I am beyond excited for my and Cam's trip to Peru at the end of this month. A lot of friends have asked how we're affording a ten-day international vacation, so here a few tips that worked for us!
- Plan far in advance, and do big purchases one at a time. Cam and I booked our flights for May all the way back in September. We booked our trek to Machu Picchu in November, and didn't pay for hotels until March. Spreading it out is way less daunting than paying for an entire trip up front, so be patient and note that postponing your dream vacation will be worth the wait when you're reducing financial stress. It's also nice that everything's taken care of in advance, so all we'll pay for on the actual trip is food and souvenirs.
- Use your tax return money. I don't know about you, but tax return money is not something I figure into my salary or budget, so it's always a nice surprise to get a seemingly random check in the mail. I used 2012's tax return to purchase my plane ticket to Cusco.
- Think about booking a trip with lots of outdoor activities that don't cost a ton of money. It would be absolutely lovely to go to Paris for 10 days, but I know I would end up spending hundreds of dollars on museum tickets, public transportation, nice restaurants, etc. We paid a fairly minimal flat fee to book our trek, which lasts four days and they'll provide food and shelter for the whole time.
- Limit other purchases. Some of the same friends who have been baffled by how I'm paying for this trip do weekly shopping trips or eat out for lunch every day -- It all comes down to prioritizing. For instance, I haven't gone shopping for new clothes in months, and I make a sandwich at my office for lunch most days. You can most likely afford to travel, but maybe not in addition to everything you like doing on a daily basis.
- Ask for money as gifts for your birthday or Christmas. As much as I love getting clothes and jewelry for Christmas, this year I knew that money would be way less fun, but really helpful. Something my mom taught me is to ask explicitly for what you want, instead of beating around the bush. I (hopefully) very nicely told my parents that I would really appreciate money for Christmas and my birthday this year, instead of clothes, books, etc; and the extra cash was definitely helpful in planning my trip. Another idea is to give activities as presents. For example, if you're traveling with your significant other, get him/her a couples massage or skydiving package in your destination city. It's a thoughtful, memorable gift and it will pay, in advance, for an activity on your vacation.
- Use Airbnb as an alternative to hotels. While we booked hotels for Peru, we used Airbnb when we traveled to Seattle. No frills or turn down service, but we stayed in a clean, homey apartment for less than $100/night.
- If you're traveling to a major city, cut down on transportation costs by renting bikes. With Spinlister, you can rent a bike from a local at a much less expensive price than city bike shops. In San Francisco, the average cost of a daily bike rental is ~$35, whereas with Spinlister it comes out to about $15.
- Consider working on your vacation. It sounds counterintuitive, I know, but with a work exchange you have the opportunity for free room and board with a local family while offering your help for 4-6 hours/day. Duties or work usually include cooking or cleaning, and occasionally childcare or tutoring. Workaway is one of the sites that matches travelers with host families, and you can filter by type of work you're willing to do, as well as preferred destination(s).
Hope this helps, and happy planning! :)
(Photo from Dreamstime)
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