The research is clear: travel is good for your soul. Paying for that travel can feel like a real burden for your budget though, especially if you are working with a tight one. So, how can you afford the vacation you need without incurring extra expenses your budget doesn’t need? Well, you can start by using these helpful tips to plan your next travel adventure.

Search for Promo Codes, Coupons, and Cashback Offers 

Okay, so this step may be obvious, but when you’re stressed out about planning a trip, you may feel like you don’t have time to search for the best travel deals. Thankfully, sites like Rakuten make finding the best coupons and promo codes much easier! For example, with a few clicks, you can search for discounts on all of your packing essentials, from new luggage to travel toiletries to healthy snacks. Many retailers that offer discounts through Rakuten also offer cashback deals, which means you can double up on all of those savvy vacation savings.

Want to add even more to your travel savings? Then consider applying for a rewards credit card! You can use that new credit card to pick up all of your travel gear through sites like Rakuten. That means not only will you be getting the coupons and cashback offers from select retailers, but you will also receive rewards from your credit card company for those purchases! It sounds too good to be true, but savvy travelers can easily maximize savings. 

Travel with Family to Share Those Vacation Expenses

Paying for a vacation outright can be overwhelming for any budget. If you don’t mind taking a trip with friends or family members though, you can avoid paying all of those travel expenses on your own by splitting vacation costs. For example, you could rent a vacation home, that will provide plenty of space for multiple people while also providing you with the best access to local activities and attractions. As Turnkey notes, if your travels take you to or through Chicago, for instance, you can find vacation properties in popular areas like Lincoln Park, or you could find a rental near must-see attractions such as Willis Tower.

Does traveling with your extended family or a group of friends make you nervous? If so, you can preserve your sanity, while also helping to maximize your budget, by following some simple family vacation rules. When you find your vacation rental, be sure to assign rooms ahead of time. Doing so will prevent large families from being stuck with smaller sleeping arrangements and any resulting stress or strife. To help keep food costs low for larger groups, also think about splitting grocery costs and planning meals. 

Look for Other Simple, Everyday Ways to Save or Travel

If the thought of sharing vacation time with your family makes you cringe, you may need to look for alternative ways to make travel affordable, like trimming expenses. Luckily, cutting costs in your daily budget is simple if you can be strategic with your choices. You know that you can save money by making coffee at home, but you can also trim your spending by curbing your phone time. Stepping away from your phone can not only help you save by limiting data overages, but it can also help you stop comparing yourself to other people on social media. That can help you avoid making unnecessary purchases to keep up with those folks.

Another way to reduce your expenses and save more for travel is to use shopping lists. You can even download shopping apps to use at grocery stores, which is where a lot of impulse spending can happen. To grow your travel fund even faster, you can also consider using an automatic savings app, such as Acorns, that can make saving for a vacation virtually painless. 

Planning a vacation to boost your health and wellness doesn’t have to drain your bank account. You just need to spend a little time doing your homework and thinking of ways to reduce your travel expenses, such as using cashback offers or traveling with family. This way, worries about money won’t keep you from relaxing and unwinding on vacation. 

By Jesse Clark of Soulful Travel

Jesse created Soulful Travel because she believes that travel is good for the soul. As crazy as it might sound, getting lost is often the best way to find yourself, so let this site be your compass to life-changing travel experiences. Check out her website www.soulful-travel.com to follow all her latest travels!