Saving money for travel is a great goal to have! In this post, I'll share some simple and practical ways to save money and make travel a priority in your finances.
1. Budgeting is great for tracking spending, and you can use a budgeting app to help you stay on track. Seeing what is coming in and going out by writing it down for the previous month is a great exercise to start budgeting. Personal Capital and Intuit Mint are great apps to consider.
2. Cutting back on unnecessary items, like eating out and subscription services, can really add up in the long run. I love my Starbucks just as much as any other busy mama, but if I have a goal of three nights at a gorgeous beach at an adults only all-inclusive resort, that helps motivate me to grab the water bottle on my way out of the door instead.
3. Discounts and coupons can also help you save on travel expenses. This is where using a travel advisor is essential since they have access to many supplier partner offers to find the best price for your vacation. An experienced travel advisor also continuously monitors vacation promotions and prices for already booked clients' vacations, making sure they are getting the best value for their vacation investment.
4. Consider traveling during "shoulder season," the month or so before or after a peak time to travel to a particular destination. Did you know that different destinations, have different peak seasons? For example, summer at Walt Disney World is no longer "peak" season, despite what you would expect. Many people want to avoid the extreme heat and daily rainstorms during their theme park vacation. A travel advisor can also recommend the best time to plan travel to a destination to catch lower prices while also sharing the trade-off for why the prices are lower such as hurricane season, pulling kids out of school to avoid school breaks, etc.
5. Setting aside a specific amount each month for travel can help you reach your goal! This is where booking travel at least six months to, preferably, a year in advance will give you time to set aside what you have budgeted for your dream vacation and make payments along the way.
These are practical, simple strategies that can help you start your saving journey and begin prioritizing travel opportunities to get them off your wish list and added to your done list!