Preparing for Summer Vacation

Summer’s almost here! That means road trips, camping, amusement parks, resorts, tropical getaways or whatever your version of summer vacation is. While these luxuries are fun and exciting, they also tend to be expensive. Here are some ways you can financially prepare for your summer vacation.

Meal Planning

A huge part of vacationing is the food. Whether you’ve been to your destination before or not, you will probably want to try new foods at new places! Planning meals ahead of time can help cut down on excessive costs when you’re looking at your vacation budget. Figuring out restaurants you’re interested in and checking them out ahead of time will give you an idea of the cost before you go on your trip. It’s also a great idea to plan some meals to cook or prepare easily in the place you’re staying to save some cash!

Catch Hotel or Vacation Property Deals

Planning to stay at a hotel on your trip? Before deciding when you’re going on vacation, check out the cost of hotels in the area you’re traveling to. Many hotels will have price spikes during certain timeframes due to popular events happening in the area. You will also be more likely to find better deals and pricing the earlier you start looking!

In addition, vacation property rentals are becoming increasingly popular! Many people are transitioning away from traditional hotel stays and opting for renting available homes or properties in the area. Make sure you give yourself enough time to look over all the available options in the area you’re traveling to. With how convenient these properties are for larger families, they tend to book quickly!

Wear What You Have

Who doesn’t want to look their best on vacation? We often feel the need to buy a new wardrobe for vacation to fit the aesthetic of the destination or to look good in pictures when we could just make do with what we already have. Look through the clothes in your closet and put outfits together before going out of your way to buy clothes that you’ll never wear outside of vacation. Then only purchase essentials or anything that you don’t already have.

Transportation

Transportation is another huge part of vacation expenses so it’s important that you choose the correct mode of transportation for your trip. Whether you catch a flight, a train, a bus or drive yourself transportation can be pricey. If you’re renting a car, check the prices of multiple car rental places to compare deals before settling on one. Also keep in mind that if you are traveling a far distance that gas prices are likely to vary state to state so be prepared. If you are flying, catching a train, or takin a bus book your tickets well in advance, as the prices tend to be lower this way.

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