How to Vacation on a Small Budget
Before my family started taking our vacations together, I'd never imagined being able to take a REAL vacation. In years past, it had been that I'd "take vacation," which pretty much amounted to days where I didn't have to go to work but still stayed in town. However, the past few years, I've learned to not only enjoy my time away from work but also to make the most of the time spent away from my "real life."
I figured that there might be numerous people who are like I once was. So, I decided to let you know how I learned to make vacation affordable.
- Plan in advance. It's easier and less stressful to travel when things are done in advance.
- Go in a group. It's always easier when you can split costs. My family got together and discussed where we would like to go and then went online to find a house that would accommodate us all and fit our needs, including at least one bedroom on the ground floor so our grandparents wouldn't have to climb the stairs if they didn't want to.
- Create a budget. Once you've decided where you'd like to go, determine how much each person will have to pay towards accommodations. We all pitched in on the deposit just to secure the house and then set payment deadlines for the remainder. This allowed us to pay in installments if we so desired rather than try to come up with a lump sum.
- Research activities. Do a search for area activities and determine what you'd like to do and create a budget for it (Don't forget to look up "things to do for FREE"). Then, add at least $150 for incidentals. Vacation is always more appreciated when you make it memorable.
I'm already in the planning stages for next year, which we expect to be bigger and better. If you have any questions or need help in planning a vacation on a small budget, feel free to email me at jade.nicole@townsquaremedia.com. I'll be more than happy to help. EVERYBODY needs a break every now and then. I'd rather spend money on a vacation than on medication any day.
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