Summer is here, which means it’s vacation season! Do you already have your vacation plans set? If you do, you have probably already chosen the location and have established where you plan on staying, but the budgeting doesn’t end with the travel and lodging costs! Spending smart while on vacation is just as important.
While budgeting for a vacation can be difficult, it doesn’t have to be. In this blog post we have provided some tips for maintaining your budget while you’re on vacation.
Establish a daily spending limit
Many people think about budgeting when it comes to planning travel costs like plane tickets or gasoline for a long car ride, but you shouldn’t drop the idea of budgeting once you’ve made it your destination. Set for yourself a daily spending limit. This will help you make smarter daily spending decisions. Some will encourage you to take out cash and put it in an envelope for each day of your vacation. Whatever method works best for you, establishing a daily spending limit is a great start to spending smarter on vacation!
Prepare some of your own meals
If possible, consider cooking some of your own meals. Depending on the length of your vacation, the costs of eating at a restaurant for every meal can add up quickly! Obviously, this is dependent on you staying at a place with some form of a kitchenette, but this can help you cut daily costs significantly if you can plan for a few meals from where you are lodging.
Determine where you might spend more
Creating a hierarchy of priorities for your vacation can also be an effective way of maintaining a comfortable budget. Early in your planning, outline some of the areas of the trip where you might splurge a little more on. Once you’ve done that, you can find other aspects of the trip that you might be able to scale back on. If you want to spend more on food, try to take a little bit out of your lodging. If you want to spend more on experiences, maybe spend a little less at the souvenir store.
Have you tried any of these tips on vacation before? If not, it might be a good time to give a few of them a try. You can still maintain the experiences and fun that you plan on having during your vacation, while also saving a few extra dollars along the way. Your summer vacation is a great chance to gain some much-needed relaxation while making memories and spending time with those you care about. Enjoy your much needed vacation!