The following is a guest post from momAgendaCOMM blogger Jodi Grundig.
Summer is right around the corner so if you haven’t yet planned your summer family vacation, now is the time. If this is a last minute trip, you may not have started saving just yet, but don’t despair. There’s still time to pull together your budget and have a great vacation this summer!
Here are a few tips to help you save for your next getaway:
- Decide when and where you want to go, but be realistic. You should probably already have an idea of how much money you’ll have available for this vacation. Remember that you may need to have the funds available before your actual trip if you need to make a deposit on your trip or purchase airfare for the family.
- Choose a few ideal vacation spots and do some research to figure out how much it will all cost. I like using websites like Kayak or JetBlue Getaways to price out the entire vacation, but other sites like Priceline and Hotwire may offer better deals.
- When determining how much you’ll need to save, remember to factor in expenses like gas, airport parking, and pet care. Check several dates – sometimes leaving and returning on a weekend is less expensive than traveling Saturday to Saturday. If you find that your dream vacation is too expensive for this year, consider doing a road trip. You’ll save money because you won’t have to fly anywhere, and you won’t have to rent a car. Then, plan to start saving for next year’s vacation now!
- Use a momAgenda planner to assist you as you plan a vacation. My favorite is the Personal Portfolio in shimmering berry pink. It’s a great way to keep track of your savings plan, vacation dates, and payment deadlines. Add in your travel dates, confirmation numbers, and payment dates so that you’ll have everything you need right at your fingertips. I also print out any confirmations and leave them in the front pocket of the planner for easy access.
What are some of the ways you plan for a summer family vacation?
Jodi is a mom of two with an MBA in finance and over ten years of corporate finance experience. She has been blogging since 2007 and she founded the mom review blog Mom’s Favorite Stuff.