Going on Vacation?
Budgeting Tips for a Great Vacation
Going on vacation this year? Vacation planning is essential both to ensure that you have a good time and to keep your vacation budget under control. Don’t spoil the great memories of your get-away by ending up with higher household debt.
Here are some vacation tips to help you save money and avoid the debt trap.
Start early by making small adjustments to your everyday life that can result in a big impact on your travel funds.
- Open a dedicated vacation account. Most savings accounts can be opened with a minimum deposit. Some places of business offers a vacation club with automatic deductions from your paycheck. If you put just have $14.00 a week set aside, you will have $750.00 by the end of a year.
- Start a change jar. Dropping change from your pockets into a jar adds up quickly. The power of pocket change could add several hundred dollars to your vacation fund over the course of the year.
- Have a garage sale. Like all of us, you probably have things you don’t need, from old books and CDs to unused electronics and more. Plan an old-fashioned garage or yard sale, or learn to sell on eBay and Amazon. Use the funds for your vacation. This trick will also clean up unused items sitting around your home.
- Put your tax refund to use. If your tax refund is not already targeted to pay down debt, treating it like free money to help fund your vacation is not a bad idea.
Vacation Planning
- Take advantage of off season discounts. Plan your destination and think about selecting certain times of the year for your vacation. Try to avoid traveling around holidays. In some cases, the price could be double at these times. Search for the best deals on Hotels, Resorts, and locations. Sign up for email alerts from travel companies and airlines that share flash sales and limited-only time offers.
- Hotel Amenities & fees. You want to know exactly what is and is not included in your hotel stay when planning your vacation budget. Be sure to check whether your rates including refrigerator, pools, internet fees, resort fees, parking, complimentary breakfast, laundry service and taxes, which can vary depending on location.
- Food expenses and drinks. Food and drink costs can add up very quickly. Buy your food and drinks at a local market. Pack food that does not need refrigerated. Avoid buying food that can melt or spill in cars. At theme parks, purchase a cup that can be refilled.
- Consider an all-inclusive trip. This will help you keep costs down throughout the vacation, as your meals and drinks will already be paid for.
You can be very creative in saving for vacation and effective in planning an affordable trip. At Harold Shepley and Associates, we wish you all the best with your vacation travels this year!
Harold Shepley and Associates can Help
Need help with situations of debt and bankruptcy? At Harold Shepley and Associates, LLC, we have the experience you need to deal with situations of debt relief and bankruptcy consultation. We are a full service Law Firm that is client-oriented and will work hard to meet your personal needs in resolving debt.
Call us today at 877-827-9006, or complete our easy to use contact form. We’re ready to help.
