Budget & Enjoy a Great Vacation
Budget & Enjoy a Great Vacation after working for months, the idea of a family vacation can seem like the ideal reward. A week or two in a sunny climate in the middle of a cold and snowy winter is the icing on their yearly cake. Vacations are usually costly though and if your job is set a family budget, you will want to get the most out of each dollar you have allocated to the vacation fund.
There are many crucial factors to consider if you have decided to set up a financial plan that includes money for vacations. It is not enough to just take a percentage of each paycheck and put it in a separate bank account that you will turn to at the end of the year. With the proper planning techniques in place when you set a family budget, you will be able to execute a trip that will be unforgettable.
One important consideration is timing. Most people want to venture out on a holiday at the same time each year. The travel industry refers to these times as peak periods and they fall in December, March and again during the summer months. The reason for this is because more people are tempted to take off on a trip when their children are not in school. The travel industry knows this, and prices are higher during these times.
Although schoolwork is most important, planning a trip during a non-peak time and preparing beforehand might be the most economical answer. Research is fundamental when planning any trip. There is an abundance of information on the internet that can give you an idea of the total cost you will be facing for your trip.
If you do decide to travel during a non-peak time and you have children enrolled in school, there are steps you can take to assist them with their studies. Talk to their teachers and have them assign homework for the trip. This is a wonderful method of not only keeping the children up to par in class, but it gives them something to focus on during the car or airplane ride. Children can become agitated easily when expected to sit still for prolonged periods of time, but if they are engrossed in studies, the time moves along much more quickly.
If you do decide to travel during a non-peak time and you have children enrolled in school, there are steps you can take to assist them with their studies. Talk to their teachers and have them assign homework for the trip. This is a wonderful method of not only keeping the children up to par in class, but it gives them something to focus on during the car or airplane ride. Children can become agitated easily when expected to sit still for prolonged periods of time, but if they are engrossed in studies, the time moves along much more quickly.
Another consideration when you set a family budget that includes a vacation fund is to consider traveling to a destination that offers all-inclusive vacation packages. This includes not only your airfare and accommodations but can also include meals and beverages. The savings with this type of vacation plan can be considerable. It also offers up the benefit of pre-planning all related costs. You will know how much you need to save each month to reach your vacation goal.
One of the things that people often overlook when considering vacation expenses as they set a family budget is the benefit of visiting relatives. A destination that involves family members can result in a considerable savings in accommodation costs. Most people welcome the company of relatives for a few days and if you buy them dinner or surprise them with a thank-you gift they will invite you back repeatedly.
Budget That Lets You Give
December can be an overwhelming month when it comes to the family budget. For many people they want to be generous and choose a holiday gift that will reflect their appreciation to the person receiving it. It is a lovely gesture but when the holiday bills start filling your mailbox and draining your bank account after the first of the year, you will not have any appreciation for the fact that you did not plan your gift giving strategy more carefully.
When it is time to set a family budget, gift giving must have a place. If it does not your December buying binges could result in financial problems that last for the better part of the next year.
The first and most major step is to choose an amount of money that you can affordably spend and then sticking with it. This should not be done while you are in the middle of a store filled with holiday decorations and tempting gift choices. This should be done early in the year, the earlier the better.
A common time of year to set a family budget is in January. For some people it becomes one of their New Year’s Resolutions. Saving money and sticking to a budget. Along with weight loss, this resolution often does not make it into February. With a little willpower though you can not only lose weight but save money as well. Gift giving is an area that most people can save quite a bit of money in.
Here is a list of money saving tips that relate to gift giving:
- Make your Christmas and birthday gift giving lists in January.
- Pick an amount to spend on each person and do not defer from that.
- Whenever you see something during the year that fits the person’s interests and your budget, purchase it, and set it aside for the appropriate occasion.
- Homemade gifts such as greeting cards and fruit baskets are a lovely gesture and welcomed because the person giving took time to make something as opposed to purchasing it.
- Discuss the idea of picking names for Christmas gift giving if you are a member of a large family. If each person spends a slightly larger amount of money on one person as opposed to a small amount on several people this allows you to not only give a nicer gift, but you save money as well.
Gift giving does not need to break your piggy bank. When you set a family budget, pick an amount for each person you need to buy gifts for and get shopping, knowing that this year you will not overextend yourself and your holidays really will be filled with joy.
You will have the joy of knowing that you have given what you can afford. Often others will appreciate a gift limit as well because it means less money, they feel pressured into spending as well. The holidays are much more about family than gifts and with proper planning you can have both.
Best Wishes, Coyalita
See Tomorrow: “Set a Family Budget and Have Fun”
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