Looking to go on a few trips this summer vacation? Or maybe even one big one? I think we all are and the biggest issue is always….*drum roll please*... money, no shocker there right?
Well I’m here to help you budget in a way where you don’t make too big of a dent in your bank account. Most people plan trips on a whim and go for the kill, buy plane tickets and hotels and drop hundreds of dollars before they even get there. Well that’s not going to be very beneficial when you're at your destination and you’re broke, without money to do activities, now is it?
Planning a trip a few weeks or even months in advance is really key. Planning doesn’t mean calling two hotels and deciding on the cheaper one, it’s organizing where you're staying, who's coming along, finding the most reasonable destination, activities, food, etc.
Budgeting is hard, especially for me as a college student, but it’s most definitely possible. A few ways to save yourself money from the beginning is to decide whether you want to stay a bit more local and drive to your destination or take a plane.
If you’re driving try and fill up a car or two of people to help even out the cost of the gas for the driver in order to make it cheaper for everyone. If you plan on flying, try and use Expedia, Kayak, and Cheapflights for the best rates. (From my experience checking Spirit Airlines has given me the best luck and most affordable prices.)
You’re always going to want to travel light, not only to make traveling easier on you but to save yourself from checking in a bag and having to pay extra to do so. Make sure to pack all toiletries travel sized to save yourself space in your carry on and to make sure to abide by the airport rules.
Once you find out where you're going and how you're getting there, you need to figure out where you’re staying. Sometimes it’s easier to go somewhere where there are friends and family that you can stay with but if that’s not the case Airbnb is the answer. It’s affordable, comfortable and convenient, it doesn’t get much better than that.
If you don’t know what Airbnb is, your life’s about to change. It allows you to basically short-term rent out homes and apartments that are most comfortable and reasonable for your needs and budget. This allows you to split the cost between those you're traveling with and save you some money for the fun stuff.
Now, what do you do for transportation? Well, it all depends. If you’re going to NYC use the subway and your feet. But if that’s not that case, calculate whether it’s cheaper to split Uber's during your time there or rent a car.
From one college student to another, I recommend splitting Uber's because let’s be real the odds of you not having some type of alcohol is slim so better safe than sorry and save your rental car money towards Uber rides.
Before I go on a vacation I like to look up local places to eat and activities I want to do in order to align those pricings with the amount of money I want to bring. This allows you to bring money for only what you need so you don’t go crazy once you get there and splurge on things you don’t really need.
Vacations are about the experience, I promise you that you don’t need that tourist t-shirt or keychain, save that money for something better.
If you plan your trip accordingly it will make your time there easier and more enjoyable, guaranteed.
Though these aren't the only tips to save you money per trip but if you take these few easy steps into consideration I promise you will be able to do a lot more vacations with the money you save by planning your vaca's strategically.
Summer is about exploring and taking the time off from school or work to live a little and take an adventure. So live it up, budget right and have the time of your life, you deserve it!
-Your Favorite Summer Traveler
