Happy Tuesday to you! Tuesday means it is Tip Tuesday, and I have some important tips to share with you today, budgeting. Yes, the dreaded budgeting. It is a necessary evil, as most of us don’t have unlimited financial resources. But hopefully with these tips, you can experience the vacation of your dreams!
Tips for budgeting for Your Next Vacation
- Get help! Work with a travel agent to set a realistic budget. They will help you determine what is realistic for your vacation wishes.
- Book with a payment plan. You can put down a deposit, and pay out the remainder of your vacation to eliminate excess costs all at once. For as little as $200 per person, sometimes even less, I can help you book your next vacation!
- Plan an itinerary. With an itinerary, you’ll know of expenses ahead of time. Choose restaurants, tours, and more ahead of time so you can better plan costs.
- Purchase tours in advance. By purchasing in advance, you can more easily budget costs. If you wait until you’re at your destination to book tours, you’re more likely to go over budget.
- Plan for incidentals and extra costs. Often times, we neglect to remember costs such as tips, resort fees, or rental car taxes. You’ll also need to consider extra costs in preparing for your vacation, such as passports, seat upgrades, and travel visas.
- Set a max budget for souvenirs. This is a big one for me! I only take a set amount of money with me for souvenirs. Otherwise, I KNOW I will spend needlessly and excessively. I also try to keep in mind what and for whom I may want to purchase for ahead of time. It doesn’t hurt to make a list of those you want to buy for either. I tend to keep a list in my phone, marking people off as I go, so as not to double buy.
- Be flexible! Most importantly, be flexible in your budgeting. Leave some wiggle room. You just may see a must have souvenir you hadn’t planned on. Or come across a once in a life time experience that you’ll regret passing up. Always allow for extras.
When we know we are traveling for a special occasion or once in a lifetime vacation, it helps us to book tours ahead of time. In April 2014, we pre-booked a helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon to celebrate our 1st Anniversary. Had we not booked ahead, we wouldn’t have had the budget for this amazing adventure!
Often times, expenses like passports, passport renewals, or even rental car taxes which are due upon picking up your car are forgotten in the hype of planning for vacations. Allow budget for smaller expenses such as these.
You’d be surprised at how quickly these expenses can add up!
As much as a budget is a must, so is being flexible! When vacationing in Maui, we didn’t plan to snuba, but our snorkeling tour offered it at one of the most beautiful diving spots in the world, so we couldn’t pass it up! Had we not budgeted extra, this once-in-a-lifetime experience would’ve slipped through our fingers.
Thank you for stopping by today. I hope these tips will help you prepare for your next vacation, and keep your financial stresses at a minimum. Remember, if you would like to work with me for your next vacation, you can contact me here. See you back later this work for more on Memphis, Tennessee!
