A Guide to Planning Your Next Vacation.

Have you ever found yourself daydreaming about vacation time, then found the planning just isn't that easy? Here are some tips to successfully plan your next trip effectively!

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Determining the Cost

“Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship.” -Benjamin Franklin.

Let's be honest, everything has a price--nothing is free! Most will find that when traveling, they are spending more money than first expected. Why is this? Multiple answers: emergencies, buying collectibles, food, gas, etc. The possibilities are almost endless! Cost is one of the most difficult aspects of travel to determine. So, here's a list of things to keep n mind before planning your next trip:

-Your gas mileage in the vehicle that will be used to travel--that is, if you plan on driving to your getaway. This is a big part in determining how much money you will need to bring; if you find yourself short on cash, it could be difficult getting back home! This information can usually be found online, but there is an equation for all you math lovers: miles driven/ gallons of gas that was used. This is fairly easy to figure out with an almost-empty gas tank; just fill the tank with X amount of gallons of gasoline, reset the odometer, wait until the car is back down to its original almost-empty state, then divide the miles driven by how much gallons of gas you put into your vehicle. Once you know your mpg, plan out how many miles you will be traveling and divide that amount by your MPG. When you know the amount of gallons that might be consumed, figure out the average gas price and multiply those numbers. The result is how much money you will need as a minimum for gas.

-The cost of food is the next biggest concern. Everyone has to eat--and if your like me, that's almost every 2 hours! Bringing non-perishable snacks, like crackers, gummies, cookies, and snack cakes could be a great filler. If you have concerns for your health, this is a great alternative. Not only do you save money, but you can pack snacks that fit your individual needs. This will drastically reduce the amount of eating out at fast-food restaurants and other places that sell quick, usually-expensive solutions. Depending on how many people are on the trip will determine how much you will spend on food. Personally, I have found it is good to bring roughly $50-70 for each 1-2 days traveling; I usually stop by fast-food restaurants when I have breakfast, lunch, or dinner though.

-How much spending money do you plan on bringing? Is there anything in particular you plan on buying while on vacation? If you know exactly what you plan on buying, a good first step would be to find out where that item is sold and investigate the average price of it. This factor is also determined by how much you like to spend money and where you are going. Whenever I go to places like the beach or New York, I like to have a budget that allows me to spend anywhere from $100-150. There is just so much cool stuff to buy!

Where to Go and What to See.

Whenever you are planning where you are going there are multiple things to consider before traveling there. For example, what kind of trip are you taking? A family vacation? A honeymoon? Or a road-trip with the guys/girls? After you have determined this, you must then figure out where the destination will be. You should base this off of budget and, of course, what you want to do! Do you want to go to the beach? Mountains? A big city? There are so many awesome places to explore, but what is usually forgotten is the small, surrounding attractions. Such places are: botanical gardens, art museums, state parks, locally-known and/or sourced restaurants, or even community activity centers (Personally, I love to go to bowling alleys). Another tip to fully maximize the amount of joy of the trip is events that are going on near your destination. Perhaps their is a festival, carnival, car show, or maybe a parade. One thing I have learned is that each place offers something different that makes it unique.

Share Your Experience with Someone Special.

“As with any journey, who you travel with can be more important than your destination.” -Unknown.

When traveling, we all have that moment here we think, "I wish so-so was here!" It seems that these experiences are better when spent with someone you love and/or have a close relationship with. Partners, friends, children, and parents are fun to bring along. Not only does it make your experience better, it allows you to have added security as well as a deeper connection with those who tag along. It's a win-win for everyone!

Get Going!

Next time you are planning on a vacation, keep these tips in mind. It just may help in planning out the perfect destination that leads to amazing experiences and precious . So go ahead, get out there and have the time of your life!