Summer Vacation Time Is Here – Are You Making Plans?

Kids are out of school in most areas by now and parents are looking at each other wondering “now what?”  If you haven’t already made vacation plans for the family, you may be wondering what you can do to make a vacation possible.

There are several ideas about budgeting and scheduling a family vacation that our friends at OurFamilyBudget.com have come up with that I’d like to share with you here.  After reading this article, you may change your mind about planning a typical summer vacation.  Read on if you will and see what you think.

The yearly vacation is a special event that the entire family should enjoy. Get the most out of it by developing a family vacation budget. It will help give you the means to enjoy this special family time each year.

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’ll want to get the most out of each dollar you’ve allocated to the vacation fund.

There are many important factors to consider if you’ve decided to set up a financial plan that includes money for vacations. It isn’t enough to just take a percentage of each paycheck and put it in a separate bank account that you’ll turn to at the end of the year.  With the proper planning techniques in place when you set a family budget you’ll 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 generally 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 aren’t in school.  The travel industry knows this and prices are considerably higher during these times.

Although school work 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.

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’ll 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’ll invite you back time and time again.