Travel Hacks: Your Ticket to a Vacation That’s Right for Your Tight Budget

Going on vacation is exciting, thrilling and can be very expensive. Unfortunately, when pinching pennies, one of the first things to go are luxurious vacations of years past. But there is hope, with a few small hacks, a vacation can be within reach, on any budget. Here are some travel hacks to help you find the vacation that’s right for your budget:

Make a Wish List

Your first step towards getting the vacation of your dreams, at the price of your bank account, is to make a wish list. Determine what you absolutely need to get out of your vacation, and what can be added if the budget allows. Once you have that list, start doing your research. If headed to Kulula, you might consider looking for Kulula flight prices and then finding a site that allows you to compare airlines and choose something that fits in your budget.

Use Rewards

If you are lucky enough to already have some travel rewards points, then use them, they are not doing anything for you sit in your wallet. If you are not yet set up with travel rewards, it’s not too late. Many credit cards (and bank card) companies have options for a rewards card where you can earn points on your everyday purchases. If you’re not planning to go on your trip for a year or more, then start collecting rewards today and see them add up to help finance your trip.

Find Free (or inexpensive) Lodging

One of the biggest costs of vacations is the hotels. Hotels can cost hundreds of dollars a night and will quickly eat up your budget. When planning your trip, consider visiting somewhere where you know someone and can stay with them. If this is not an option than using a service like for inexpensive lodging. If you want to really take advantage of having the best vacation ever on a budget, sign up for a service where you can offer to house sit for someone else on vacation in exchange for free room and board.

Cook at Home

If you’re not lucky enough to be staying in an all-inclusive resort, you can save some money by cooking your meals at home. Farmers markets and grocery stores are going to be a less expensive place to buy food than at restaurants, so ask your host where the ideal place to shop is, stock up and spend some of your trip cooking. You can make it feel special by creating dishes using some of the local products you find that you can’t generally get at home.

Going on vacation can be a big adventure, and it can even happen on a budget. Do your research to make your lists of wants and needs, use rewards points if you have them (or start saving them today), use home-sharing services for inexpensive lodging and cook some of your meals at home. By making some smart choices, and planning early, you can achieve the trip of a lifetime without spending your life’s savings.