The Buyt Desk
The last-minute vacation plans are usually costly. But a few smart moves, budgeting and a good plan can drastically bring down the cost of an unplanned holiday.
People have hardly travelled on holidays for the last 2 years because of the pandemic. Now that the COVID-19 restrictions have eased, all want to get out of their house and travel to various destinations with friends and families. The tourist business has suddenly surged as all want to go on vacations. Summers are jam-packed at all tourist destinations in India and abroad. Inflation is at its peak and prices of everything have gone up from travel, and food to stay.
Planning a holiday trip at the last moment and that too on a budget is almost an impossible task. In current situations, planning a vacation at the last moment would be very costly as everyone is encashing a sudden rush in tourism. The prices of travel tickets are increasing based on demand, and so are hotel rooms. Because of inflation in food items and fuel, eating at restaurants is also very costly nowadays. You need to take care of getting all this within budget and also make sure that your folks are happy with the plan so that you will have a good time on vacation.
How can you plan your holiday economically at the last moment?
Yes, it can be difficult to plan the vacation economically and budget down all expenses but not impossible. Below are a few tricks and tips to plan an economical holiday.
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Opt for a holiday in an off-season destination – The destination you select decides the budget of your trip. If you are going to a peak season destination then everything there will be really overpriced including travel tickets. For example – Shimla or Manali would be a very costly affair in summers but nominal in winters. Even flights to Goa are costlier around Christmas but cheaper in summers. Staying in Varanasi will be costlier around Kumbh Mela. So pick an off-season destination so that all prices are nominal. Else you might cause a major dent in your savings.
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Avoid road trips along with air trips – If you want to do road trips to mountains on bikes, then-current fuel prices might create a hole in your pocket. An unplanned stay and food on a road trip can cost even more. Instead, you can choose to fly to the nearest airport and then take public transport. When vacation is planned at the last moment, do not try to squeeze in many places (cities). Just choose 2 places where you will stay and see around these two places. Take local public transport to go around so that it is economic and also get to experience the local flavour.
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Do not travel on the weekend and long weekends – Always try to travel mid-week, so that you don’t have to pay extra for weekend and long weekend tickets. Check all travel options and choose the one that suits your plan. Book tickets in advance and not at the airport or railway station so that you do not have to pay soar prices as both follow a dynamic pricing system for seats.
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Use the benefits of your card or use accumulated miles – Look for prices of tickets and stay at different sites and discount deals on your travel or credit card. This can save you a lot of money. You can even get privileges, premium bookings or upgrades at a lesser cost or even free. Do a group booking so that you get heavy discounts.
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Avoid debt schemes like post-paid holidays – Holiday now and pay later is a popular debt scheme. These schemes are lucrative. These are holiday packages by tour operators having partnerships with finance firms where you can get financing from the company. Avoid such schemes and do not take loans to overindulge on a holiday. If you are unable to pay the instalments of such loans, you will be spoiling your credit score. You may end up in a bad debt trap if you fail to repay on time.
Summing up
Planning a holiday at the last moment can create a huge cavity in your account and delay achieving your financial goals. But if you follow the above tips and tricks while planning your last moment holiday, you can have a successful holiday without taking out much of your savings. Yes, last moment planning and executing a holiday for family and friends is stressful majorly because of finances. You may face challenges like expensive flight tickets and accommodation. But do not panic and see other options as listed above with a cool mind, you will definitely find an alternative that will fit your needs.
Happy Holiday Trip!
