Plan A Perfect Vacation On Budget

Trek and Trade
August 30, 2024
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Plan A Perfect Vacation On Budget

Budget-Imagine you are sitting on the edge of a serene lake in Montreux in Switzerland. There is a cold breeze touching your face, ruffling through your hair. You are looking at the French Alps while holding the hand of your loved one and thinking the time would stop now. You want to freeze this moment forever. But alas, it cannot happen, and you come back to reality. Back to your day jobs, businesses and usual life. But every now and then you think about the great time you had, things you did, what you felt, and it gives you a smile, and you say to yourself let’s go back in time or let’s plan another trip.

Has this ever happened to you? But instead of Montreux in Switzerland your memory might be of some other place. But the feeling would remain the same. AS per research, having a vacation planned gives you motivation to work, save money, invest in your health because you want to show off your beach body. In general, you tend to be on the happier side. And after Covid the tourism has got new life, and every place seems to be flooded with tourists and now you are feeling down with exorbitant charges and planning a vacation feels like a lot of work and causes anxiety. If this is your situation, here are a few practical tips which can help you out.

Why do we need a vacation:

Ever wondered why people spend a fortune just on vacation. The answer is not only rejuvenation, or they want to show off their happy moments on social media. Yes, that might be a motive, but a vacation is much more than that.

Vacation to a new place

1. Open your mind

Open your mind and you see things from a different perspective. For example, You might think that xyz country is beautiful and people are very happy there. But if you go and see you might see similarities with people around. This makes you feel grounded, and you tend to compare less. You feel gratitude for what you have.

2. Different cuisine

While some may prefer their usual taste buds but for explorers it’s a treat to try different food items. And at every place you are going to find something which can linger in your memories forever.

3. You are happier before and after vacation

When you have vacation planned you tend to think about the good time you are going to have and that gives you happiness on a day-to-day basis. In fact, according to research, anticipation of something good happening gives much more satisfaction than actual. And once you come back, you have memories to talk about.

You bond as a family/friends

Whether you are going with friends or family or just as a couple. It assesses your compatibility, and you feel closer to people.

Now it looks like vacation does have a lot of benefits, but fact check: It does leave a hole in your pocket. So how can we avoid it and have the best time?

Here are few tips to budget plan your vacation

People and budget are as important as location

Your friend went on an Antarctic excursion and now you feel shit about your life. If this happens to you, remember comparison is a killer of joy. You can’t plan a trip like others but that doesn’t mean you can’t have as much as a good time or more than that. Remember the people you are with make the trip worth going, not the location. So, plan a location you feel comfortable in your budget.

Think in advance

our kids get off in so and so month or you guys have an anniversary and want to spend a romantic getaway. Your business/job schedule allows you some time off in upcoming months. Plan your vacation around.

Have a rough estimate of travel expenses. That includes

a. Your flight tickets/Car rent/ gas charges/ parking charges/ Taxi/ Cab services

b. Your accommodation charges

c. Food charges

d. Tickets to any museum/shows/concerts

e. Shopping charges if any

This will give you an expense estimate now depending on your budget you can add/subtract/change locations and days. DO NOT plan vacation on a strict budget. Things may and will go haywire one or more times. And if you do not have an emergency travel fund, it might put you in a difficult situation.

Choose Off season

A winter vacation to Spain may look less attractive but Spain is as beautiful in winter as it is in summer. So, if it fits your budget go ahead. There are many things you can do instead of just dipping in cold water. (You can do that as well)

How are you going to get there?

Choose a more suitable mode of transport in terms of money and time. It’s a trade off one must take.

Use different websites such as google flights, Skyscanner to compare flight tickets.

Depending on where you are going a bus or train may be cost and time effective.

If you like driving and don’t mind gas money, please go ahead and get that.

Public transport in exchange of cabs

Whenever possible, use public transport in exchange for cabs/taxi. Now here planning and research comes handy. Find out the best possible way to navigate. In most cases cities have travel passes (day pass or 3-4 days pass). Get information as to how you can get those and use them whenever possible.

Rent Airbnb instead oh hotel

Instead of staying in hotels, plan a Airbnb. If you are going to spend 3-4 days in the same hotel, Airbnb might be affordable to you as it is cheaper and can accommodate more people. Another advantage of Airbnb is you can manage your food.

If you are a solo traveler, try hostels. These are cheaper and convenient. Bonus point? You get to meet similar minded people.

Manage your own Food

Eating up outside 3-4 meals a day can quickly derail you. Instead try

1. Local food: Local food is cheap and a great way to explore different cuisines.

2. Check deals/happy hours: Many restaurants offer meals and drink combo or some sort of discount on certain times

3. Cook your own meals: Now you may not want to do this on vacation, but a quick breakfast can save you much more. You can try fruit with yogurt/ Eggs and toast/ breakfast cereal. For dinner you can quickly spin some rice and vegetable or pasta or frozen pizza.

4. Carry homemade snacks: Now this may seem like an alien idea to native Americans but Asians around the world are used to eating and never leave the house without it. It can save you when you have no time to sit and eat. Can be used as breakfast as well. Thus, saving money and time both.

Break on shopping spree

Now shopping before and during vacations may seem like a trivial point but remember it does have the potential to disrupt your plans. Instead of buying things at the last moment buy them at sale where you get them at discounted price and have as backup for your plans. Also do not carry a lot of luggage with you as it may add up flight luggage fees and luggage keeping costs.

Be flexible

Flexibility is a key to many challenges in life, so travel is no exception either. If you had decided to go to a location but it looks expensive to you at the current moment, be flexible to change the plans and book something else. Also, during vacation, if you get a better food deal or shopping deal and take it.

Travel Insurance

If you are travelling to another country, don’t forget to add travel insurance. It may seem unnecessary now but remember so does any insurance. When you have some emergency only then we value it and think what if I had it. Travel insurance makes your life easier in case of flight cancellations, baggage lost, theft. So, choose insurance wisely.