Summer is coming, which means that now is the perfect time to start thinking about your summer holiday plans if you haven’t already. For a lot of us, we only get four weeks of vacation time a year, which means that when it comes to using them, we want to make the most of the time that we’ve got. The only problem is that sometimes jetting off to somewhere sunny doesn’t seem like it’s within your reach because your bank balance is painfully low. If you’re feeling the pinch financially, don’t worry you’re not alone. At one point or another, most of us will find ourselves low on funds.
However, just because your bank balance is low, that doesn’t mean that you and your family should miss out on traveling this summer. Because luckily, there are plenty of simple hacks that you can implement to make traveling this summer more affordable, whatever the size of your budget. So don’t stress, you don’t have to miss out on making memories with your friends or family just because times are tough, you can still get away and have an amazing time, it’s just a case of being savvy about how you plan your trip, that’s all.
Be selective about the type of trip you book
Let’s start by focusing on the type of trip that you want to book. If you want to keep costs low, it’s important to be selective about what you book. Don’t rush into booking any trip, take the time to research each option that you have carefully.
Start by looking at where you are planning on going, such as to a city or to a more rural area. You will probably find that cities cost a lot more to visit than rural areas because they are more popular, and the more popular the place, the more it costs to visit. If you want to visit a city but can’t afford the cost, why not look at staying in the suburbs? That way you’re close enough by to travel in and enjoy the attractions but don’t have to worry about breaking the bank.
The next thing to focus on is the type of accommodation you opt to stay at. Should you book a hotel room, a villa, or a guesthouse? Should you opt to go self-catered, part-catered or all inclusive? If you’re trying to save money, your best options are all-inclusive (including drinks and snacks) or self-catered (staying somewhere that has a kitchen). If you opt to go self-catered, just make sure that there is a supermarket nearby.
Scour the internet for the best deals
A simple way to cut costs when it comes to planning your summer holiday is to scour the internet for all of the best deals. Yes, travel companies offer in-store deals, but often all the best deals are online. As well as looking on travel websites for deals, it’s also a good idea to branch out and have a look on discount sites like DontPayFull.com, so that you can see all of your options. What you want to determine is how you can make the biggest saving, that’s what is important. Because the more money you can save on the cost of your trip itself, the more money you will have to spend while you’re there.
As well as looking for deals for accommodation and flights, it’s also worth having a look online for other coupons and discounts. Believe it or not, you can find deals for all sorts of things, from attractions and days out to restaurants and shops, so it’s more than worth taking the time to have a browse online. You can either have a browse of everything that’s on offer or if there’s a certain attraction you want to visit, for instance, you could search for discounts for that. You might find deals for booking tickets online in advance, discounts for booking for certain times of day, or deals for booking with a certain amount of people. It’s just a case of being willing to take your time, ensuring that you find all the best deals. For more ideas of cutting costs while on vacation, visit Business.Time.com.
Book tickets to attractions online before you travel
When it comes to visiting sights and attractions while you’re away, which is an important part of any holiday, you might want to think about what your budget is – aka what can you afford to spend? The last thing you want to do is plan out lots of exciting things to do, only to find that you can’t afford to do them when you arrive. That’s why it’s a good idea to get an idea of how much each attraction costs to visit before you travel.
Often sights and attractions, from architectural buildings of note to attractions like water parks, can be a little pricey to get into. That’s why it’s worth booking tickets in advance online – from reputable sites only – to try and make some savings. Often, there’s a 10% discount for anyone who books tickets to an attraction online in advance – it might only be a small saving, but every penny counts.
Take advantage of public transport
Of course, when it comes to traveling it’s tempting to rent a car to make getting around quicker and easier, but often the prices are extremely high. So it’s often best to opt to use public transport to get around, to avoid paying over the odds for a rental car. If you plan on using public transport to get around, it’s important to choose somewhere for your vacation that has good transport links and has a public transport system that is affordable.
Another option, if you’re not keen to use public transport to get around, could be to look out for car rental deals and discounts online. Believe it or not, there are plenty of sites that offer deal and discount codes for car rental services, helping to make it more affordable to rent a car while abroad. It’s just a case of being savvy about where you rent from and what discount codes you opt to take advantage of.
Budget for each part of your trip
When it comes to traveling on a small budget, it’s crucial that you have a budget in place for each part of your trip, so that you don’t end up overspending. The best way to budget for your trip is to split it into parts and assign a certain amount of money to each part, as this helps to make your spending more manageable.
For example, split your trip into accommodation, flights, food, days out, and souvenirs, and then set a certain amount of money that you can spend for each part of it. Decide how much to spend on each part, write that figure down and ensure that it’s stuck to. This will help to make your trip more enjoyable, as you will know what you have available to spend on each part of it.
See, it is possible to go on vacation when money is tight; it’s just a case of planning in advance and being savvy about it, that’s all. By taking note of the tips and advice above, you can make the process of planning a trip on a budget and have an amazing time much simpler. Sure, it will take some planning, but the fact is it is possible to go on holiday on a budget, so even if times are tough, it is possible to have a lovely break away with your family or friends.
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