After two years of the global pandemic, we might soon be able to travel freely once again. While we will certainly see the effects of the COVID-19 and subsequent lockdowns for years to come, many people try to take their minds off worries and start planning their first real vacation in what seems like forever. And what is a better way to celebrate than finally making a Holiday Dream come true?
Even if your financial situation hasn’t gotten better, or, possibly, it’s worse than two years ago, you don’t have to break the bank to treat yourself this year. With a little creativity, some effort, and a bit of self-discipline, you can set aside a considerable sum for luxurious vacations. It’s best to start as soon as possible – keep track of your expenses to eliminate the unnecessary spendings and think about a potential source of additional income. You will also need to make a detailed plan of your trip to look out for promotions and find the best deals as well as determine where you can save money. Then, create a dedicated savings account and stick to the predetermined budget.
Below, we go through each of these steps – continue reading and start planning your dream holidays today!
Find an Additional Source of Income
As you already know, a luxury holiday is not cheap – if you are dreaming about exotic destinations, you will need to set aside quite a lot of money. If your income doesn’t suffice for covering the expenses, you need to find a source of additional income. The most obvious choice would be to get a side job, but it’s not the only option out there. If you have certain talents and know how to use them, you can start making some money on the side without leaving your house.
If you are good at writing and have a blog, you might start monetizing it using advertisements or selling sponsored posts. Another option is to open an Etsy store and sell your hand-made goods online. If you are a graphic designer, you can create logos and other design elements for local businesses. If you like playing online games to unwind, you can try streaming them to people around the world or find websites to play for money; it can be anything from GGN gaming and slots to poker or blackjack; just make sure you have a budget in place to avoid gambling your money away. Even with such services as Uber and Airbnb, you can make a nice amount of cash – just make sure you decide whether getting a license and commercializing your car or your home is worth it.
Once you have found a side job, be sure to set aside enough time from your already busy schedule for fulfilling your new obligations.
Keep Track of Your Expenses
One of the first things you should do to prepare for your big trip is to take a good look at your monthly spending habits. This way, you will get an idea of how much money you can reasonably set aside each month. Depending on how well you manage your finances, you might need to redirect some of your regular expenditures to your vacation fund.
In some cases, it might be possible to save a considerable amount of money just by modifying your lifestyle a bit. If you don’t need new clothes to always be dressed appropriately for the weather, hold off on the upcoming shopping spree and put those saved bucks into your vacation fund. Going out to eat more often than necessary is another big money-waster – you should definitely reassess your eating habits to find a balance for the time being.
It’s advisable to actually write down all your spendings, even the smallest sums, to ensure that you absolutely account for all of them. All this will help you determine whether your budget is realistic or you are dreaming too big – if the latter turns out to be true, you will need to reassess your expenses and cut down where possible.
Set up a Vacation Fund- a Holiday Dream
Once you have determined how much money you can reasonably set aside for your dream holidays, direct this sum to a dedicated savings account. This way, you won’t be tempted to touch the money for any other purposes, and it will slowly but steadily grow over time. This savings account should be valued separately from any others you might currently have. Make sure to put everything that you can afford into it.
Plan Your Trip for a Holiday Dream
Now that your vacation fund is growing steadily, you can begin planning your next trip. You’ll need to consider many aspects such as flights, accommodation, food, and excursions so that you won’t get caught by unexpected costs later on. You need to do some research and plan your trip down to the last detail – the better prepared you are, the more you will enjoy your holiday. Only then will you be able to buy your tickets in advance (as they tend to be cheaper) and look out for promotions and the best deals from different airlines, tourist attractions, and hotels.
For an even more affordable experience, you can try services like Couchsurfing or sharing a room in a hostel. Look out for special offers and read the fine print closely so that you don’t miss any discounts.
The more work you do in advance, the easier it will be for you to travel without being stressed out. Furthermore, you will be able to build your itinerary and make sure that you don’t miss anything important. Make sure to read up about your destination to get an idea of what you’ll be doing each day and to see whether you have time for exploring on your own or if you’ll need a guide to show you around on a Holiday Dream.
Conclusion
Taking a luxurious vacation might seem like an unreachable dream to many people today. However, with some research, creativity, and motivation, you can realize your ambitions in 2022. If you are willing to put in a little extra effort and stick to a budget, you can save up enough money for your big trip. The most important thing is not to spend money on anything unnecessary, even if you have some extra cash left after paying your regular bills. A little dedication can go a long way – while the world doesn’t look like it is getting better anytime soon, there are still ways to enjoy life. After all, this is what the holidays are all about.
