5 Tips for Taking Luxury Vacations on a Budget

Taking Luxury Vacations on a Budget

Just because you’re on a strict budget doesn’t mean you can’t experience a luxury vacation. With the right planning and research, you’ll be able to experience a memorable luxury vacation. All without putting a hole in your finances. Here are five tips for taking luxury vacations on a budget.

Time Your Vacation for the Off-Season

Resorts and vacation destinations have an off-season and a busy season. It is often much more expensive to book during the busy season, as demand will be higher and therefore prices will be too.

Planning your vacation for the off-season or even just before the busy season begins can help you shave off hundreds of dollars from the vacation’s overall cost.

If you’re not sure whether a hotel or resort is in the off-season or busy season, don’t hesitate to visit their website or a site like TripAdvisor for more information. There you’ll learn hours, locations, and when the site’s busy season begins so you can plan your trip accordingly.

Plan Ahead

Whether you’re planning to visit Mexico City for Dia de Los Muertos or a luxury villa like the Sombras del Viento estate for some fun in the sun, be sure to plan your bookings ahead of time to maximize your trip’s savings.

Planning ahead involves checking airfare and hotel/villa rates now and in the future. It might be that prices are much more affordable a few months from now, giving you more time to plan and save.

Plan for every part of the trip; lodging, food, airfare, and recreation. You’ll want to create a budget for the overall cost of each component to give you a more accurate overall price for the vacation.

Leaving out something as small as transportation costs for getting around town can leave you stranded without enough money to get where you’re going.

Account for everything.

Book a Villa Instead of a Luxury Hotel

You might be thinking “villas are expensive though.” It’s certainly true that villas usually cost more per night than a luxury hotel.

This depends on the hotel, of course.

The reason is that they usually come complete with fully-staffed locations, food prep, private beaches, and more.

For groups of five or more, villas are the perfect option, since the price is per night for the entire estate, not room-to-room. With a luxury hotel, you’ll wind up paying extra for food costs and other services that villas often provide in your package.

Next time you plan a family vacation, you should seriously consider renting a villa instead. Not only will you have a more private vacation experience, but the overall cost per person will be much lower than if you had to rent multiple rooms at a luxury hotel.

Save Early, Save Often

Of course, even with a budget, you’ll need to start saving money as early as you can. It’s a good idea to start saving for and planning your trip at least a few months to a year in advance.

This will give you ample time to figure out how to work saving for a vacation into your monthly budget. Also, it will provide you with a solid estimate of the total cost of the trip. That way, you know how much you should be saving.

Even just a few dollars per month can add up quickly. While you’re only saving a little bit at a time, you’re still saving something.

Sometimes, it takes years to save up for that perfect vacation. With the right planning, you’ll make it affordable. Once you’re on the beach sipping on ice-cold cocktails, you’ll forget all about how long it took you to get there.

Use a Travel Agent

If you’re struggling to find the best deals on vacation packages or flights, enlisting a travel agent can help. These experts know which deals are the best.

They know what time of year is the best to book, and where the cheapest flights are.

They’ll charge a fee, so you’ll need to account for that in your budget. The good thing is it will be easily covered by the money you save on bookings and airfare.

Plan Your Next Vacation

Whether you’re booking a stay at a luxury resort, or a guided tour through the Mayan ruins, you can. A vacation to Mexico on a budget is absolutely possible.

With early planning, set savings goals, and the services of a travel agent, you’re set. You’ll be able to find the best package to suit both your financial and vacation needs.

Do you have any tips on taking luxury vacations on a budget?

Let me know, til then–cheers m’deres!

 

 

 

 

 

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