It would be amazing to go on an autumn or a winter trip? Maybe you are planning a vacation or a trip to somewhere you can relax your body and soul?
But is it so that you may not be able to afford the trip? Use the tips below to plan an amazing vacation and enjoy your vacation to its best!
It is an amazing feeling when you have a vacation to look forward to and prepare for the whole excursion. Every one of us loves to go on vacations.
The beautiful destinations, adrenaline-pumping activities, and hundreds of priceless and unforgettable memories always make the money spent and time planning worth it.
But we do not want to spend all those expensive price tags that are placed on these trips, rather we want to and spend hours researching, shopping for the best deals, being one of the most creative beings on this planet when we are deciding upon where to go, what hotels or establishments to stay in, what we have to eat and must try and also the activities that are worth our time.
Are you one of those people who somehow find all this planning a little hectic and very tough? Are you one of those whose dream vacation seems out of your reach? We got you covered, all you have to do is be creative and follow the steps mentioned below to plan your dream vacation on a budget!
1. Do Your Research
Well, we have to face the truth that the majority of the time vacation deals are not sitting at your front door waiting for you to grab them up like your neighbour’s cat, you have to be somewhat hungry to grab yourself a deal.
You have to go out and look for the best deals on the market. You have to research a couple of key things when you plan a vacation on a budget for example- the best time to visit a tourist destination, when are the activities and places cheaper, what is the weather condition of your preferred destination during your preferred period of a vacation, the food available at those destinations, etc.
You should search for the best deals, look at multiple travel websites, inquire about these trips from various travel agents in your city or town, and you can even visit the hotel and resort’s official websites and social pages.
Planning a good vacation, that too on a budget will take time. It involves looking at a wide array of website pages, reviews and even calling the hotels, organizers, resorts and tour guides, and figuring out every aspect of the planned vacation.
However, once you have done your research, it is worth every second that has been spent on it.
2. Book Early
There is a very old saying, and we believe that it is true, especially in context with travel planning, i.e., the early bird will always get the worm.
It is very much like a tree, as time goes on the height of a tree keeps on increasing similarly as time passes the cost of vacations always goes up.
However in an unlikely event that the prices do drop and you are also lucky enough to see it – the majority of airlines and hotels match a price or give you a cashback if you bring into their notice about the price drop after you booked your travel.
There have been many instances in my own life when I saw the price drop for a flight ticket, and the minute I brought that to notice for the airline company they managed the prices and gave me a cashback.
On the contrary, you may also get unlucky as I get at times when I have been watching an aeroplane or a vacation and it increases right in front of my eyes before I book it.
And trust me I know how frustrating this can be, I have literally pulled my hair because of it. Hence, we will always advise you to research and keep an eye on the prices as soon as they are announced or made visible on the websites.
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3. Have a Plan
It is often a habit of many people where they just land in a city or tourist destination, but they have no plan about what or how or when they will do during the course of their vacation.
This is something that you should always avoid if you plan or figure out things to do after you have landed at the desired destination, it will just lead to an intense amount of spending and impulsive decisions and shopping.
Instead, you should always do your share of research. Research in advance about the activities, tourist spots, sites and come up with your own itinerary for your vacation.
More than often a majority of tourist attractions offer special discounts and perks to the people who book in advance, so why miss out on something this cool? Always make sure you make your bookings in advance.
We of course know that it is not possible at all to possess all the knowledge about everything at a tourist city or destination, and there are many things that you come to know about only when you arrive at the site.
Anyway, it is always good if you research and try to cover as many things as possible with an advance booking or knowledge, which ultimately helps you to plan your vacation on a budget.
4. Book a Hotel that Includes Food
Always look for a hotel that includes a breakfast buffet or a continental breakfast so that you have had a good meal before you head out for a day full of adventure, fun and sightseeing.
This might just seem a little trick, but trust me it can save you a ton of money. Furthermore, it is much more convenient in the same hotel where you are staying instead of roaming around in the morning time in a city trying to find a place to have breakfast at.
There are many hotels that include a happy hour or snacks. Taking advantage of these amenities serves as a great help for your food budget throughout your vacation.
So this is something that you should always consider before booking a hotel for your stay during a vacation. A good breakfast can fuel you for a good chunk of a day, and usually, you will only spend for only one more meal during the entire day.
5. Do Not Eat Out Every Meal of Your Trip
In a scenario where the hotel you are staying in does not offer any food or meals, then buy or eat food from the local grocery store instead of going out to eat at a restaurant or a food place.
And in case you have some extra space in your bags or suitcases, bring along from breakfast cereals and chocolates to snacks like granola, dried fruits, namkeens, khakhra, and nuts that you bought back in your home town at discounted prices.
In addition to that, have a habit of bringing your own snacks and drinks along with you to various attractions, parks and even game and adventure sites which will save you hundreds of rupees that you would have spent on those things.
You can save 100-250 bucks if you just carry a refillable water bottle with you, instead of buying disposable water bottles.
Also, you can switch to drinking water with your meals instead of spending hundreds of rupees on soft drinks and alcoholic beverages.
We all agree that going out and eating at those famous restaurants and local food outlets and food trucks.
However, you should try out these tips that will help you cut down on the money that you spend on your food and meals, instead of eating every meal on your vacations at restaurants.
6. Sign Up and Take Advantage of Promotional Offers and Coupons
Many people enjoy an abundance of deals by signing up for hotel websites, attraction websites, and various other tour websites that send coupons to their customers and also combining items.
For example, there are many travel bloggers and even my friends and family who have signed up for the attractions in advance and have always benefited from them.
One of the travel bloggers I follow got an amazing discount on the hop-on and hop-off bus tours on their trip to Washington DC.
All this is only possible when you have done your research and signed up for the tour packages, attractions websites and even hotel websites.
In addition to all these perks, when you sign up for your hotel websites you will also be able to get a free hot breakfast buffet every single morning of your stay at the hotel, many hotels give out such great deals as you sign up for their websites.
There is an abundance of such great deals and coupons out there for various vacations and attractions, all it takes is some research, time and decent effort to find them.
7. Plan or Travel to Attractions on Off Days
Well, let’s just be real for a second and we all can agree upon the fact that depending on the time of the year during which you go to a few places, it can be crazy costly and will probably create a black hole in your wallet.
For example, visiting Disney World during the Christmas days or during the Spring Season Break is definitely going to be more costly than visiting the same destination during Fall Season or the early winter because of the peak times.
Unfortunately, it is the basic economic theory of supply and demand that dictates everything, and it is also the theory that dictates the business and industry of tours and attractions.
Weekends are always going to be busier and because of that, they are going to be costlier too. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the best days to go and do things as they occur just at the start of the week and are the least busy and also the cheapest.
If it is possible for you, always travel and do attractions during non-peak times. Sometimes it is not possible to avoid the rush times because of your schools and work, but still, always try to avoid it and by doing so also avoid a busy and expensive trip for yourself and your family.
Conclusion: How to Plan a Vacation on a Budget
Traveling for a vacation doesn’t have to be expensive. With the proper planning you can have a great time on vacation without running broke or breaking the bank.
With these 7 tips you should be able to get the best deal for your next vacation.
Now I would like to hear from you.
What do you normally do as you plan for your vacation in order to cut costs?
Let me know in the comment section below.
Also share these 7 tips to plan a vacation on a budget with your friends and family.