Many people (including us college kids) find it hard to vacation during the summer when all you have been doing is working. Between paying bills and saving for necessary items needed for school, going anywhere besides a single day to the beach may cause you to find somewhere that you go with a pretty low budget.
I recently went to Atlantic City, New Jersey, with my boyfriend and our budget was roughly about $600, and that included our hotel costs. We did many different things to make sure we could vacation on a budget and have it still be a great trip!
Here's the list of things that could help you book a vacation on a budget.
1. Book your room during the week.
Booking a hotel room is so much cheaper during the middle of the week than it is on the weekends. Sometimes it could save you a lot of money.
When my boyfriend and I were originally booking our hotel we wanted to go on the weekend, and it was nearly $520 for Friday to Sunday. However, the more we looked, the more we came to found out that booking Sunday to Wednesday was only $267.
Another plus about vacationing during the week is that there actually may be less people at that destination, meaning you'll feel less crowded on the beach or hotel.
2. Use websites to compare different prices for rooms.
Trivago is a good site to look at when finding the best prices for a room. It compares many different websites to show the best price they could find for a room of your destination. Using these kinds of websites can help you save a lot more too.
3. Look up things to do for when you are at your destination.
Finding activities to do while on vacation can be fun. But it can also help you stay on budget. Having an idea of what is around can prevent you from spending money.
I created a list of things we could do while on vacation. This gave us an idea of what we're spending money on and what we were able to afford to do. For instance, when looking up things to do, I found a mini-golf place that was only $10 a person. It was cheap and right on the boardwalk. I also found places for use to eat for every day that we were there.
4. Give yourself a spending limit per day.
This may seem silly, but honestly, it could help a lot. Giving yourself an idea of how much you have to spend each day will help you stay on budget and not over spend. With that being said, don't be afraid to under spend. Under spending is way better than over spending.
5. Look for deals.
Some restaurants have food deals, especially during lunch compared to dinner. Hotels even offer deals from some attractions that are nearby. Don't be afraid to stick to your comfort zone either when going out to eat. You can never go wrong with Applebees two for $20 or ordering pizza while hanging out in the hotel. Look for online coupons before going on your vacation. Coupons are usually available for most things, so don't be afraid to dig deep for one!
6. Most importantly, don't worry too much about the money.
OK, so this whole article is indeed about saving money on vacation. But do not become obsessed with money. Your vacation won't be any fun if all you're worried about is money. So yes, keep money on your mind, but don't let it completely dictate everything that happens. Sometimes things change, but I'm sure you'll have fun wherever you decide to go. Manage your money, but keep your mind on the fun rather than money!
After much planning, my vacation was fun and eventful. We even came back with more money than we planned. And I'm sure your trip will be just as fun, even if you have to follow a budget!
