While it’s always nice to get away on a holiday, even if it’s just a mini break, typically not every trip you book will be a “dream holiday” or a bucket list trip. These ones tend to be much rarer since they can see you jetting off to faraway exotic destinations, and cost more than the typical trip does. If 2019 is the year that you plan to embark on a dream holiday, then you’ve probably already priced it out, or at least have a vague idea of what it will cost. In doing this, you’ve also probably started to give thought as to how you plan to come up with the cash to pay for it.
Here, we’ll take a look at seven tips that will help you with the financial aspect of the trip, so that you don’t miss out on a great opportunity due to lack of funds.
Ensure You’re Getting the Best Deals Possible on Your Trip
The first tip has to do with the price of the actual trip, as you want to be sure you’re getting the best deals possible on things such as flights, accommodation, car rental, etc. Expert travellerswill attest to all kinds of money saving tips such as booking a flight mid-week rather than on the weekend when the rates are higher, taking advantage of early booking discounts and promotions, using loyalty points and rewards for travel–related expenses, and travelling during the off-season for that particular destination.
By using all of these tips you may be able to bring down the total cost of the trip significantly, which means you need to come up with less money.
Be Strict About Your Travel Budget
It’s also important to be strict when it comes to your travel budget. If you don’t give yourself a maximum amount that you can spend, then you make it really hard to save enough money and there’s a good chance you’ll spend more than you are comfortable with. Create a travel budget as your savings goal and tell yourself that’s it, you won’t spend a penny more.
Keep in mind when you create your travel budget, it needs to include flights, transportation at the destination, accommodation, food, tours and sightseeing, shopping, etc. In other words – a realistic budget that encompasses everything.
Cut Back on Expenses at Home
Any time you are trying to save up cash for something, whether it is a dream trip, a new car, renovations, etc., it’s always a good idea to look for ways you can cut back on expenses. This will free up cash that you can then move to savings.
In order to find the best areas to make cuts in, you’ll need to start with a budget. There are all kinds of budgeting apps that you can use to set up a budget and then track all your expenses and income going forward. As an added bonus, you can use these apps to set up bill payment reminders, so that you don’t miss any and end up having to pay interest and a penalty fee.
You will need to begin by inputting your income and then all your expenses, both fixed and variable. The fixed expenses are the ones you don’t have control over and probably can’t be changed (mortgage, car payment, loan payment, etc.), but the variable expenses tend to offer some wiggle room. This includes things such as groceries, dining out, entertainment, and shopping.
If you make sacrifices in each of these areas, you can then take that money and start a holiday savings fund.
Consider Getting a Short-Term Loan
If all of these tips aren’t enough and you still come up short, then it may be time to look into a loan. You can find lenders such as Everyday Loans who offer loans that range from £1,000 up to £15,000 and can be paid back over an 18 to 60 month period. The application process can also be done online, so you don’t have to visit a branch in person. If you happen to have a bad credit rating, Everyday Loans can still provide you with a loan.
What a loan does essentially buys you time. You’ll have that 18 to 60–month period to pay for your trip rather than coming up with the total amount in just a few months.
The Work is Worth it in the End
Coming up with enough money for your dream trip isn’t always easy. Typically, it involves making sacrifices and living on a very tight budget for a while. Rather than start feeling down on things that you may need to cut out or miss out on, try to keep your goal in mind and focus on the amazing time you’ll have on your holiday.