There’s nothing like a good vacation to help you unwind with your family (or friends!) and remind you what life’s all about. Whether it’s lounging on a warm beach or exploring a new city, we can all agree vacations are something to look forward to. Planning those days before the trip, however, can be rather overwhelming. Here are some tips for staying focused on what’s important!
- Budget
My biggest problem is sticking to a budget. This is especially hard when I’m on vacation, when every souvenir and local dish look like must-haves. On several occasions, I’ve left home with several hundred saved up “just in case”, and came back home dead broke.
This time around, a budget was the first thing on my mind. With other financial goals lined up in my personal life, it was especially important to not return home with a stuffed suitcase and an empty bank account.
Budgeting for a vacation isn’t easy, but the key (at least for me) is to resist throwing caution to the wind. There have been occasions where I use the vacation as a justification for overspending, but the truth is that even if you’re treating yourself, you should still try to hold yourself responsible to your financial rules. Of course, unexpected costs always happen, especially on vacation, but sticking to a well-planned budget is the difference between being off by $40 and being off by $400.
El Yunque in Puerto Rico!
- Shop Early
There’s a reason why the early bird gets the worm. Shopping with enough time in anticipation gives you the opportunity to compare prices. This little detail will save you hundreds, if not thousands. At the end of the day, we all know you pay more for last minute things. So try to arrange the important details, like your flight, car rental, and hotel rental ahead of time. That way you have enough time to actually compare your options and pick the one that suits your price point and wish list the best!
- Make Lists
Planning a successful vacation requires staying organized. The easiest way I found to stay organized was by making all types of lists! I made a lists of things I needed to buy (sunscreen, mosquito repellent, etc), a list for places we all wanted to visit, and I list of expected costs while I was going to be on the island.
- Review Flight Rules
Did you know that external batteries, like the ones we plug our phones into, must travel in your carry on? This is just one of the many things I wasn’t aware of when it comes to flight rules. My carrier, Jetblue, no longer offers free checked baggage. Instead, you can pay to bring one for $25 (each way). However, I saw many travelers bring small suitcases as carry-ons, which JetBlue would then offer to place ‘under’ the plane for free. So I reckon next time I’ll be a little shameless and save myself $50.
The Hills of Ponce, Puerto Rico!
- Prepare an Itinerary beforehand
I’m the kind of person who, if not armed with a schedule, will take the whole day planning what I want to do. By the time I’ve read up on directions, activities, and have gotten dressed, the day is practically gone! For me, it was crucial to find my top locations, directions, restaurants, shops, and leisure spots before I arrived. My itinerary was nothing fancy, just a list of locations mapped out on certain days, which I often shifted around due to weather or time constraints. The fact that I had planned out the days into little units made it much easier to be flexible when it came to planning. Once the activities and locations are designated, plugging them into time slots is a breeze!
What are some of your tips to save while on vacation? Let me know in the comments!
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