Vacation Budget Planner

Vacation Budget Planner

You want a vacation. You want sunshine and time to read and almond croissants.

You want a big platter of seafood and a slab of key lime pie, so much food you can barely walk to the car.

You want a break from work and the routine. You want your kids to splash in the surf, and you want to fall asleep to the sound of the tide coming in.

You want to wear comfy clothes and hold somebody in your lap with no deadline.

You want to do it, and you want to be able to pay for it. And you can. Just by taking a look at all the costs, budgeting for it, and looking ahead to when the money is there. 

I’m not talking about when you can’t.  Sometimes it’s not wise (or it’s not possible) to take household money for a trip. But in a regular year, just maybe you can squeeze a few dollars out of that monthly budget to set aside for a family trip.

I’d call our vacations “moderate” budget trips. They are not the cheapest (although we have done that!) and they are not the most luxurious. They are designed to include the things that make our trips a true vacation. Thus, for us they are luxurious.

How did we get to a point of being able to do it? Budgeting for it. Making it a priority, and seeing the funds build up. We are regular working people, operating on a regular budget.

And I want to give you a little snapshot of one example, a list of the expenses and how to save for it all. Because it’s too much money to just do it on impulse.

What’s the snapshot? A quick spreadsheet you can customize to save up for your next vacation. Itemized costs show you some of those hidden expenses. Once you make it a part of your monthly budget, the funds are already there when the time comes.

Where do you put the money? I’d say maintain your trip funds however it works best for you. Maybe make a monthly bank transfer into your “Vacation Account.” Or your regular savings. 

The planner is based on my personal experience, not that of an expert.

Wait.

Did I just say I’m not an expert? Okay, that’s true. I am not an expert on finance.

However, I AM an expert on vacationing. But still practicing! 😃 We don’t want those skills slipping, do we?

The Planner:

The expenses shown here are the categories we have come to recognize on our trips.

And here’s something we have come to realize: It’s better to go ahead and allow for some unexpected things rather than agonize over decisions when you’re there. Having an ice cream cone every day can add up, and so can the impulse buys for beach items, etc.. But if you’re going to do it, just plan it, say yes to the kids with a smile, and enjoy.

These numbers are just suggestions and may not work for you, but they can be easily changed so that the total really does reveal what YOUR plans include.