You and your spouse have been working non-stop for months. You’re tired, exhausted, and you are worried that you might fall down any minute. The kids are also getting cranky (if you have kids) and everyone desperately needs a change.
What is the first thing that comes to mind?
A vacation, of course.
There is nothing better than a vacation to recharge that battery and get some miles under your feet. The change in the scenery, the natural environment, and a fun-filled time is exactly what your family is looking for. Vacations Rock! And nobody can deny it.
There’s one problem though. You might think that you do not have the budget to go on a vacation. Well, let us tell you that having a big budget for a vacation is just a myth. You can have a grand vacation on a small budget easily if you just know where to go, what to do, and how to do it. No need for you to stay in 7-star hotels when you can easily find cheap hotels or anywhere else that you want to go to. The same is with the food and beverages as well as the activities that you want to partake in. And don’t worry that a small budget means a lame vacation. That is absolutely not true. There are a lot of great budget-friendly places and activities out there for you.
Here are some of the ways that you can plan a budget-friendly vacation:
Plan Your Budget
The very first thing that you have to do is to actually plan your budget. If you think that your vacation is going out of your budget, stop immediately. There is no need to put yourself through the pressure and the tension of watching as your bank account takes a huge hit. Even if it means that you won’t be able to go on a vacation that is okay. You don’t have to go on a trip abroad every year. You can do a lot of things closer to home which is amazing and they will not put you in debt. Remember that a vacation is not a mandatory thing, it is an optional thing. You can go for it or not. That is totally up to you.
Now that the most important point has been discussed, let’s assume that you have spent the entire year saving up for a vacation and now you are ready to spend it all. Follow the points given below to make sure that you go on that vacation even if you have a small budget. You can also save more by joining our airline, hotel, or bank loyalty programs to redeem miles and points to reduce the cost of your travels.
Go Local
Like we mentioned above, you don’t need to go to Bermuda, Paris, or Rome to have an exceptional vacation. That also doesn’t mean that you have to stay in town for your holidays. Although a stay-cation is always a welcome thing, for the more adventurous, there are a lot of options close to town that you probably never even thought about since you were always fixated on international venues and locations. Look for a local adventure spot, hiking trails, camping grounds, theme parks or anything else that catches your interest.
Another benefit of going local is that once you know all the hot spots and adventure points, you can go on weekends if you want to. It will greatly increase your knowledge and you can help others like you as well.
Visit Friends
If you don’t want to go local then the next best thing is to go visit some of your friends. Find out where your friends or family members are living and see if you can go there on a vacation. That will give you a lot of benefits. First of all, they can act as your tour guides and take you to all the local places that you wouldn’t get to see otherwise. Secondly, you won’t have to pay for room and food (provided that they offer it to you). Even if you stay at an affordable hotel, you can easily manage it. Most people are very eager to show off their town and provide you with the inside knowledge that you are looking for. If you are staying with your friends, buy groceries for meals so that you can help them out and have a healthy, home-cooked meal instead of eating out. This will be healthy and budget-friendly for you.
Travel Off-Peak
You can always travel during the holidays or on the 4th of July, Labor Day, or any other day like that but the problem is that almost everyone else will be doing the same thing. Everyone has the chance to go out in those time periods so there is a lot of traffic and the prices usually skyrocket during these times.
The best thing for you to do, if you want to have a comfortable and affordable vacation is to plan something in the off-peak seasons. Try to go during the weekdays or during the semester. If you are travelling by plane, you can see whether you want to go direct or you can have a layover and save some more money. Weigh out the options and then select the best option that you have.
Another thing that you can do is to plan your vacation according to an event that you have always wanted to attend. It could be a concert, a hiking expedition, or anything else in between. If you just want to have a vacation then look for the off-peak seasons. That is your best bet.
Road Trip!
Airline tickets cost a lot; especially if you are travelling with your family. So, unless you have planned to go somewhere far away, think about a road trip instead of an airline trip. You will find that it is almost always a cheaper option. Not only cheap, but it is also more fun. You can stop at various places on the way and enjoy the food or the local attractions that they have to offer. Another benefit is the family time together. You can really strengthen your bond with your spouse and your kids and have a grand old time along the way. Play games and listen to music together to have fun.
Go for Quirky
Almost everyone goes to the traditional holiday spots whenever they go on a vacation. If you want to spend your vacation in comfort and in style without throwing away your money then find out the not so famous spots and plan for the off beaten path. There are a lot of spots that you can go that are not on the traditional visiting list so you will find that they are cheaper and much more fun. The locals will also be more courteous and appreciative.
Bringing It All Together
Remember that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to make grand memories. You just need to do your research, plan out your vacation, and make sure that you keep the above points in your mind.
