15 EASY STEPS FOR PLANNING YOUR NEXT TRIP
Step 1 – Decide Where
You Want To Go
Defining where you want
to go sets a goal to work toward. A lot of people talk vaguely about travel.
They never say where they are going, just that they are going.
Picking a destination is immensely important, as it gives you a definite goal.
It’s a lot easier to mentally get behind “I am going to Boracay” than “I’m
going to Philippines.” Not only will your trip become more concrete for you and
easier to commit to, but it will make planning easier as well.
Step 2 – Decide the
Length of Your Trip
How much does it cost to
travel? I have no idea without knowing for how long you’re going away. You
can’t figure out how much you need to save if you haven’t decided on how long
you’ll be in your destination. After you say “I’m going to Boracay,” add “for 5
days.”
Step 3 – Research Your
Costs
So you know where you’re
going and how long you’ll be there, but to really nail down how much money you
need, your next task is to research the costs in your destination at the style
of travel you want. Do you want to backpack, or
would you rather stay in luxury hotels? How much are hostels, hotels,
restaurants, and activities? Knowing will allow you to estimate how much money
you’ll need for your trip. You can begin with my travel guide section or simply buy a guidebook (which are really good for
things like this).
If you are going to Boracay
for 5 days and need $60 a day (not including your flight), you know you need to
save $300 (though round up to $450 since it’s good to have extra) for your
trip.
Now you have a concrete
goal to work toward.
Step 4 – Start Saving
Money
Time to start saving!
Write down all your current expenses so you can determine where you are
spending money and how you can cut back. People bleed a lot of money every day
through small purchases: that bottle of water, the dollar for that snack, that
extra coffee. All of that add’s up and creating this breakdown can let you know
where you need to cut and save.
For example, if you need
$2,000 USD for the trip you’re taking in eight months, which means you
only have to save $8.33 per day. Couldn’t you find a way to save $8 per day?
Heck, your daily coffee is most of that! Here are three easy tips that produce
big wins:
·
Cut
the coffee – That daily coffee
costs you $120 per month ($4 per coffee). An extra $1,440 per year pays for three
months in Southeast Asia! What’s more important: your daily cup of Joe or
getting to spend two more months enjoying the beaches of Thailand or exploring
the jungles of Borneo?
·
Learn
to cook – Your food
allowance will take the biggest chunk of your daily budget, so eating out it not
always an option. It would be great if you can cook large amount of food and
enjoy the left over for the next day’s lunch.
·
Get
rid of cable – In the age of
Hulu and free (and legal) streaming TV, there’s no reason for you to be
spending $50 USD per month on cable television.
Step 5 – Get a Travels
Rewards Credit Card
While you’re working to
save money, get a
travel credit card so you
can earn sign-up bonuses to redeem miles and points for free flights and hotel
stays. Most cards have bonuses of up to 50,000 points when you meet their
minimum spending requirement (often $1,000 within a three-month period). That’s
a lot of miles — enough for a free flight almost anywhere in the world.
If you want a free
flight, use the cards that help with that. If you want free hotel rooms, get a
hotel card. You don’t need to sign up for very many cards; pick one or two and
focus on those. Do this the moment you decide you want to travel. Don’t wait
— waiting equals lost miles, which means less free travel.
Step 6 – Switch to
No-Fee ATM Cards
Don’t give banks any of
your hard-earned money. Save every extra dollar you can by using a no-fee ATM
card. Since every penny counts for your travel saving, $2 per transaction
definitely adds up at the end of the month.
Step 7 – Stay Focused
and Inspired
Keep feeding your desire
to travel. Reading inspiring stories, checking different attractions to your
target place will definitely provide you courage to continue and reach your
goal.
Step 8 – Check for
Last-Minute Deals
Okay, you’re inspired,
prepared, and on your way to saving money for your trip. But before you go buy
that flight or book that hotel, check for deals you might have missed. You may
dream of Paris but maybe there are great deals to Berlin right now. Maybe you
can get a seven-day cruise for 70% off, a package deal to Palawan for the price
of your flight to Boracay, or 50% off sailing trips around Asia.
Step 9 – Book Your
Flight
After you’ve used your travel credit card and received your sign-up bonus, use
your miles to book your flight. It is harder to use miles these days due to
less availability, so make sure to book early to insure you get your desired
flight.
Step 10 – Book Your
Accommodation
If you have a set schedule, feel free to book accommodation for the duration of
your trip, but if you are going to be traveling long-term, book just the first
few days. Once you know the dates you’ll be in your destination, there is no
real reason not to find a place to stay. My view is that waiting will just lead
to you losing your top picks.
Love hotels? They won’t
save you money, but you can sign up for some hotel credit cards and get free
rooms, too.
Step 11 – Plan Your
Activities
Sketch out the major activities you want to enjoy and how much they cost. Make
any last-minute adjustments to your savings so you can ensure you have enough
money. This will also help you figure out if you need any reservations for your
chosen tours or activities.
Step 12 – Automate Your
Bills
Get rid of your mail, go
paperless, and set up online bill payment for your recurring bills to ensure
you won’t miss any overseas. If you are still going to get paper mail, use a
service like Earth Class Mail, which will collect and scan your mail for you.
(If you are going on a two-week trip, you don’t really need to worry about
this, so you can skip this step, too.)
Step 13 – Tell Your Card
Companies you’re traveling
No matter how long
you’ll be gone, it’s a good idea to let your credit card companies know you
will be overseas; that way any transactions that you make aren’t flagged as
fraudulent and your card is less likely to be blocked. There’s nothing worse
than having to sit on the phone with your credit card company instead of
enjoying your vacation.
Step 14 – Pack
Now for
the things to pack, you definitely have a long list to bring but what’s
important it to bring the essentials, if you are not staying for a long time
just pack a few spare cloths and lotions and bugsprays. Travelling light is
always better compared to hauling your big bags all over the place where you
will be travelling to.
Step 15 – Enjoy Your
Trip
Now that you know your
destination, you know when are you flying, you now started saving. The last
thing that you need to remember go on your trip and have
fun! Head to the airport, board your plane (don’t forget your passport!), and
enjoy the fruits of your labor.
But no matter your trip
length, this list will help you stay organized as you prepare to step onto that
plane and out into the world.
