If youre overdue for a vacation, you may be wondering if youll ever be able to afford it. But luckily, not only do I have some great money-saving tips for you guys today, but Ill be giving you some of my best tips to help you find a great travel deal as well.
Ready? Lets get started.
Budget
I know, I know, budgeting is boring. But if you want to be lying on the beach with a mojito in your hand, youre going to have to get serious. First, decide where it is you want to travel. If youre planning a large trip to Western Europe, youll need to do some serious saving. If you want to head to Central America or Southeast Asia, your biggest expense will be the flight and then you can travel for relatively cheap once youre there.
Next, think about your timeframe. When do you want to take this vacation? If you travel during shoulder season, youll usually get a better deal and will have fewer crowds at the main tourist sites as well.
Cut back
There are many ways that you can cut back on your expenses and put the difference in your savings account. One of the best ways is to spend more time at home. Grab yourself a Netflix account and try fun online gambling sites like FUN88 and M88. With a few snacks, youve got a whole weekend planned.
Plan in advance
As soon as you know that youd like to go on vacation, its time to start looking at flights. Set up a Google Alert so youll be notified when flight prices change, and sign up to emails from websites that track deals. If you havent narrowed down which country you want to visit, and youre flexible with when you can go, youll be able to grab a great deal as long as youre ready to book as soon as the deal comes about.
Get your head in the game
It can be hard to save for a vacation when you want to have fun now. One of the best ways that I stay focused is by thinking about what I could purchase on vacation with whatever Im buying at the time. Say I go to Sephora and Im stocking up on makeup. With $100, I could stay in a nice hotel in Thailand for three nights. Even $10 is a few drinks in a beachside resort. This makes it easier to say no to the stuff you dont really need- just imagine all the fun things youll do on vacation.
Get savvy
There are a number of great websites that you can use to compare flights and accommodation. Skyscanner, Momondo, Kayak, and Hipmunk are all great for flights. For hotels, hotels.com and booking.com are good options. You may also find some good deals if you sign up for a voucher service like Groupon.