan to eat out every meal, you’ll save lots of cash and maybe even be able to enjoy a longer vacation.
If you’re staying at a hotel that serves a complimentary continental breakfast, that can save you a lot right there. And, if you go to the grocery store on arrival and get lunch meat and bread for noontime sandwiches to keep in your hotel fridge, then the only meal out is dinner and you will have nixed the price by about two-thirds.
Take snacks with you too so you have something on hand when hunger strikes so you aren’t tempted to veer off your financial course.
Plan ahead
If there is something that you want to make sure you do while on your holiday, you’ll most likely get better rates if you plan it ahead of time.
A lot of places offer discounted prices when you pay well enough in advance or book online. Take advantage of this easy savings opportunity by knowing what you want to do before you go.
Use cash envelopes
It can be hard to stick to a budget when you’re on vacation. You get caught up in the moment and end up spending way more than you had intended. One way to stop that is to utilize cash envelopes.
Take whatever money you’re allotting yourself and divide it up by the number of days you’ll be gone. Use the money in the envelope for that particular day and when it is gone, it’s gone. That way you won’t find yourself half way through your vacation without enough money to even find your way home.
Ask for discounts
No matter where you go or what you do, very few businesses will willingly tell you when they offer discounts. However, some give money savings to people that are members of certain auto insurance agencies or other organizations. If you’re at a restaurant, ask the server if they offer any deals on their food. When you’re purchasing tickets for an event, do the same. You may be surprised to learn how being involved with a certain group can save you some cash when you’re out of town.
Don’t be afraid to walk away
If you’re on vacation and you find something to do that interests you but realize that it is too much money for your budget, don’t be afraid to walk away from it.
If they want your business bad enough, they won’t let you take more than two steps without offering you a lesser rate just to get you in their door. And, if they don’t then they don’t.
There’s nothing you can do to get a business to go down in price if they have a hard and fast rule not to.
Make it a game
If you’ve ever seen that television show where the people go grocery shopping to see how many items they can get for next to nothing via couponing, then you can learn from them. Make it a goal to go on vacation and do as many things as you can with as little money as possible.
Use your creativity to give you a memorable holiday that doesn’t break your bank. The more fun you make it, the more fun you’ll have when you’re taking your break from reality.
You can vacation on a budget; you just have to know how. Now that you do, it’s time to take some time away and give your mind (and your pocketbook) a break.
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