Summer is one of the most awaited times of the year. Classes end, there are a couple of long weekends and holidays and families get a lot of opportunities to go out for a vacation. Unfortunately, one of the most common concerns about vacation is the cost involved. It’s a fact, going for a vacation will really entail money, and sometimes even lots of money.
Though vacations require money, it really doesn’t mean that you’ll spend a lot just to enjoy. Here are a few affordable ways to make vacation fun, exciting and memorable. You could save a lot instead of spending most of your budget or even go overboard.
1.) Plan your vacation well. Some people have the “we’ll cross the bridge when we get there” attitude; this mean they will start planning for their vacation once they’re already in the place where they want to spend it. Many people only plan for where to spend their vacation and only start planning what things to do once they arrive. Vacations require proper planning, especially if its a grand and probably long vacation. For you to avoid what a lot of people are doing, you should start planning out your vacation with the people involved ideally two months before you go. In fact, the earlier you start planning, the better since you can anticipate and consider a lot of things. A well planned vacation normally leads to a not so costly vacation since you already had everything covered from the start.
2.) Get to know the purpose of your summer vacation. Summer vacations come in a lot of forms. Some spend their summer vacation going to their old folks or some relatives, some go to other countries and explore the culture there, while some go to exotic places and seek adventure. Before going out, be sure to identify what kind of vacation are you going to. If you’ll spend time with your family, keep in mind that the time that you’re spending together is far more important than spending a lot hence you may think of things that you and your relatives could do even without requiring cost. A daily stroll around the neighborhood or playing sports may more than suffice. If you go out to other places, be sure to have your itinerary in hand so you won’t get impulsive. Impulsiveness lead to spending more and that is the last thing that you wanna do.
3.) Make summer a saving habit workshop. This is a perfect opportunity to work on the saving habit regardless if you’re already a saver or not. If you’re already a saver, then great, all you have to do is just to minimize your expenses and be efficient in dealing with money and finances. If you’re not yet a saver, make it a time for you to start developing it. A famous author once quoted that it will only take around 21 days to form a habit. Hence, once summer starts, you only need less than a month to form a new habit. If you have kids, it’s also a great time and opportunity to teach them the value of saving. If you spend your summer with your relatives, then it’s a greater opportunity since you can also teach your nephews and niece. Regardless of if you’re on vacation or not, make developing the habit of saving fun.
4.) Look for a job or do business. Normally, people got a lot of spare time during summer since they get some time off from their usual routines. Spare times are great times to earn additional income. One local businessman said that what you do with your spare time will determine whether you’ll be rich or not. Job opportunities are increasing during summer since a lot of people, especially kids, are looking for things to do. If you have an inclination towards sports, you may want to apply and provide assistance to local groups or businesses that provides sports clinics. If you have a hobby or interest that you’re good at, you can start a small group sessions and teach people who are willing to learn your skills or whatever you’re offering. Basically, it’s just all about making great use of your spare time during summer in order to earn an additional source of income. Instead of spending for vacation, you end up making more money.
These are just a few of the many great tips on how to save money during summer vacation. Saving money or becoming efficient in managing your finances should not just be done during summer. It should be a way of life. If you have a good saving mindset or habit, rest assured that you won’t run into trouble managing your finances during summer vacation since you already have it in you. Instead of focusing on how could you save during your summer vacation, look first on how could you get better in dealing with your finances and managing your money. If you have that habit in you, whether its summer or any other season, you’ll be good and have peace of mind.