Planning a fun family vacation is going to be at the forefront of many people’s minds as the weather begins to get warmer as summer is in full swing. However, there are many logistics that come with planning a vacation which can take some of the fun out of being on vacation. This is why it’s so important to learn how to simplify your travel experience in order to remove this potential stress from your mind as soon as possible. Utilize the following guide to plan a fun and stress-free summer vacation.
How Much is the Cost of a Modern Vacation?
One of the biggest drawbacks, along with stressors, to taking a vacation in the modern day is the associated cost. Nowadays, the average vacation price for a single person alone is above $1,500 for a week-long trip. This means that an average family of four could expect to pay as much as $5,000-$6,000 for just a simple week-long trip. Therefore, one of the most important planning items to tackle first is how you will save up money for your trip.
How Long Does it Take to Plan a Vacation?
Before diving into the specifics of saving money for a trip, along with general planning tips, it’s important to understand how long it takes to plan for a vacation. This will help any traveler allow themselves adequate time to get their trip on the calendar without stressing about smaller details. In general, it’s best to start planning for a trip six to twelve months in advance depending on the complexity and length of your travels. Domestic travel should be closer to the six-month timeline, whereas international travel should be closer to a year of planning in length.
5 Ways to Simplify Your Vacation Planning
While the logistics associated with vacation planning can quickly become overwhelming, there are five primary tips any traveler can use to ease their mind:
- Utilize luggage storage services
A relatively unknown benefit that is available to travelers is luggage storage services in cities around the world, which allow a person to store their luggage for an hourly or daily fee. This is particularly helpful for travelers who have a layover or are only stopping in a destination for a day, and don’t want to cart their luggage around everywhere. This allows a traveler to plan their days more freely and without potential restrictions.
- Set up a dedicated travel savings account
To save enough money for vacation, you will need to start saving as soon as you begin planning months in advance. The best way to do this is to set up a dedicated savings account that will only be used for travel funds. Ensure that this savings account is separate from your normal account and aim to deposit funds into this account on a monthly basis after your normal savings has been contributed to.
- Sign up for price drop notifications
By planning your trip months in advance, you will ensure you have enough time to find the best price on hotels, flights, and activities. To take matters a step further, consider signing up for price drop notifications that will be sent to your email when one occurs on a website. This can help you jump on the best possible deal before it goes away and is lost forever.
- Plan a budget well in advance of your trip
The last thing you want to be doing on vacation is thinking about money, which is why building a vacation budget in addition to setting up your dedicated savings account is so important. Factor in both large and small expenses into this budget, such as food, transportation, activity costs, and more.
- Take advantage of travel insurance
Finally, it’s impossible to know what the future holds which is what makes travel insurance so important for major trips. Especially for travelers who are booking items well in advance, travel insurance will help to ensure you get your money back if you fall ill or are injured, along with a slew of other applicable reasons outlined in your insurance contract.
The Bottom Line
Everybody wants to have a fun summer vacation but getting bogged down in the logistics of planning that trip will make it seem more of a hassle than it’s worth. This is why all travelers, both avid and new, should utilize the above five tips to simplify their planning. By doing so, any traveler can get a fun vacation on the calendar with minimal stress, meaning there are fewer things to worry about on your time off.