Perfect Vacation Planning for Budget Travel
In this day and age, available funds for your vacation may not be as plentiful as they once were. The prices of gasoline and airline tickets have shot sky high. When you plan your next vacation, consider using these tips to help cut the cost, but not the fun.
Tip 1: Gasoline – Many people often underestimate the total cost of gasoline and other vehicle related items. Making sure your vacation vehicle is in good working order will ensure a safe trip. If you are trying to figure out just home much gasoline you are going to burn through on your vacation, there are several ways to figure this out. If you know the exact mileage from your house your vacation destination is, then double it. This will be the total mileage to get to your vacation destination and return home. Most online direction sites, such as RandMcNally and MapQuest, provide the detailed driving directions, as well as travel time estimations and mileage.
Next, determine how many miles your vehicle gets to the gallon. Consider this: Your vehicle gets 25 miles to the gallon. In other words, you can drive 25 miles on one gallon of gas. If your vehicle holds 15 gallons of gas, you can drive 375 miles on one tank of gas. If you are traveling 1200 miles to your vacation destination and back home, you will need how many gallons of gas? Divide 1200 by 375. You will need to fill up your gas tank approximately 3.2 times. I always like to estimate higher; therefore I would say I needed to fill up three and a half times during my vacation. If gasoline is $3.50 a gallon and you need 52 gallons of gas, you will spend approximately $184 dollars in gasoline.
Tip 2: Food – One of the most expensive aspects of going on vacation is eating out. Research before you get to your vacation destination will greatly help this area of your budget. Many restaurants offer coupons online at their websites. Restaurant.com and other sites like it, are offering meal vouchers for a reduced price. For example, you can but a $25 food voucher for $10. You may be required to purchase $35 worth of food to use the voucher, but you will still save $15. Also, consider a picnic lunch, if possible for a couple of the vacation days. It can be either romantic or a great family vacation activity for a fraction of the cost of eating in a restaurant.
Tip 3: Hotels – Your vacation accommodation budget will usually be one of the most expensive items. When possible, stay two nights in the same hotel. Often the rate is discounted for multiple night stays. Check online travel sites, such as Expedia and Travelocity. Some guarantee the lowest online rate. If you are firm in your vacation dates, call the hotel directly. Sometimes, when dealing with a live person, it is easier to get a better rate.
These are some of the things people can overlook. If you plan and research your vacation, you will find your budget is much easier to plan.