7 TIPS FOR HOLIDAYS ON A BUDGET If you’re like me, you’ll be itching to travel again once borders reopen! But don’t let your next holiday break the bank…Holidays are meant to be fun and relaxing. However, if you blow your budget, you end up more stressed than before you left. What a waste! Follow these tips for holidays on a budget to avoid coming home to a nasty debt pile:
1. Plan ahead It’s always a good idea to plan ahead. But in COVID times, planning takes on new importance. As we’ve seen, the situation can change quickly with restrictions and border closures. Consider: • Not just where do you want to go, but where can you go? • Which places are most popular? (You can stretch your budget further and support local businesses by going somewhere quieter) • Do you need to quarantine at your destination or on your return? Or both? Or get stuck in a “bubble” change? (If so, that adds to your costs and the amount of leave you will need) • Do you have a back-up destination in mind? Planning ahead could save you a small fortune and help avoid your relaxing getaway becoming a stressful nightmare.
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2. Book in advance This is another reason planning is so valuable – you can book ahead and lock in cheaper rates. Even a 5% discount saves you $250 on a $5,000 holiday! Can a travel manager assist you with itinerary savings? Comparison sites are useful but try contacting operators too – they may offer better prices or free upgrades for booking with them directly. Also, booking ahead means you should miss out on disappointments – for example, campervans and caravans are hugely popular right now, but demand is outstripping supply.
3. Protect yourself Explore what you can do to safeguard your travel budget in case things go wrong, including COVID outbreaks, general sickness, accidents, and natural disasters. Ensure that you can cancel or alter bookings without incurring extra charges. This goes for any flights, accommodation, vehicle rentals, equipment hire, tours and so on. Also consider getting travel insurance. But read the fine print carefully – is COVID/public health restrictions covered by the policy? What costs are and are not insured? Is every member of your family covered? Is there a cap on how much can be claimed? Hopefully you won’t need to use these, but you’ll be really thankful for having them if you do!
