It is summertime, vacation time for
those who are in school and grind time for those who are working as well. But
why not have a little fun this summertime. Right now there are summer deals
with certain airlines and many more things to do over the summer. I, myself enjoy
taking little road trips with my friends and most of the time, if planned
correctly, they are perfect. I’m going to give a little advice today on how to
plan the perfect trip. Keep in mind I don’t exactly mean a big luxurious trip,
but one good enough to keep in your memory books with your friends. Being a
part-time college student and a part-time worker I don’t have that much money
to my name but that doesn’t stop me from seeing and doing things. Living in
Florida, there are always places to go and things to do as long as you have the
means to do it. I try to go on a little adventure at least one every week or
so, depending on the work schedule. One doesn’t have to be a part of a travel
club to be able do things. With the proper research and budgeting you can still
have a ball.
The first thing I do when it comes
to planning trips is to choose when I would want to travel. Would I want to go
somewhere for the summer or winter? Do I want to see snow or be in a tropical
area? Do I want to stay in state or go out of state? Simple questions like
that. I also take into consideration if there is a special occasion like an
anniversary or birthday coming up. My friends and I, we like to travel places
for our birthdays. I like to start contemplating the trip at least 6 months
ahead to get a general idea of what I want to do, and then a month and half
before the actual date start getting everything ready. That is just me
personally, everyone differs when it comes to planning. You can plan 6 months
ahead or two weeks ahead, as long as you plan out everything.
Picking what you want to do and
where can be difficult for some people. Take into consideration some of your
favorite subjects and shows to get a general idea on where you would like to
go. For example, my favorite travel channel show is Ghost Adventures, for one
of my vacation trip I chose to visit a town they went to in one of their
episodes. Or use things like Pinterest to get ideas on where to go. For
example, let’s say one loves all things historic, many states have historic
districts, plan a trip to one. Once I’ve picked where I want to go, I looked at
what there is to do at that location. I looked at the events going on in the
city and “must go” places that are recommended online. I also looked at highly
rated (but affordable) restaurants in the town. Also look to see if certain
attractions you’re visiting gives discounts for those in college or in the military,
which will always help when it comes to the budget. Planning where and what to
do can give the trip much more structure and can give a general time frame for
each place to see.
Once I picked where to go and what
I want to do, I then start looking for a place to sleep. Finding the right
hotel can be a little frustrating to young travelers because some places do not
book rooms for those under the age of twenty-one. You have to look around and
see what hotel will book for eighteen and up. For me, I use hotels.com to help
me look for great hotel deals. I am not a picky person when it comes to hotels,
it’s not like I’m spending all day at the hotel anyway. On hotels.com they have
given me very affordable deals and if you connect it to your email you will get
notifications on your android phone about the trip. Unless you have a relative
to stay with this is your best option.
Once I’ve picked why, where, when,
and what to do, I start to think about the “who” in my five W’s. Invite friends
on the trip, traveling is always better with your best friends. I will never
travel alone for safety and entertainment measures. Traveling with a friend can
also help save more, splitting the cost of things is the best way to do it. By
this point I will have figured out the total amount of money needed to for the
hotel and attraction. Splitting this between the amounts of people coming along
will lower the cost you have to pay yourself. Once you’ve figured that
calculation, start adding other necessities, things like:
·
Gas money or airfare
·
Possible rental car
·
Money for drinks (pregame at the hotelroom)
·
Spending money
o
Money for food
o
Money for gifts/souvenirs
Once I’ve figured out how much I need myself, I just start
saving after each paycheck. Figure out how much you’ll need to save and start
putting it away. For example, if a trip costs $800 and you get paid $300 weekly, put away $75 each paycheck. You would reach that $800 goal in 11 paychecks if planned properly. Manage the time and money differently if you're a last minute planner. Get hype about it too, don’t think of the money you put away
or else you’ll be tempted to touch it. Now all you have to do is tell your job
or school about your upcoming vacation and go enjoy yourself. I know when I do
it this way I have the time of my life. Have fun!
