Think about your dream vacation. Does it seem out of reach? The best vacations always appear to be slightly out of our reach. Somehow people always find a way to reach those goals and go on the fantastic trip I wanted. Do you want to stop living through others? Try out some of these ideas, and you will be the ones sharing pictures of your top of line trip.
Price it Out
How much money do you need to be able to fund your dream? The first big step. Start by pricing out all the big purchases; flight, hotel, activities. Are you going to be somewhere to cook or will you need to eat out for every meal? Buying new clothes or items, you will need should go into this budget. Once you know how much to save, you will have your goal.
Plan Ahead
Don’t wait to start saving. The month before you have to leave will not be enough time. The challenges of saving that you have all the time will not go away. To make sure you will be able to afford everything, give yourself enough time to accomplish it. Depending on how expensive it is, you may need more time. Make a goal of how much you need to save each month or week to reach your ultimate goal.
Imagine Your Trip
Get a picture that will remind you of your vacation and place it somewhere you will see every day. The background on your phone or your bathroom mirror. Seeing your dream multiple times a day will give you the strength to not splurge. Every time you withhold yourself from spending you will be saving money that can go toward your vacation. Tell your family and friends about your goal. If they know that you have goals, they can help keep you on the right path.
Separate Account
When saving money, having a different place to keep it will help it not get accidentally spent. If you only have one account, it’s hard to know what money is good to spend and what money is being saved. With a separate account, you will be able to see your goals being reached. Having it out of sight from your regular account will help you not see it as available money. When you are ready to start making your vacation purchases, it will all be in one place and ready to be spent.
Gifts
Saving can be difficult if your budget doesn’t allow for much extra. Scrimping and scraping can only get you so far. During birthday and holidays, ask for money instead of gifts. No one will be offended at this. When giving a gift, we are all trying to get them something that they will enjoy. Family and friends would love to be a part of making your dream vacation a reality.
Get to work on your plans. You will be living your dream vacation in no time!