Many travellers mistakenly think that they need to break the bank to enjoy the benefits of travelling. Yet this simply isn’t the case.
If you plan properly, you won’t need to spend a fortune. In this article, we’ll explain exactly how you can leverage planning to travel on a budget.
Set your limits
You can’t travel on a budget unless you’ve actually set yourself one. This is the most important thing you can do to control your spending while you’re on holiday.
When creating your budget, ask yourself the following questions:
- How much can you save each month before you go away?
- Do you have existing savings to draw from?
- Do you have any other financial responsibilities to account for?
Once you have a number that you can afford, you can start planning how you’ll spend it.
Make a plan
The fewer decisions you need to make while you’re actually on holiday, the fewer surprise expenses you’ll face. That’s why you should come up with a plan that accurately matches your budget – and ideally leaves you a little in reserve.
Your plan doesn’t need to be down to the letter. But at the very least it should answer all the essential questions, such as:
- Where you’re going: Try to choose from the destinations with the best value for money.
- When you’re travelling: For better prices, travel outside of school holidays and other busy periods.
- What you’ll do: Remember to make the most of free activities.
- How you’ll get there: Public transport can seriously reduce your costs, so use it whenever you can.
Choose a staycation
Unless you’re desperate to travel abroad, consider travelling within the UK. Staycations are typically far less expensive than overseas holidays.
In the first place, they let you escape expenses related to international travel – namely, the costs of flights, airport transfers, and travel insurance.
If you’re lucky enough to own a motorhome or caravan, you can take this one step further by opting for a campsite staycation. This will let you exchange the price of a hotel and Airbnb for that of a much cheaper grass pitch. The only additional costs you’ll have to worry about then are fuel and comprehensive motorhome insurance to keep your vehicle safe.
Planning: The key to travelling on a budget
The pareto principle states that roughly 80% of what you get out comes from 20% of what you put in. When it comes to enjoying a cost-effective holiday, planning comprises the 20%. By concentrating your efforts on this relatively small aspect of travelling, you can make the greatest impact on your ability to travel on a budget.