What’s up my Nickels! I am what you would call a discount consumer. Essentially, what that means is my purchasing decisions are motivated by discounts and research. This is a result of my upbringing. My siblings and I came from a very humble beginning. Discretionary income was not at our disposal. My mom use to say “We are PO, we cannot afford the other O or R in the word”. My mom was a single parent and prioritized our necessities over pleasantries. We were responsible for funding or creating our own entertainment. If I wanted to eat out with friends, go to the movies, or attend a school trip I had to get creative. Often times, that meant matinees, fast food eateries, and staying home during school excursions. This was definitely a point of contention for me growing up. No one wants to be the ‘PO’ friend but I was. The “PO’ mentality did pay off in the end. My humble beginnings forced me to become more conservative and resourceful with money no matter how much or little I had. This resourcefulness has motivated me to experience life to the fullest on a budget starting with travel!

Budget constraints do have some limitations when it comes to travel but those limitations do not have to be paralyzing. A budgeted trip is all about perspective. If you are a person that values luxury over quality or considers luxury a quality experience, this blog post is not for you. Otherwise, in this post, I will share some nics to help you maximize your next vacation on a budget.

Nic #1: When deciding to vacation on a budget, book a trip during an offseason. Every vacation spot has an offseason, a time of year when tourists are least likely to travel. You’ll score the best deals during this time but still do your research. Going on vacation during hurricane season is not the same as being swept up in an actual hurricane. Remember safety over savings. In 2018, I booked a trip to Hawaii during an active volcano. Before departing, I was sure to follow safety protocols, scientific reports, and news updates. Scientists believed the probability of a catastrophic eruption was low and in fact, improbable. Therefore, I took a calculated risk in proceeding with my dream vacation. 

Nic #2: Avoid the worst hotel, bypass the best hotel, and stay at a good enough hotel. It is my belief the hotel experience is pretty much comparable amongst all 3 star hotels. There is very little difference in terms of amenities that will set these hotels apart. Thus, if you are choosing between two 3 star hotels, go with the least expensive option. Proximity to attractions only matters if public or private transportation are not available, this is rarely the case. The geographic location should only be a factor if the hotel is not strategically placed. In my experience, it is unlikely to find a 3 star hotel located in the questionable part of town. 

Nic#3: Consider downsizing the number of days of your vacation. It is amazing what shaving off a day of your itinerary will do for your budget. Depending on the location, you can expect to pay $200 a night on your hotel stay. A $200 cost savings can support your meals and excursion cost. It is important to note, I am not a down time vacationer. I do not believe in spending money to sleep in. I can do that at home, for free. My goal when I vacation is to hit the ground running so I like to spend my money on maximizing my experiences in the culture and food. In Hawaii, I opted for an extended 3 day weekend vacation vs a 5-7 day long week vacation. I was complimented by other travelers when they learned what I had accomplished during my visit. One traveler said, they had been on the island for 3 days longer and had only been on one excursion. Whereas, I had been to Pearl Harbor, Queen Kapalani’s Palace, Diamond Head, Dole Factory, a nut farm, and snorkeling with turtles. Also, I had eaten out a few times, gone swimming, had a pedicure massage, chilled on the beach (1 block from hotel), and souvenir shopped all in 3 days!

 Nic #4: Always book the preplanned excursions. Listen, if you are not going to be staying in a city for an extended period of time such as study or work abroad program, book the excursion. You will waste valuable time trying to figure out what to do, where to go, and how to get there on your own. Also, often, excursions are group discounted which is another cost savings.

Nic #5: Upgrade your plane seats at the airport. Often times, airlines will bump you up a class or offer specials at the airport. When flying to Hawaii on Alaskan airlines, I was offered a $100 fee upgrade to 1st class from coach! You cannot beat that. I am sure the people actually paid more for those seats beforehand were not too thrilled with that deal. 

Nic#6: Budget your spending money. Research ride share, cab cost, entry fees to museums and local attractions, restaurants, etc. The internet is a great resource to use for budgeted vacation. If you plan ahead you can anticipate any expense. Do not forget to factor in tax and gratuity. It is important to tip your service providers, hotels staff, and tour guides. Trust me, they will look out for the cook out if you tip well. 

Comment below if you would like to see more travel budget tips or would like to share your own tips.