Budget-friendly Vacations: Tips for Planning a Dream Getaway
Sometimes, you don’t want just a run of the mill vacation. Whether it’s a honeymoon, you’re celebrating your graduation or a significant birthday, there are many reasons why you may be planning a dream getaway.
Regardless of whether it’s a travel adventure, or you’ll be staying in luxury resorts, here are some tips to plan a once in a lifetime trip.
Work out dates and budget
When you plan a dream getaway, you probably want to spend more time than the standard 7 or 14 days away.
It’s worth seeing if your workplace has any schemes to give you more vacation time, whether it’s transferring unused days from previous years or ‘buying’ more paid time off.
Think about your overall budget for the trip too.
The average American spends just under $2,000 on vacations each year, but for a once in a lifetime getaway, you may want to spend more.
Think about the kind of vacation you want to take
Do you want to explore a continent and take city breaks, laze by the beach and enjoy luxury resorts, or have an action-packed break?
At this stage, you don’t have to pin down the exact destination, but you and your travel buddy should at least think about the kind of trip you want.
Consider using a specialist travel agent
While the younger generation doesn’t tend to use travel agents, they can be extremely helpful when you are planning a dream getaway.
Specialist travel agents tend to know the market inside out, whether they specialize in a certain type of breaks, such as action and adventure, or a geographical area.
For example, if you’re interested in safaris, click here to see vacations for Tanzania.
The right travel agent will be able to make suggestions about your trip and itinerary, book you the best tours and generally give you the best possible experience.
Plus, you save a lot of time.
Shop around – even on Luxury Vacations
Even if you’re planning to splash out and stay at top hotels, there are always savings to be made.
Consider using flight comparison tools such as Skyscanner to get the best price for plane tickets, as you can often find less expensive tickets to alternative airports or at different times.
Keep in mind that hotel comparison sites don’t always offer the best deals. It’s sometimes cheaper to book directly, so Google the hotel’s name and compare prices.
Budget-Friendly Vacations
If you want a smooth and easy trip, it’s better to work out a daily budget and to sort out all those little expenses right now.
There are quite a few hidden costs on vacation, from tourist taxes to airport transfers, so you should make sure your budget isn’t too tight and has room for things like tips.
Many people choose all-inclusive packages for their dream holiday, so they don’t have to think about these expenses, but even then you may be tempted to pay for a scuba trip, raiding the mini-bar or some other costs, and when it’s an important vacation you don’t want to deny yourself.
Planning a dream getaway is a lot of fun, and hopefully, you’ll be able to cross somewhere amazing off your bucket list in 2020.