Travel broadens your horizons and makes you more appreciative of nature and the world around you. It also gives you a break from the mundane and allows you the liberty of enjoying precious time with your loved ones, making beautiful memories that last a lifetime. And when you’ve got the vacation of your dreams to look forward to, like an all-inclusive destination near Cork City or in Curacao, all you’ve got to do is kick back and relax your stress away.
Without the hassle of planning the nuances of a vacation, it may seem like the ideal holiday plan. However, there are a few budget-friendly tips that can help you plan ahead and make your vacation a completely relaxed one.
Budget-Friendly Tips for a Great Vacation
Confirm Your Budget
Once you’ve honed in on your destination of choice, it’s ideal to set up a budget for your dream holiday. Sandals will save you major hassles by handling all the aspects of your dream all-inclusive resort in Curacao, but there are many other extras you will need to budget for. Go through your savings and build a spending log of what you can afford without breaking the bank and without putting yourself in a negative balance once back home. Spending more than you can afford can have repercussions on your finances.
Once your budget is ready, and you’ve marked your diary for the glorious resorts in Curacao or another island delight, it’s time to consider expenses that are not included in your package, such as flights, sightseeing excursions, and shopping. Always set aside money for contingencies as you can never be sure what’s around the corner.
Avoid Peak Travel Season
Although you’re going to be enjoying the worry-free all-inclusive holiday package at Sandals, flights are one aspect that will be an additional expense. Sandals is around to help with your flight plans, but it doesn’t hurt to know a few tips to keep these costs down to a minimum. It’s always ideal to avoid the crowds, for your own sanity and the benefit to your pocket as well. It can get you good deals on accomodation as well. Even luxury villas like Anguilla Villas offer discount to their visitors during off season.
As long as your schedule is not set in stone, and you have the liberty of determining your travel dates, traveling during the non-peak season can ensure you have a more peaceful journey and holiday, with shorter queues, more air to breathe, and more cash to spare.
You may need to check tourist season depending on your holiday destination of choice, but it’s generally better to avoid traveling during school holidays and summer when the crowds are larger and costs are higher. Another good tip is to depart and arrive back on weekdays as it is cheaper than traveling on the weekends.
Get Yourself a Local SIM Card
Your cell phone can be a highly multifunctional tool when you’re out and about. And even more so when you’re traveling on vacation. It can be your GPS, your translator, and your link to family back home. Data roaming abroad can be a very expensive affair, however, and a local SIM card can offer you a range of data packages based on your length of stay and personal needs.
Plan Your Own Excursions
Sightseeing tours and day trips are not included in your all-inclusive package at Sandals as these are offered by third-party providers, though Sandals can help you find the ones most suited to your needs. However, there often is greater fun in planning your own local excursions.
Take public transport to get you from one spot to another. You can talk to the locals and get firsthand information on off-the-beaten-track spots to explore. Many of these are unique and free, such as local parks and museums. This is also a good opportunity for you to practice your bargaining skills, especially with local shopping. You are more likely to get a discount if you’re traveling in a group.
Account for ATM Charges
While loose cash is sometimes convenient to use when you’re traveling and need spare change for a quick meal or a small local experience, it can also be a bane in terms of theft. ATM charges also add up when you withdraw or exchange funds. You can withdraw a larger amount in order to escape the multiple charges on each withdrawal.
However, on the flip side, this puts you at risk of being mugged and robbed for the loose cash you’ll be carrying around. It’s a smart idea to distribute the cash you’re carrying on your person. Put some of it in waist pouches worn under your clothes, keep some of it in your hotel room locker, and try to distribute the dough between yourselves if traveling in a group.
Conclusion
Traveling on vacation should be a joy, and the excitement begins right from the planning stage of your holiday. While you won’t have to stress much with holiday planning taken care of for you by Sandals, keeping some handy budget tips in mind can help keep costs to a minimum with your extracurricular holiday activities.