Stretch Your Vacation Dollars: Budget-Savvy Tips
You work hard all year and spend a long time planning your vacation - choosing the right destination, the perfect resort, and all the fun you will have with your family. It's important to make sure you're budgeting wisely & making the MOST of your budget! That way, you can experience more during your vacation, experience more vacations, AND maybe even upgrade your trips!
Here's what you need to consider for your vacation:
Plan out your ideal travel wish list 3-5 years in advance
You can't always book 3-5 years in advance, but have an idea of where you want to go and when. Create a "5 year travel wish list" like you would a "5 year career plan." Once you know where you want to go, you can start budgeting early and be on the lookout for the best time to book.
Stay Loyal to a Brand or Airline
If you have a favorite resort brand, join their rewards program. Consider doing the same for your preferred airline. When you are a loyal guest, you can earn rewards to offset the cost of vacation. My favorite way to do this is using my Southwest credit card to offset the cost of my flights! Thinking of this - if you're going to use a travel credit card, make sure you research and find what rewards make the most sense for YOU and how YOU want to travel.
***Go back and check your flight prices after you've booked - if they drop you may be eligible for a credit!***
Have Flexible Travel Dates
This one is hard...and might not work for everyone. If you're able to travel on an "off day" or avoid staying overnight on a Friday or Saturday, you can save a good amount of money on your vacation. You also may want to adjust your travel dates once flights become available to reduce the cost of flights. Your travel advisor will help you choose the best combination of dates and pricing, and it is helpful if you can be flexible!
Book Earlier than you Think you Need to!
This is by far the best way to save on your next vacation and maximize your budget. Cruise lines, resorts, and more almost always have better pricing when dates are fist released for travel. You will also get the best availability when you book early - if you wait to book and only the expensive rooms are available, you're out of luck! Last minute travel deals are an idea of the past! If you're going on a cruise, frequently your excursions or 'add-ons' will be discounted before you travel!
***If a 'bounceback' or 'next cruise' discount is offered on your current vacation - BOOK IT! These are typically fully refundable and save you money on your next trip!***
Use Modern Tech to Your Advantage!
Traveling in today's world is as evolving with new technology and conveniences available to you. I almost always take advantage of amazon prime to schedule a grocery delivery during my vacations - I include items like snacks, diapers, and bottles of water and this saves me SO much money. There are other apps you can use to manage your travel as well - hopper app can help with flight prices, uber eats can offer food delivery than may be cheaper than your resorts options...and so on. I even use the Fetch app to scan my receipts regularly, then apply my rewards towards a Southwest gift card!
Purchase Discounted Travel Gift Cards
I'm sure you've been to a Target, BJ's, Sam's Club, Costco....or something like these stores. You can purchase discounted travel gift cards at any of these stores! They may only be 5-8% off, but when you apply that to a larger balance of your trip, you can really reduce your cost. I do this for every one of my Disney vacations - before I travel, I go to BJ's or Target and purchase discounted gift cards. I use those gift cards to pay for my food and souvenirs on the trip, and at the end of it when I total it all up I've saved a good bit of money.
I hope one of these tips helps you make the most of your next vacation!