While many people dream of luxurious vacations or watch endless videos on other’s travels of the world, realistically, you don’t need to save thousands of dollars to make that dream vacation come true. There are several ways to plan an affordable vacation and cut costs while doing so. Rory Brown, a lifestyle writer from Charleston SC, shares five tips on how to make your next getaway an affordable one.
Use Points or Miles
Taking advantage of this trick requires maintaining a strong credit score and staying responsible with your expenses; however, the rewards pay off exponentially. As so many credit cards these days have different rewards or benefits, look into a credit card with rewards with an airline or hotel. Some cards even reward for any travel category in general, which is excellent. Credit cards often have a bonus for signing up that credits you with a significant number of miles or points if you spend a certain amount within the first few months. As long as you can pay off that balance, those points or airline miles accrued using the card for your daily purchases can help you buy that airline ticket for your next trip.
Select Less Expensive Places to Travel
Expenses for travel can add up quickly once you add airline costs, rental car, hotel, food, and activities. One way to analyze costs on a trip is to compare it to your daily spending habits at home. Some countries’ cost of living is way cheaper than the U.S., allowing the dollar to go further for food and local events. If you know of a family member, friend, or campsite where you wish to travel, that can aid in cutting costs significantly.
Cut Back on Other Expenses
When saving for your next travel adventure, one way to make your money stretch further is to cut back on other expenses. Temporarily reducing the amount you spend on going out to eat, new clothes purchases, or redecorating your house can provide you the extra savings you need to make that vacation happen sooner.
Find Free Activities
Not all vacations or destinations require spending hundreds of dollars on fancy tours, expeditions, or entrance fees to parks. Depending on where you are looking to travel, look up beforehand what that location has to offer. Often times, venues offer free museum days, walking tours, or reduced prices on entrance fees if you go on certain days. If you have the flexibility in your travel arrangements, you may be able to take advantage of free activities on weekdays. Other free activities commonly include beaches, which opens up so many coastal destinations in both the U.S. and across the globe.
Travel is Travel
At the end of the day, getting away from home is what most people look for in traveling and vacation. Your budget can go a lot further if you focus on cheap flights, basic amenities in lodging, and free events. You don’t need to stay at the top line hotels; as long as it is a change in scenery and provides a clean bed, that next destination is closer than you think.
About Rory Brown
After spending the first 40 years of his life in the United States, Rory Brown decided to focus on the quality of life and began living internationally. He now spends his time in Lake Como, Italy, Sydney, Australia, Charleston, South Carolina, and Kauai, Hawaii. His appreciation for simple health food that embraces local traditions of excellence has earned him credit among farm-to-table communities everywhere he goes.
Rory Brown began his career as a technologist and has always focused on healthy lifestyle choices. His well-researched lifestyle writing has increasingly focused on living life to the fullest each day throughout the world.
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