Fun For Less offers LDS Travel and Church History tours

With the necessity of long work weeks and workdays of the utmost importance in terms of paying bills and support your family, most often travel and vacations are sacrificed for the good of saving money. While putting in a 60 hour week is very admirable there have been conclusive studies that correlate long work weeks and increased stress levels or personal unhappiness. Plainly speaking, when you don't allow yourself the time you need to let go of your workday burdens and experience this wonderful planet we live on, you're putting yourself at risk for EXTREME unhappiness. Now, having the desire to take an extended vacation is terrific, but how realistic is this goal? Oh looky there, here comes that marvelous word we all love to hate...BUDGET! Budgets are ridiculously daunting, with the needs of now likely trumping any potential wants of later. I am here today to affirm the evasive fact that having a budget is possible, regardless of how much or little you make.

Today I will generously provide you with tips on planning and budgeting for your potential vacation.

1. The Perfect Location - It would be quite pointless for us to discuss vacation budgets if you never decide on where it is what you want to visit. There are many travel agencies out there that allow you to pick from a myriad of destinations, all the while graciously being your historical guide throughout the vacation. These businesses, like several LDS travel agencies out there, make it easy and rather needless to think about destination and plan out every step of the trip. While this may be the route for some, there are others who prefer to adventure forth on their own. There are sites that help you Budget Your Trip, but follow these tips for self-planning.
   
   • Most couples plan to spend around $2,000 to $5,000 on any given trip. The most expensive part of the trip tends to be the travel. A common misconception is that a vacation needs to be to a distant location, but it might surprise you how many people haven't even visited tourist destinations in their own state or country. Instead of flying, try driving to a nearby destination, thus allowing you more money to spend on potential luxuries.
   • It would make sense that beaches will be packed around summer and ski resort lifts all full in the winter months. The natural way to avoid the big crowds and hiked up accommodation prices is to visit a destination in its off-season. Not only does it save money, but it can cut down on potential stress caused by other travelers. If you were to travel in a mid-size group, much like in LDS Church History tours, it can help cut down on line waits and increase the amount of destinations you are able to see due to the established relationship most tour companies have with locations.
2. When To Save and Where To Splurge
   
   • Save On:
     
     • Airport luxuries (food, drink or idle time activities)
     • In-room service and phone calls
     • Forgettable and poorly made souvenirs
     • Taxis or other transportation costs
     • Purchasing new clothes for a vacation
   • Splurge On:
     
     • A comfortable and clean hotel
     • Balcony and great views
     • A trustworthy camera
     • Comfortable shoes
     • A 5 star hotel (a few times throughout your trip)

When on vacation we tend to let our guard down on our wallets, but frivolous spending never makes a trip more enjoyable. The only thing it's good for is causing anxiety issues once the good feelings of the vacation have worn off and you're back at home once again.