Piggy-Bank-Creative-Commons- Arts on Earth
Who doesn’t wish to go on the perfect holiday where you can tickle your creative side? Imagine yourself sitting on the pavement opposite a scenic temple in India and sketch it on paper, or going surfing all day in the crystal blue waters of Australia or go hiking somewhere in Europe, letting yourself free, roaming like a nomad and collecting some of life’s worthiest moments. Well if you this has already gotten you day dreaming, its time you roll your sleeves and focus on getting that epic holiday.
Savings plan
Before you even start looking at brochures and researching what to do in your favourite holiday spot, you have to get your finances sorted. If you really want your dream vacation you would need to start a savings plan too. The first step to starting a savings plan for your vacation, is to have a savings account. Do your research and look up banks that offer the best rate of interest for our savings. Another great way to save is to invest some cash into an ISA, which stands for Individual Savings account. What’s more, ISA’s are tax free! Give yourself a target of stashing away a certain amount a week or every month, and you will be pleasantly surprised with the cash you will have left for you to plan your holiday.
Budget
The budget card is something almost every financial guru keeps playing, but believe me, it is really important. The first step to having a budget, is figuring out how much you spend on a weekly/monthly basis. Try keeping a diary, where you note down your expenditure. This will help you realise what it is you spend on the most, where you can afford to pull back a little. Once you have figured that out, you can go ahead and give yourself a budget for your expenses, and stash away the rest in your savings account.
budget by iwona kellie creative commons
Book tickets and hotels offseason
Keep on the lookout for great deals on the internet and newspaper. Subscribe to sites that frequently have such deals available. Don’t shy away from using Groupons, you can really find some great deals out there. If you have decided where you want to go, compare prices within sites, and book your ticket in advance, they are given away at great prices. The same applies to hotel bookings. Another thing to remember is fares are always lower in off peak season, that’s all year except during summers and Christmas.