If you’re planning to travel soon, you might be looking for a few tips to keep your costs down. After all, it’s expensive to go on vacation these days! Thankfully, there are quite a few ways you can avoid spending an arm and a leg the next time you go on vacation.
Create a Vacation Budget
Before you even set out on your trip, create a vacation budget and stick to it. Make sure you don’t overspend. Just because you’re in a new place that doesn’t mean that your bills suddenly stopped existing! If you overspend on vacation, you’re going to regret it when your bills come due later.
Flexible Timing
Don’t be afraid to travel in the off-season. Some hotels might be less cushy, but much easier for your wallet. If you’re just looking for a change of scenery for a week, a bit of flexibility can go a long way for your finances. Don’t be opposed to making some concessions to save a few bucks.
Rewards Cards
Do you have travel rewards cards? If not, consider signing up for one before your next vacation. These can get you things like airfare or hotel stays for discounted rates. They might sound silly, but they’re a surefire way to save a bit of money the next time you plan to travel.
Avoid Flying
Firstly, just avoid the airport altogether. Airlines charge way too much money just to make you suffer through the entire airport experience. If you’re willing to take a car instead of a plane, you could save a ton of money.
If You Must Fly…
Okay, sadly, you can’t always avoid the plane trip. If you need to fly, make sure you buy your tickets a good amount of time before the trip. While you’re at it, make sure you shop for tickets in incognito mode or with cookies disabled. Airlines like to charge you more when you look at a given flight too long as a way to goad you into buying the tickets before they jump up too high.
Bring Your Own Snacks
When you go on vacation, bring snacks from home. Make yourself some snacks for the road, or, if you’re flying, make sure you get a good meal beforehand and don’t spend money in the airport. When you get to your hotel, stash your snacks in the mini fridge and eat in your room as often as possible.
Bring the Essentials, Too
Don’t forget things like your swimsuit, sunscreen, goggles, or other vacation-specific equipment. The most expensive place to buy these very specialized items is at the venue where they’re most useful. Buying swim trucks and sunscreen in Kansas is way cheaper than on the beach in Florida.
Avoid the Tourist Areas
When you arrive in a new area, you’re going to see a lot of signs and billboards directing you to various activities. Ignore these. Hit up the locals in the area and ask them what the best restaurants, shows, and activities in the area are. The tourist-friendly areas are going to charge you a significant markup compared to the areas frequented by locals.
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Free Attractions
Visit the places that are free. If you’re going to the mountains, enjoy a walk in nature. Take tours of a new city you’re visiting on foot and save yourself money. And, of course, if you go to the beach, make the most of your time in the sand by enjoying all the free fun things you can do beside the ocean! You’ll be amazed at how much fun you can have on vacation without spending a dime.
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Rent While You’re Gone
Depending on how long you’re going to be gone, you could consider renting your place out for a short term period while you’re out of town. This can help offset some of the expenses of your vacation by putting your empty residence to use!
Read More: 10 Cheap Summer Vacation Destinations for Families on a Budget
