Tips To Save For A Great Family Vacation
If you haven’t already begun saving for your spring or summer vacation this year, you have two choices: 1) Declare it’s too late to save and wait until next year, or 2) Make a plan and make it happen! To get started saving right away, follow these three tips that will move you closer to achieving your dream of taking a fun-filled spring or summer vacation.
Form a Budget
If you’ve already decided where you’d like to go on vacation, when you will go, and for how long, establishing a budget is easy. You can go about forming your budget in two ways: First, research via the internet to find the best flight fares, hotel packages, transportation, restaurants, and other expenses. Then plug those numbers into a vacation budget planning form that will help organize and calculate your expenses. Second, form a budget by outlining your vacation destination, travel dates and the estimated amount you’ll have to spend. Then, have a travel agent find you the best deals based on the vacation packages they have available.
Look for Ways to Save
We’re all familiar with the traditional ways of saving money, such as having a change jar or piggy bank or opening a savings account with a local bank. Those ideas still work and may be useful in helping you save for your vacation. But in today’s world, there are even better means of helping you reach your savings goal. First, among the modern savings tools, you can use to help you are the many smartphone apps that automatically transfer a set dollar amount – at pre-determined times – from your checking account into an account for your vacation. Apps such as Mint, Digit or Qapital may be useful. In addition to saving money from your paycheck each month, you can create sources of additional income by selling household items and collectibles online on sites such as eBay, Etsy or Amazon.
Make Your Goal Tangible
While your spring or summer vacation may only seem like a dream until you actually leave for the trip, there are things you can do to make it tangible and real now! Print off some color pictures of your vacation destination and hang them up where you’ll see them daily. Additionally, you may consider purchasing a few small items that you will need for your trip, such as suntan lotion, sandals or a bathing suit. Put these items out where you’ll see them regularly to remind you of why you’re saving. How will these ideas help you save? By having visible images and tangible items related to your vacation in plain view, you will stay focused and motivated to achieve your vacation savings goal.
The professional accountants at Donohoo Accounting Services have even more ways to help you save. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation or call 513-528-3982.
Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for our latest updates!