Summary

• Determining what you can afford is the most important part of planning a summer vacation. This information will help you decide where to travel and what to do while you’re there.
• Before you leave, research discounts and smart savings strategies unique to your destination. Remember to account for food costs, too!
• Traveling a few days before or after peak season can save you some serious cash.
• Savvy travelers book their airfare and accommodations in advance to secure the best prices. 
• Use tools like Payactiv’s SmartSpend to ensure you stay on budget while you’re away. 

Whether you’re taking a cross-country road trip or staying at an all-inclusive resort, your summer vacation requires some serious planning. Where you can go and what you can do at your destination depends entirely on your budget.

Fortunately, there are ways to afford unforgettable getaways. You just need to partake in some thoughtful planning.

Set a Spending Limit

The last thing you want to do is book a vacation you can’t afford. Before you pick a destination, decide on a maximum budget you can spend on your getaway.

This might mean you head to a less popular beach closer to home rather than booking a luxe getaway in Cabo. While luxury is nice, it’s not worth it if you come home and can’t afford to pay your rent.

A vacation should help you recharge, not add financial stress to your life.

Research Your Destination

Once you know how much you can spend, you can decide where to go. Be sure to research your destination’s cost of airfare, hotel rooms, and everything else you can do there.

Let’s say you’re taking a trip to Japan. If you plan ahead, you can order a JR Rail Pass to get around the country via bullet train for a reduced price. The savings with this pass are so significant that sometimes tourists see more of the country than people who live there. 

However, there’s a catch. You can only order the money-saving pass from outside the country. If you wait until you get to Tokyo, you’ll find yourself paying more and seeing less. 

The National Parks are another example. By doing some research in advance, you can get reduced or free admission when you travel with a military member, senior, disabled person, or a fourth grader. If you don’t know about the discount, your entire car may unnecessarily pay full price for admission.

Travel During Shoulder Season

America’s beaches are incredibly popular from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and every merchant knows it. If you can, try to travel during shoulder season. This includes the days leading up to Memorial Day or immediately following Labor Day. 

You’ll experience weather similar to the summer months, and attractions won’t be as crowded. Consequently, you can expect to pay less for everything because demand is lower.

Book Ahead of Time

When you wait to book your summer vacation until the last minute, especially during peak summer months when demand is high, you’ll pay more. Hotels and airlines will have less availability, so they usually raise the prices on their remaining inventory.

Book your flights a couple of months ahead of time (or longer if you’re traveling internationally), and do the same for accommodations. If there’s an attraction you’re particularly excited about, try purchasing that ahead of time as well. 

Plan for Food

Dining out for every meal is nice but can add up quickly. Be sure to plan for your meals, whether that’s taking advantage of a complimentary hotel breakfast or booking a vacation rental with a kitchen so you can buy groceries and prepare your own food.

You’ll probably also want to eat at restaurants at least a few times. There’s no shame in that! Just prepare for the expense.

Nowadays, you can look up the menu of virtually any restaurant online ahead of time. Unless it’s an ultra-fancy establishment that costs an arm and a leg, the odds are high that they’ll include prices on their website. This lets you ballpark your food budget before you even leave.

Track Your Spending

You’ve planned your budget, chosen your destination, booked early, and researched expenses like food. But your work isn’t done yet! When you’re on vacation, it’s easy to splurge. The most responsible way to vacation is by tracking your spending while you’re there. 

Luckily, the Payactiv app¹ makes this incredibly simple, and it gets even easier when you use tools like SmartSpend. This way, you don’t accidentally spend the money you need for your utility bills on souvenirs or prohibitively expensive activities you might enjoy but can’t afford.

Final Word

Budgeting for your summer vacation shouldn’t feel restrictive. Instead, it can help you be creative and find ways to afford a relaxing experience. With some planning and the tools in the Payactiv app, you can plan a trip that gives you some R&R without breaking the bank.

¹ Standard data rates from your wireless service provider may apply.

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