Whether you dream about an island cruise, a trek across our beautiful country, or an adventure abroad, a vacation can be an exciting way to get the rest and relaxation you and your family deserve. But in today’s challenging economy, spending extra money on a vacation may be the last thing on your mind. So what’s a hard-working person in a need of a vacation escape to do?
It all Starts With a Plan
You can start by planning your dream vacation and gradually saving toward your goal. Ask yourself and your family members where they would like to go. If you have children and plan on taking them along, involve them in the planning. This is a great way to spend quality family time.
Start your Research
Once you determine your location, begin to explore pricing. There’s no shortage of helpful online travel websites that make shopping for vacation locales easy. You can set alerts and automatically be notified when good travel deals arise. When you know how much you need and when you plan to go, you can begin your saving plan. Figure out how much you’ll need to save per month to reach your goal.
Open a Vacation Account
Many banks and credit unions offer vacation accounts designed to make saving easy. You can arrange to have money from your paycheck automatically deposited to your vacation account. Or if you enroll in online banking, you can set up automatic transfers from your checking account to your vacation account. The ideal thing about a vacation account is that you can’t access the funds until it’s time to pay for your vacation.
Change Will do you Good
In addition to setting up regular transfers to your vacation fund, you can also supplement your savings by putting aside extra change. Get a jug or old water bottle and fill it with coins any time you have a pocket or purse full. Or, fill the jar by returning empty bottles for deposits. You’ll be surprised how quickly the money adds up. And counting your stash can be an exciting event for you and your children, too.
Encourage Your Children to Save
Planning ahead for a vacation is a great way to teach your children the importance of saving. Have them open their own account and deposit money they earn (such as birthday presents or allowances). They can use the money for vacation spending or to contribute to the family’s fund. The important thing to remember is that they are learning the importance of setting goals and saving to reach them.
Everyone needs a break now and then. And with a little planning and a lot of commitment, you can put away the money you need to take the vacation you’ve always wanted.
