The shadow of recession continues to loom large and if you are feeling a pinch in your budget, then you are not alone. People are looking for all sorts of ways to cut down on expenditure and unfortunately vacations and travel seem to be high on the list of things that could be done away with.
Yet, taking a break is necessary to recharge and face the grind once again. You can still afford to take a holiday, provided you are able to adjust your expenditure such that you don’t feel guilty about the expenses.
Here are some tips to help you keep your travel expenditure in check without compromising on the quality of your holiday.
Plan well ahead
Planning ahead can save on your accommodation expenses. Keep in mind if you leave things to the last minute, you would, in all probability, have to pay premium prices for the hotels or guest houses. The other option is to have patience and wait for last minute deals that can help you get a great bargain. It goes without saying that there is an element of risk in this for in case there is no last minute cancellation, you would be left with little options.
Plan an off-season holiday
In case you don’t really want to stay in a budget hotel, you can plan your vacation to a particular place during the off-season. Not only will you get great discounts but you will also be able to explore the place in peace away from the madding crowds. And some places are simply lovely during the off-season.
Renting a vehicle
If at all you have to rent a car, try not to choose a luxury vehicle. Avoid cars, which have what you can term as bells and whistles, for apart from adding to your budget they serve little other purpose. Shop around for the best prices. Again, plan well in advance so that you have enough time to hunt for the best deal. These days Internet has made life a whole lot easier, so you can do a bit of comparison-shopping from the comfort of your home.
Booking flights
When booking a flight, try to be flexible with your timings. You may get cheaper tickets on flights with odd departure and arrival timings. Then again, non-stop flights are more expensive than those with stopovers. It goes without saying stopover flights can be inconvenient, but if you want to save money, bear the inconvenience with a smile. You can also check out travel sites offering last minute fares. There are sites like lastminute.com where you can find last minute packages. If you are lucky, you might just land your self a spectacular bargain. Then there are some sites that will help you gauge whether you should book at that particular time or wait till the fares go down. Chances are you would get good bargains during the off-season.
Choosing a destination
Travelling by car is definitely going to be cheaper than air tickets if you are not going too far. In fact if you are on a really tight budget, choose a place, which is nearer to your home. You can further cut down on your budget by staying in a camp rather than a hotel.
Stay at home vacation
Yes you got this right. A stay at home vacation is when you stay at your home but as a visitor. Hire somebody to take care of the chores, or better still do them in advance, take leave from your work and rediscover the places nearby that you never really had time to explore.
