Achieve Black Wealth

Get More Vacation for your Hard-Earned Money!
by
LeKendrick Rhodes

Believe it or not, it’s a lot cheaper to take vacation these days than it used to be. Why? Because, thanks largely to the Internet, vacationers have the power to quickly and easily hunt down the best prices on the market at any given time.

In fact, with a little planning and Internet searching, you can enjoy exciting, relaxing vacations at a fraction of what they might have cost five years ago. Here are three quick tips to getting more for your vacation money:

SET YOUR BUDGET UP FRONT!

It’s easy to fall into the overspending trap. Thousands of people break their budgets on vacation, then spend the next year making payments on their excursions. Often, this means a credit card balance that builds each year despite personal promises to "pay it off".

How do you avoid this common pitfall? Set your budget up front -- and make it a number that's reasonable. The cost is probably somewhere between what you planned to spend last year, and what you actually ended up spending. For instance, if you planned on spending $1000 and you spent $2000, $1500 is your magic number!

START SAVING EARLY!

You know you’re going on vacation every year – most people do. Create a fund at your bank, and put money in it each month to pay for your vacation. Even better, automatically deduct money from your paycheck every month and stick it in a money market account – you’ll have easy access, and it will even earn a little interest. Every penny counts!

Discounts, Discounts, DISCOUNTS!

This goes without saying – saving money on travel is almost too easy if you use the tools available to you. Here are two:

1. THE INTERNET IS YOUR FRIEND There are tons of websites out there that can make traveling much cheaper. Try booking a non-direct flight at www.orbitz.com and watch the savings grow! Or, use www.expedia.com to find a a hotel you can book during the week instead of the weekend. In some cases you'll save 50%, and your location of choice will probably be less crowded!

2. USE COUPONS There’s nothing like free money – and that’s basically what coupons are. If you’re traveling throughout the U.S., The Entertainment Book is a must have. This book will save you up to 50% on local restaurants, tourist attractions, movies, sporting events and hotels. Not to mention, you'll get discounts at retail stores, rental cars, airlines, and more.

BONUS TIP!

Here’s your bonus tip of the day – strongly consider planning your vacation outside of peak season. Holidays like Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day are when most Americans take their vacation, and hotels and airlines know it. If you want to travel during those times, you’re going to have to fork over some dollars.

Try traveling on off-season. If you like to ski, you can enjoy some of the best skiing in the nation in late March or early April at less than half the cost of peak season. There’s still plenty of snow in Aspen and Vail in March or April.

Another great time to travel is the week before Memorial Day. If you’re heading south to beaches or Disney World, it will most likely be plenty warm, and the hotels haven't kicked into their peak season rates until a week later. Again, you could save 50% or more!

HAPPY TRAVELING!

Use the tips we’ve given you here and you’re bound to save money on your next vacation. Travel safely...and maybe I'll see you by the pool!

Achieve Black Wealth can help you put your financial dreams into motion. E-mail us at letsgetstarted@achieveblackwealth.com today and one of our financial planners will help you secure a solid financial future!