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Whether you are a solo traveler or are going to travel with family, deciding on a destination can be the hardest part of the planning. Making this decision requires looking at a number of factors ranging from the average cost associated with a vacation to what type of vacation you’re looking for. Use the below information to decide on a destination for your vacation so that you or your family can get an exciting trip on the calendar.
How Much is the Average Cost of a Vacation?
Unfortunately, the average cost of vacations has risen drastically in recent years amidst inflation and other factors. Currently, vacation spending is equal to roughly 2% of total budgets in households across the United States. As a whole, it’s expected that the average price for a one-week long vacation for a single person alone is between $1,500-$2,000. These prices span across a number of different categories ranging from:
- Transportation costs associated with flying, trains, and driving
- Food costs, whether eating out or cooking yourself
- Alcohol costs for travelers who drink
- Entertainment and activity costs
When deciding on a potential location for your trip, consider exploring Holiday Parks In Wales and set a max budget for yourself that encompasses all of the above categories so that you can see where you can afford to travel to.
The Different Types of Vacations to Consider
Once you have identified a max spend amount in your budget and determined the different potential places you can travel to, you will need to pick a type of vacation to go on. This will further guide your budgeting choices by allowing you to book certain things in advance. In order, determine each of the following types of vacations you’re looking to have:
Activity vs. Leisure Vacation
First, you need to determine if you want to have an activity based or leisure vacation. Leisure vacations often involve sitting on a beach and not moving for the entire duration of your trip, whereas an activity-based vacation often involves constantly being in motion, such as a hiking trip. Some places around the world give both options, such as Myrtle Beach nightlife spots which offer a beach along with great bars.
Roadtrip vs. Flying Vacation
After determining what type of initial vacation, you are looking to have, you need to determine how you will actually get there. The biggest factor that will influence this is the max spend amount you have allocated for your trip. If it allows, you can book an airline ticket that will open up far more possibilities for where you can go. However, those with a tighter budget may simply decide to take a road trip in order to save money.
International vs. Domestic Vacation
After taking into account both of the previous two factors, your final decision should be whether or not to take an international or domestic vacation. If your budget allows and you wish to leave the country, be aware that currency conversions should be factored into your budget.
Designing a Vacation Budget to Pick a Destination
After taking all of the above factors into account, you should have narrowed down your potential destination choices to just a few. Once you have these in mind, use the following to narrow down your budget to make the final selection for where you can travel to:
1. Set money aside well in advance in a dedicated savings account
While not strictly a budget item, all those looking to travel should consider setting up a vacation savings account. This should be an account where only a small amount of money is deposited monthly after all bills and primary savings have been handled. However, having a dedicated savings account allows you to have a rainy-day fund dedicated solely to travel which gives you more freedom in your budget.
2. Determine the transportation you will take to get to your destination
As mentioned above, you need to determine whether you will be flying or driving to your vacation spot. However, going one step further, you also need to determine if you can afford to take rideshare cars everywhere. The alternative option is public transportation, though not all cities have the built up infrastructure for this.
3. Pick the type of accommodation you will have at your destination
As you travel, there are two primary accommodation options to consider: hotels and vacation rentals. While everybody knows of hotels, fewer people are aware of what vacation rentals are. These are short term rentals for homes and apartments that allow a person access to the entire space. For larger families, this is often cheaper than needing to book multiple hotel rooms. But in case you still prefer the hotel option, sites like thishotel.com are the best to find your accommodation.
4. Find ways to save using coupons or credit card rewards
When it comes to enhancing your budget for travel, finding ways to save is everything. Consider using sites like Groupon to apply coupons to your purchases or use credit card rewards points for your transportation costs or activity costs.
5. Travel to a destination during the offseason
Finally, there are a number of benefits to traveling during the offseason including reduced costs for activities, food, accommodations, and more. Keep in mind that weather is not the only factor that determines when tourists will be in the area. Some locations are popular year-round whereas others are seasonal, so do proper research before deciding to go in what you believe is the off-season.
Keep in mind that weather is not the only factor that determines when tourists will be in the area. Some locations are popular year-round whereas others are seasonal, so do proper research before deciding to go in what you believe is the off-season.
One of the benefits of visiting popular destinations during the off-season is that you may discover fantastic cheap flights and save money for other things such as better accommodations, travel insurance, or extra activities
Decide on your next location today
Regardless of where you choose to go for your next vacation, so long as you plan your vacation in a cost-effective way you are bound to have a fun and exciting trip. Use all of the above tips to determine what location around the world is best for you and your family. Don’t be afraid to save up money for months in advance of a trip, even if you aren’t entirely sure where you will end up traveling.
Image Credit: Photo by Eva Darron on Unsplash