With so many great deals going on right now, encouraging people to book trips in the future, it can be hard to say no. Being furloughed or out of work entirely certainly complicates matters, but with smart planning, budgeting, and financing, you can book and enjoy a much-needed vacation once everything settles down.
Planning vacations provides us with many of the same benefits you gain from actually being on vacation. It helps us daydream, relax, and gives us something to look forward to. The buildup and planning phase of a vacation is almost just as important as the trip itself, and with nothing but time, you can plan the ultimate holiday (on a budget) today.
Research and Compare Your Options
You should research and compare providers for everything, even airport parking. This is how you find and secure cheap airport parking. You can gain a great spot for as little as $6. Also bear in mind that you can also find a great hotel or flight deal online easily by comparing.
Tips for Choosing Budget- Destinations
There is one thing you should do to ensure you can travel anywhere and enjoy budget prices, and that is to not go to anywhere you have heard of before. If you have heard of it before, then many other people have as well. Instead, choose a country or even a region and go through the different options. Go where locals live, and you can have a truly one-of-a-kind vacation
Book Now, Pay in Installments
Many companies like Airbnb and others offer installation payments. Considering that you will be booking for trips well in the future, you should either take advantage of this option now or ask for it. If you want to book a pre-planned trip with a tour company, then get in touch with them and see if you can work out a payment schedule so that instead of paying it all up front, you can pay it off in six installments. It will help them better manage their own cash flow and help you manage your own budget back at home.
Research for Local Tips
Go to the biggest tourist destinations, and you’ll be hit with tourist prices. Avoid all of this by just digging deeper. Learn where the locals go, ask people directly for hidden secrets and price recommendations. Know what you can expect and, more importantly, how much it will cost. This will help you budget for when you are on the ground and help prevent you from being swindled.
DIY Your Trip
If you really want to enjoy a budget trip, then there are a few things you are going to have to do yourself. Cooking meals, for example, is one of the best ways to cut the cost of travel tenfold. You will need to find an accommodation option that has even just a small kitchenette, yes, but the payoff will be huge.
Other ways to save by going DIY are to create your own tours. If you travel alone, you can find audiobooks or podcasts about the destination and listen to those for a budget-friendly or even free audio tour.
