When most people think of a vacation, they worry about expensive options like expensive cars, five-star hotels, lavish dinners, and anything else regarded as exotic or decadent. However, anyone can have a nice summer vacation on an average budget if they take the time and effort to plan.
To help you figure out how to get started planning your budgeted summer vacation, below are 12 tips for having a nice summer vacation on an average budget.
12 Tips For Having a Nice Summer Vacation on an Average Budget
You're ready to get away from it all this summer but you want it to be a relaxing experience, not a wallet-draining excursion. How can you have a nice summer vacation on an average budget? These 12 tips will help you to accomplish that goal:
1. Make a Plan and Estimate a Budget
It's essential to know what kind of vacation you want before shopping around for bargains—you'll get a better sense of what your options are and how much they'll cost. If you don't know what kind of trip you want, take some time to think about it—it's far better to spend a little extra time planning now and save yourself from making any last-minute decisions in the middle of your trip.
Once you've decided on your destination and the kinds of activities that interest you, research places to stay, things to do, and prices for those things. This will help define your trip and give you an idea of how much something like this could potentially cost—even if your research doesn't end up being helpful, it still counts as planning.
Assemble all the information about your options into one place (either in an online document or on paper) so that you have everything when it gets time to start setting your plan in motion.
2. Skip the Big Cities
It's tempting to head straight for New York City or Las Vegas when planning your summer vacations, but those cities are expensive destinations and don't always offer enough value for your money.
Instead of staying at pricey hotels in the most expensive cities, opt for smaller towns with less expensive accommodations. You'll still get to experience some great activities without breaking the bank.
3. Stay in an Airbnb
Airbnb is an online community that allows people to rent their homes or rooms out to visitors from all over the world at an affordable rate because they don't have any overhead costs associated with running hotels and resorts. This means that you can get fantastic deals on lodging if you book early enough in advance, sometimes up to 50% off what hotels charge.
4. The Road or the Sky?
There are plenty of ways to avoid paying the total travel price whether you are taking a road trip as a part of your summer vacation or flying. Whether booking a flight or a hotel room, check out discount sites like Kayak, Expedia, and TripAdvisor for deals on flights, car rentals, and hotels. If you have time, you can also wait until the last minute — airlines often have "unadvertised" sales worth waiting for. The same goes for car rental discount sites. Many of these sites offer hotel discounts and other perks as part of your car rental or flight package.
5. Pack Light
You don't need to bring everything but the kitchen sink on your next trip. Unless you're going to be doing some serious hiking or camping, one carry-on bag is all you need (and even then, it's probably too much). Pack light so that you won't have to pay extra baggage fees, which can cost up to $100 per bag.
6. Opt For a Budget Hotel Room
If your budget is tight this summer and you need a place to crash after long days at the beach or sightseeing in another city, consider staying at an inexpensive hotel near where you're headed instead of splurging on accommodations at a five-star resort or cruise ship terminal. You'll save hundreds of dollars and still be close enough to enjoy all the fun things.
7. Rent, Don't Buy
If you're going on vacation to a place that you've never been before and your vacation is an extended one, it's often more financially feasible to rent an apartment or vacation home instead of buying a hotel room.
Not only can you save money by splitting the cost with your friends or family members, but you'll also have more space and privacy than you would in a hotel room. With a kitchen and washer/dryer (if available), it's easy to save money by cooking meals at home rather than eating out every night.
8. Highlight Special Adventures
If you're going on vacation with your significant other or family members, make sure everyone gets a chance to visit iconic places they have always wanted to see, such as seeing historical sites versus going to the beach every day.
Each person should be able to pick one thing they want to do, and each day will be about doing that one thing together as a group. If someone doesn't want to go with the group, they can choose another activity for themselves or find something else to do while everyone else is enjoying their special day together.
9. Set Up Email Alerts for Travel Deals
As noted above, there are many websites dedicated to finding deals on everything from hotels and flights to rental cars and activities like theme parks, cruises, and water parks. Searching online can help you find great discounts that could save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars on your vacation. One smart thing to do far in advance of your planned vacation is to set up email alerts with bargain vacation sites, including airlines and car rental companies. This way you will be notified when a discount fits your budget and can jump on it immediately.
10. Set Your Priorities
The next thing that you need to do is set your priorities straight. What is most important to you? Is it the location or the luxury? If you want to go somewhere warm and sunny, it may be possible to find a cheaper flight by flying to a different airport or using an alternative airline.
Most people think they have to fly directly into the city they are visiting, but this is not always true. You can often find cheaper flights by flying into a town and then taking another flight to your final destination via another city.
11. Let Someone Else Be Your Guide
Why spend time researching where to go and what activities are available in each place? Let someone else do that job for you and save yourself some time and effort.
Many travel agencies offer customized packages including tour guides depending on your age group, budget range, etc. You can also find many websites offering reviews of guided tours.
12. Be Flexible On Dates
The most expensive time to travel is during the summer months (May through September). If you're flexible with your travel dates or times, you'll find that you can often get better deals even though summer is the season for vacations. If you have the luxury of being able to take a vacation at another time of year other than summer, you can find even more discounts on hotels, car rentals, and flights in the off-season.
Enjoying a fabulous vacation is the goal, and yes, you can do that even if you don't have tons of money by taking into consideration the above 12 tips.
References:
https://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Saving-Money/2015/0610/How-to-budget-for-your-summer-vacation
https://www.vacationclubrentals.com/blog/how-plan-budget-friendly-vacation
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