Family vacations are the time when everyone is looking forward to enjoying a relaxing time with the loved one. With the busy routine and struggles of life, it is a must to have a family gathering where you can spend some time with your dear ones, at least once a year. If you are the one who is stuck in the 9 to 6 job or a hectic business routine, and could not spare much time to spend with the family, considering a family trip to a far-off area can be the best option to retain your relationships and personal health at the same time. It will also help to mend the broken bonds between you and your loved one.
However, there is much more than time what you need to have in hand while planning a family trip. Without a considerable amount of money in your pocket, you can surely not consider, plan or execute the idea. For this reason, a better approach would be to start planning and saving ahead of time. Here are some useful tips to keep effectively plan your next big family vacation.
Schedule Your Trip Wisely:
Enjoying a stress-free vacation is not just about earning extra money, saving and cutting down your costs, it also needs you to play smartly and plan wisely. You need to review the date and time you are willing to go on vacation. Choose the time and place that can work in coordination your budget. For job holders, it is recommended to wait and apply for annual holidays which will save them from losing a part of their salaries in terms of paid annual leaves policies.
Not every vacation destination in the world comes with the same set of excitement and expenses. Another critical factor that has an impact on the cost of vacation is the time of year when you are planning to go to the specific destination. For instance, if you are planning to go to Sydney, make sure there is no major festivals or celebrations planned on the dates you will be visiting there.
At the time when you are going on an off-season, it will save you money, you will also find time and ease of visiting the tourist spots with a lesser crowd and more chances of exploration.
An off-season trip to any destination of the world will also save you a lot of money regarding travel costs, the fare for a plane, costs for hotels and you may also find attractive packages or deals to save you some extra cash. Thus, planning your trip wisely, scheduling it while considering the peak festive seasons can help you have a better peaceful and entertaining time on vacations.
Finalize the Destinations:
The world is full of amusing wonders of nature and the artefacts showing the capabilities and creativities of mankind. You can not compare the pyramids of Egypt with the Sunset in Norway.
It means that no matter where you go for your upcoming family vacation, you will surely have something to enjoy. In this situation the core concern should remain about the budget you have in hand or you can manage. There can be certain unexpected events during the vacation and you need to keep a specific amount aside to help you deal with such an uncertain situation during your trip. With that consideration, you will then be left with a limited amount of money for necessary expenses for the trip.
It is essential to choose a destination wisely. A trip to Europe can surely be expensive as compared to a family trip to Dubai. It is you who has to decide which of the available options you are willing to avail. It would always be an excellent choice to plan a vacation to a destination that is in your budget.
Budget Your Trip:
Once you are done with deciding the destination and the time of year you are willing to go for vacation, you will have a rough idea about the amount required for the trip.
The very first thing that experts recommend to do is to do a research. Surely you will have the time to do that. During your research, you can consult your peer, friends or family and ask them for their recommendations and suggestions. Make a list of those suggestions and discuss with your family. Shortlist the available options and decide the one destination your family agrees on to have a trip to.
Once you have come up with a name, it is the time to look for what are the possible sites to explore, where you can stay during your trip and what would be your means of transportation, etc. It is evident that you will find many offers, family vacation plans and other packages for a family vacation to your decided destinations. These packages are often economical and effective as the service provider will take care of all of your booking and other relevant issues.
However, make sure you are not scammed. If you are deciding to acquire a complete package you need to authenticate about the service provider before proceeding further.
This entire drill of searching, shortlisting and finalizing will lead you to a precise number, a price that you will have to pay for the whole trip.
Start Saving:
The main thing that you will need for a big family trip would be to have enough money. To have sufficient cash in your hand, you need to have savings and if not it is the time to start saving. You can open a dedicated bank account to help you keep money aside. With a little restraint, you can put the saved money apart until the time for vacations come. You can also consider opening a saving account in a local bank and keep depositing money in that account. It will help you deal with responsibilities and save money at the same time.
For a trip like that, you must start saving almost a year ahead so that you are sure to reach the required number as the time arrives.
Cut Some Monthly Expenses:
Living your day to day life and saving for a big trip, with limited earning, can never be possible. Either you have to find an extra source of income, or you need to cut down your expenses to save money.
For this purpose, you may need to consider the food and other expenses that are common on a monthly basis. Cut down those expenses and shave a little off the top. After a short time, you will realize that you have extra cash in your hand that you can secure for the future use. Such practice will also help you learn how to live a minimal life while fulfilling all the needs.
You can save money by buying grocery in sale and bulk, shopping with the help of discount coupons, etc. You can also cut your grocery bills in half by shopping for organic foods and avoiding luxury food items.
You can also consider cutting down the items that you do not need as a must to keep you healthy. Rather than going to a branded store to eat ice-cream, try finding some peaceful time with nature, sitting on a bench in the park and enjoying a cup of ice-cream over there.
Find Resources for Side Cash:
If you own a car and are generally using it for travelling to and from the office, while during your job hours it stays in the parking, makes it get you some additional income. You can use the car for Uber or Careem and hire a professional driver to take rides while you are busy with your job responsibilities. Renting out your car while it is not used most of the time can be a good idea even if you are not planning for any significant event in your life.
At the same time when you are about to start your trip for a far of place and your car is supposed to be standing at home or the airport parking, why not utilize it in a way that can earn you some money.
Do a Side Job:
Aside or part-time job is something that can also support you in achieving your goal. It is a sure thing that if you dream of something big, you need to work harder to get it. So if you are looking forward to having a relaxing vacation, you need to make sure that you have paid for it in advance.
You can look outside your regular job and finds ways to earn money. Being in Pakistan, you can do some freelancing or can do overtime in your company if needed. If not, you can look for other part-time opportunities that are giving you some additional amount apart from your regular income.
Have a Credit Card:
As discussed previously, there can be any uncertain or unexpected expense that you may have to deal with, during the vacation. Or there can be chances that your young one’s wishes to shop a lot of making another trip to a nearby place they heard of. In all scenarios, you will need some additional amount to fulfil their wishes.
To help you fulfil all the wishes of your family, you will surely need a credit card. The core idea of a credit card is to leverage help from your financial service provider at times when you are short of funds. A credit card is not only meant to help you pay for big hospital bills, but you can also use them for shopping, entertainment, food, and other uses. With the help of a credit card, you can manage your financial matters during the trip, even if you do not have sufficient amount of money in the pocket.
Buy a Travel Insurance Before Flying:
Travelling is expensive and above it lies the cost of medical treatments abroad. With the changing atmosphere and surroundings, it is evident that any member of the family fell sick. The illness can be, and the bills can be lengthy to manage with the in hand amount.
A smart and economical way to stay prepared and deal with any such situation is to buy a travel insurance policy before leaving. A comprehensive travel insurance policy offers a cover in case of any mishap that may occur to you or any members of your family. Right from theft to loss of documents, to a severe injury and medical treatment, a travel insurance policy offers financial support in all cases.
In other words, a travel insurance policy is a backup support document must carry with you before stepping onto the plane to enjoy your family trip to your decided destination.
Saving up for a big trip is not an easy thing but planning strategically will help you save a little more and bit faster. With these simple tips, you can have a better relaxed time with your loved one. The more you will prepare beforehand for a big vacation, the more you will be able to enjoy with your family the trip. With the said tips you won’t have to worry about anything while being away from your home.
