How To Plan a Budget-Friendly Summer Vacation

Summer is the ultimate season for time-off, adventure, and family fun. If you’re yearning to vacation yet worried about breaking the bank, fret not.   Countless travel options are available to achieve new experiences with your family and loved ones without draining your savings. Read on to learn how you can vacation this summer while remaining thrifty and on-budget.

Check for Shoulder Season Deals

Shoulder season refers to a relatively unpopular time of the year to visit a specific destination. For example, skiers love visiting Colorado during the winter months. Countless fanatics flock to the ski resorts in search of the freshest, fluffiest powder in the country. This popularity, however, results in incredibly inflated airline and hotel fees. Therefore, visiting the state in, say, June will reflect a much more affordable itinerary, keeping you on budget.

Additionally, you may want to look into package deals such as all inclusive cruises. These pre-planned vacation opportunities give a comprehensive price up-front, eliminating the potential for unexpected fees or last-minute add-ons.

Save on Accommodations

Staying in a fancy, five-star hotel is the ultimate in luxury and comfort. However, maintaining flexibility in terms of accommodations is an excellent way to accumulate travel savings.

Modern technology has elevated budget travel exponentially in recent years. With the ability to rent homes or even bedrooms, individuals and families find themselves with endless options at various price points. Bonus, private homes typically come equipped with a kitchen and several bedrooms, providing more space and convenient amenities for larger groups. After all, accommodations are merely for sleeping!

Pack With Purpose

When planning your trip, ensure you include clothing for any anticipated weather changes. Traveling to a colder climate and forgetting a coat forces you to purchase one upon arrival. Further, it is common knowledge that anything sold in a tourist town is astonishingly more expensive than it would be anywhere else. Therefore, always pack a coat, sweatshirt, long pair of pants, and rain jacket to ensure you are ready for any changing weather.

Use Public Transportation

When possible, forgo the more expensive plane ride and trade it for thriftier bus or train tickets. When compared to planes, public transportation shaves hundreds of dollars off of your vacation budget. Plus, you will likely get the chance to see views of the countryside that you otherwise may have never seen.

In addition to traveling to your destination, public transportation is an excellent method to utilize once you arrive. Taxis can be considerably expensive, and several trips to and from your accommodations can tack-on a hefty price tag to your overall budget. Learning to take city buses, trams, or subways can save you loads of money in the long run. Bonus, public transportation in large, metropolitan cities is a cultural experience in itself!

Watch What You Eat

Eating in a touristy restaurant for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day is a great way to break the bank and send you soaring over budget.  That said, mind your meal money by choosing a less expensive option for breakfast and lunch. Rather than patronizing restaurants for your early meals, check out local supermarkets or farmer’s markets for more affordable options. Coffee shops and cafes also typically offer cheaper breakfast and lunch choices, so wander around and find one that suits you.

Dinner is more of a necessary splurge while on vacation. However, by doing your research beforehand, you can steer clear of dinner houses that might drain your budget. Make reservations before you go so you know exactly what you’re getting into when you arrive. Moreover, try to limit superfluous drinks and desserts when you do choose to eat out. This practice will help save you money to spend on any souvenirs you might want to bring home!

Vacationing can be expensive, but with proper planning and dedicated research, you can plan the trip of your dreams without blowing your savings. Hopefully, this list helps you and your family check off your bucket list destinations this summer!