My Scholarship entry - Seeing the world through other eyes
WORLDWIDE | Tuesday, 27 March 2012 | Views [227] | Scholarship Entry
The worst mistake vacationers make is to go without a financial plan. Even a broad plan typically isn’t good enough. Instead, you need a detailed plan that breaks your vacation down into its finest components and even accounts for contingencies. A big advantage of such a budget is that it highlights where your greatest expenses lie, and you can use that to target savings.
Another advantage is to ensure a cushion. If you have $4,000 to spend, then you should budget $3,000 or less. The unexpected will arise, and when it does, that cushion lets you deal with it without altering your trip or cutting into your.
The best way to take advantage of such a program is to use the card throughout the year. However, incurring interest defeats the purpose. So before you start, clear any credit card debt. Then, begin making all purchases on your card, including mortgage, utilities, grocery bills and so forth. The key is to pay the bill each month to avoid the charges, and by avoiding them, all of the air miles you earn are completely free.
Buy your vacation ahead of time, but more importantly, buy it in all-inclusive bundles. The bigger the bundle is, the greater the savings are. On the surface, it does seem like you sacrifice choice because the package will dictate many of those choices for you. However, if you budget and plan early, then you’ll have plenty of time to choose the bundle perfectly suited to you. There are countless all-inclusive travel packages available, and you can even involve a travel agent and still end up saving more in the end.
When it comes to vacation, phone costs are one of those “hidden” costs. We say hidden because people tend not to think about them until it’s too late. Nevertheless, phone costs are a significant expenditure, especially when travelling overseas. Fortunately, modern technology has given us an array of options. The cheapest option is to bring a laptop and use Skype and instant messenger via Wi-Fi at the hotel and local free Wi-Fi zones.
Tags: Travel Writing Scholarship 2012
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