Do you smell it? Do you smell the waft of the holiday season in the air? It’s irresistible actually. If a member of your family, friends, or job hasn’t mentioned their plans for Christmas yet, then you’ve probably heard it on-air, or online in the form of a jingle or promo.
Nonetheless, the season of one of the biggest holidays is fast approaching, meaning that soon, it’ll be time to take on trips in order to spend the festive period with loved ones.
Even the joy of the holiday cannot override the reality; money is slow to enter, yet quickly spent. And if proper care isn’t taken, overspending during this season could have serious repercussions in the new year.
Without further ado, here are six-budget-friendly tips to prepare you for the next holiday trip.
- Early bird flights/bus tickets booking
Flight, bus, tickets are usually expensive during the holidays. What better way to save cost than booking as early as possible. Browse through airlines or ‘buslines’ of your choice and understand their terms of use and available booking dates.
Trust that by booking on time, you get to save as much as 10 percent off ticket fares. Additionally, booking early isn’t without the advantage of choosing better seats.
- Shop for gifts on time
Nothing says, ‘I love and appreciate you’ like gifts do. With this in mind, you’ll definitely be spending on buying presents for loved ones.
Plan months before the holidays; make a list of things to get for each person and where to get them. Take advantage of huge promos such as Black Friday and slash sales. If you need to get these items in a local market, inquire ahead of time from trusted traders, wholesalers or retailers.
Get creative with gifts and hamper packaging; and don’t forget to gift according to the individual’s taste.
- Plan your itinerary ahead of time
You wouldn’t want to spend the entire holiday laying in bed, do you? Make an achievable itinerary complete with the activities, places and people you hope to engage with throughout the holiday.
For instance, if you need to be at several locations during the holiday period, preparing your itinerary makes it easier to book as early as possible in order to avoid last-minute payments or bookings which tend to be costlier.
By having a spelt-out plan, you’ll also make preparations concerning accommodation, and feeding.
- Travel with a group
Two heads are always better than one. And in the case of travelling, going in a group is a way better idea.
Not only would you have familiar faces to keep you company throughout the journey, but travel fare could get cheaper.
- Eat out less
To avoid overspending during the holiday, cut down on eating out. Chances are, the family you’re spending the holiday with cook daily meals and living on that would be a good idea.
Restaurants, eateries, fast food joints, usually tend to increase the prices in their menu during festivities.
- Plan your return trip
Despite the excitement that comes with the holiday, it’ll soon be time to return to base. For this reason, planning adequately for your return trip is essential.
How, when and with whom are you travelling back with? You want to make sure you’re back to base before work or a new school semester begins.
Allocate a part of your budget for your return trip.
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