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Are you getting ready to enjoy some well earned R&R? Everything may be going your way except the extent of your travel budget. However, this doesn’t have to be a dream killer. There are plenty of ways to enjoy your best time yet. Here are 5 handy tips that you can follow to get the most from your vacation.
1. Explore Your Own Backyard
Nowhere is it set in stone that you absolutely have to travel to the ends of the earth to go on a well-deserved vacation. If you live on the West Coast or in the Golden State, there’s plenty to explore right here in your own backyard. A timely course of camping in California may be just what the doctor ordered.
Camping closer to home makes a great deal of economic sense. It’s a great way to save more than a little bit of time, energy, and money. And there are many, many exciting places to check out that you may never even have heard of. This vacation, do yourself a favor. Take the time to find out more about what your native region has to offer.
2. Plan an Exciting Activity List
If you really want to make the most of your next vacation, why not plan a few exciting activities? You can make a special vacation activity list and check off each fun-filled activity, one by one. It’s a great way to enjoy a rush of inspiration while still totally relaxing.
For example, if you plan to go to Yosemite National Park, you can plan to take photos of all of the famous landmarks that the park has to offer. You can also take pics of the various decor styles of the cabins and other outbuildings. Whatever it takes to amuse and entertain you, plan in advance to do plenty of it during your off time.
3. Bring Your Own Food
One of the ways that costs can creep up on you without you even realizing it is in the area of food and snacks. The snack bar or cafeteria at a park or resort area may be priced exorbitantly because they know that they’ve „got“ you. There may not be a local grocery store or restaurant of any kind around for many miles.
But you don’t have to fall prey to this price gouging. Your best bet will be to pack plenty of food to enjoy when you feel the urge. Even if you’re staying for a week, you can still offset a lot of your local dining costs with this handy measure. A few easily preserved sandwiches and snacks can take a huge percentage off of your costs.
4. Turn Off Your Cell Phone
Are you going to spend your whole vacation blabbing away to family and friends about how much fun you’re having? How many selfies do you plan on snapping? If you’re going to go through the trouble and expense of getting away, why not actually getaway? Turn off your cell phone and let yourself get the time to yourself that you deserve.
5. Watch Out for Resort Fees
One of the biggest threats to your vacation budget will be the presence of hidden or „selectively placed“ resort fees. These are charges that involve all of the little conveniences that you don’t realize you are actually on the hook for. They can include towels, shampoo, soap, and other „complimentary“ items.
Make sure to scan past the „Holiday Special!“ price blurb and down to the fine print where the price of resort fees will generally be listed. If you don’t see them anywhere, make sure to ask about them. This will save you a major blow to your budget that you wouldn’t have seen coming.
Don’t Let Your Budget Stall Your Dream Vacation
There is absolutely no reason why you can’t go and have the vacation you’ve always dreamed of. Even if your budget is a bit light, you can still have the time of your life. All it takes is a little extra planning to keep all of your costs under control. The time for you to enjoy a budget-friendly vacation in paradise is now.