How to ensure you budget properly for your holiday – Relax. You’re meant to be going on holiday, and you don’t have to worry about passport control because you’re staying within England. So, what are you stressed about? Is there something you are convinced you have forgotten? Or is money on your mind? If so, don’t worry; we have an action plan which will allow you to be fully prepared for your trip and put your mind at ease regarding all things money. Here is how we can help ensure you are ready for your staycation.
Plan activities in advance
Whilst we all love a bit of spontaneity, it does help people to relax if they have planned activities in advance. This is particularly the case if you travel with an army of young children, as some families opt to. Keeping children occupied is one of the significant stresses of any holiday, not just a staycation. Therefore, knowing there will be plenty of activities for the kids to participate in should give you a little peace of mind.
It would also be beneficial to plan what you are doing for food. Although this seems a little strict, it can make a huge difference. We are not saying you need to meal plan, but just note down which days you are planning to go out to eat and which you will be staying in for. If you are going out to eat, check ahead with the restaurant to ensure everybody in your travelling party will be able to eat something. There have been horror stories involving holidays and vacations where people either can’t eat something or won’t, and arguments have ensued. Restaurants will tend to be vegan and vegetarian-friendly nowadays, but it is always good to check ahead.
Put a budget in place
We know, we know. This may sound very boring, but it is vital you budget to ensure you’ll enjoy your holiday. You won’t want to overspend on the first day and leave yourself with nothing to do for the rest of your stay (trust us, it happens). So, if you put a budget in place, you can relax a little more. If venues and financial situations allow, you can also try and pre-pay for activities. That means you don’t have to worry about money much when you are on holiday.
A prime example is for equipment, not just activities. The last thing you want to do is splash more cash than required on equipment which you haven’t budgeted for. If you’re heading on a staycation, you’re likely heading to a coastal town. Whether up North in Scarborough or down south in Frinton, an idyllic vacation to the seaside is probably where you are going. We bring this up because water ports are an excellent activity for your children to participate in, but they can be expensive. So, if they are on the menu, it’s best to get the right equipment beforehand. If you’ve pre-paid or ordered online, that’s great, but if you haven’t, make sure you factor it into your budget.
Research the area and venue policies
If you’re anything like us, you would have done this already. However, post-pandemic, some policies have changed, particularly concerning more significant numbers. So ahead of time, ensure that the area you are travelling to is suitable for your family. We are not just talking about restaurants and hospitality and leisure areas.
Swimming pools and Tourist destinations like the beach are great examples of places operating different policies. Gone are the days when people used to freely flock to the ocean and rent swimsuits, surfboards, and scuba diving equipment. Nowadays, it is much more hygienic and thankfully so. However, it can make things slightly more expensive. Surfboards and paddle boards do not come cheap, but aren’t water sports the main reason we Brits go on a staycation?
We’re not saying that you shouldn’t try these activities, but you should be prepared. If you want to participate in water sports, for example, read ahead about what equipment you will need and where to buy it from. There are some pieces of equipment that you didn’t know you needed. Jet skis are a prime example, as people think you only rent a jet ski. However, there is health and safety guidelines which mean you need more protective gear, and it all adds up. Even though there is a lot though, you don’t have to spend, spend, spend. A quick search of tips for finding the best budget paddle boards is an obvious example of why you need to do your research before you go as they can get quite expensive. Otherwise, you risk sharing a paddle board with someone else or spending a fortune on a piece of equipment you may only use once. So have a look around and do your research on the policies. Some areas may not even allow you to share; if that’s the case, you will have to find the best budget water sports equipment.
Allow flexibility
Although we’ve made a thorough list of what to do to ensure you’ll relax ahead of your holiday, you need to allow a little bit of flexibility. For example, don’t stress out if a restaurant suddenly cancels your booking; you can go elsewhere instead, and it doesn’t have to ruin your holiday. Instead, make sure you indulge yourself a little, as you are spending time away from all the stress!
Poppy watt