How to Plan a Financially Calm Vacation

Vacation deals

School’s out…
the air is warm…
Its time for vacation deals!

Planning a vacation involves many factors, such as organizing meals, recreation, transportation, packing, and souvenirs. It’s easy to overspend on a vacation and you don’t want to fund your vacation on your credit card or stress out over the planning.

Paying for your vacation should not stress you out; you should be excited to have some time to relax and re-charge with your family.

You won’t be stressed out if you come up with a plan ahead of time, and look for deals on hotels and excursions online. Here are some ways you can plan ahead so you can have a relaxing and stress-free vacation:

Pick a destination that is right for your family.

Kiplinger.com lists some tips for planning a vacation that is less stressful for you and your family. It includes ideas like waiting to vacation until peak season is over, or finding a vacation spot that’s different from the big attractions like Disneyland or Hawaii. In places like these, there can be a lot of crowds and expensive hotels. When you pick destinations that are off the beaten path, you reduce the stress of planning and the stress on your bank account.

Make a plan.

How will you fund your trip? Maybe you’ve got some money saved up, or your tax refund to spend. Do some research to see if driving or flying is the more cost effective option. Look into things to do and places to stay at your destination. There may be some activities that cost more than others, so weigh your options against one another.

Let the Internet find you deals.

If the only way to finance your vacation would be to use the old reliable credit card, then you might want to look at these types of strategies. The internet has many sites you can use to book deals on hotels and flights. Sites like booking.com and kayak.com can help you when you’re comparing prices between different hotels, as well as expedia.com.

Get cozy with the relatives.

Staying with family is another option–just don’t show up on their doorstep with your bags unannounced. When I was growing up, we always vacationed with family members, and looking back now, that was an important part of our vacationing experiences. Not only did we get to hang out with family that we didn’t normally see, but we got more bang for our buck and got to go to places like Plymouth Plantation in Massachusetts, or the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Another bonus of staying with family is that you can decrease your restaurant tab for your vacation.

Plan fun things for you and the family.

Any time I plan to visit a new city, I go to Tripadvisor.com to see the best ranked excursions in that city. They will also give you prices and directions for each activity. Trip Advisor is also another good place when looking for hotels, flights, and things to do wherever you go.

Don’t rule out all-inclusive destinations.

In some cases, an all-inclusive resort may be the best option for your family. Expedia.com offers destinations in the Caribbean and Mexico, while applevacations.com offers more choices to places in Central America and Hawaii. An all-inclusive vacation would eliminate the hassles of planning meals and recreation, and you would have more time to spend with your family than stressing over every detail of the vacation.

Planning a vacation doesn’t have to be stressful. It can be easy and fun when you use online tools like these, and create a plan so that you don’t have any unexpected costs. With these easy tips, you can be on your way to a relaxing, fun-filled vacation with your family.

Written by Stephanie Black, Journalist for Money on Your Terms

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