It’s no secret that I love to travel near and far. Whether it’s going away for a short weekend or taking a longer holiday in America or Asia, I am always thinking about the next place I’d love to visit. You might be thinking that I have an endless bank account that allows me this freedom, but the truth is, I’ve picked up some habits on saving that could help you out. It’s possible to travel more than once a year if you look for the right opportunities.
Whether it’s a destination you’re saving for, or just padding your vacation fund, you’d be amazed at what you can do when you follow these simple tips and habits.
Create a Budget
You first want a budget for your everyday life. You don’t want to think that money will just magically appear in a savings account with the title of vacation fund. It’s important to plan out how many pounds you’ll need each month by listing your expenses. Subtract those from your income, and voila! You have the beginnings of a budget. Hopefully, there is money left over that you can put aside in a bank account just for your upcoming trip.
Travel During Slow Times
The off-season is a great time to travel. You need to consider the seasonality of the destination. If you’re planning a trip to America for instance to visit the Walt Disney World Resorts, you would want to avoid summer travel and travel around American spring break. These are two of the busiest times of year for the resort. In the off-season, however, not only will the lines be smaller, but the resort also offers discounts on hotels and other amenities. If you plan to travel to Asia, the monsoon season won’t be as enjoyable, but it’s also more affordable. This means that your money will buy you more when you get there. Sometimes this can mean upgrading your hotel or staying longer.
Consider a Small Loan
Sometimes the investment in your mental health is worth a small vacation. If you don’t have the credit to get a personal loan, you might need to look for companies that provide emergency loans for bad credit instead. While I don’t recommend planning this as your method all the time, there are reasons when it might be helpful to leverage a small loan for a trip. If you must visit a sick relative for instance, or you need a loan to help you out of a tricky situation in a foreign country. These loans can help you repair your credit as well, as long as you pay them on time.
Go With a Friend
Travelling with company is not only enjoyable, but it can also yield big savings. When you’re spending half as much on hotel costs and ground transportation, this can add up quickly. The amount you save can be put toward future travel or participating in more activities on your trip. Whether you’re up for an adventure or prefer to relax with a glass of wine each night, you’ll have the money to do it.
Avoid Tourist Traps
Staying in New York City is exciting. But staying near Times Square isn’t necessary to take in all the sights and enjoy your time in the city that never sleeps. It’s best to avoid areas that are too touristy if you want to get better rates. This doesn’t mean you should stay in the slums, simply that you can choose more affordable hotel options in the outskirts of those areas instead. There are fantastic NYC hotels that are several blocks away from all the excitement but take just a short subway ride to get there.
Document Your Trip
I love to share about all my adventures. It’s exciting to go to new places and see new things. By documenting my trips, I get to share my tips and tricks to help you have an enjoyable time when you go and to help you save. This also helps me because I can see where I might’ve been able to save more on the trip. It also shows me new things I can do the next time I go to the same destination. I have my favourites, but I always love to do new things.
