As I mentioned previously, my husband and I are able to travel as much as we do because we are careful with our budget and do plenty of research before traveling. Vacations can be expensive; between the plane rides and rental cars to overpriced cheeseburgers, souvenirs and hidden fees, it may feel like you need a second job just to pay for your trip. Vacations shouldn't be this stressful! While we were dating and for the first year of our marriage, my husband and I stuck to mostly local day trips and the occasional camping trip. But with careful research & fiscal restraint, we were able to go to one of the most sought-after islands in the world on a shoe-string budget. While the best information always comes from experience, here are a few of my tips for planning a fun, relaxing vacation that won't break the bank.
Travel
Every time we have traveled to Florida, we have taken a plane. Even the 2 1/2 hour plane ride seems like it's actually 16 hours when you're excited to go somewhere. If we weren't bringing our boat with us this time, we would surely be flying. We always fly Allegiant Air. They fly out of our local airport, so there's no bribing friends & relatives to drive us 2 hours south to Philly and fight the traffic to get in & out of the airport. Allegiant only flies in and out of select cities on select days, and the airports they do fly into are typically pretty small. Not only is their service convenient, but it's the most budget-friendly I've used. Where else can you get a $56 flight these days? They will charge you for your baggage ($25 for carry-on, $40 for checked bags each way) and you will pay a fee if you wish to pick your seats. We always suck it up and pay to pick our seats, because the last thing I want is to be smushed between a window & a fat guy that smells of whiskey & smoked meat. While paying the fee cannot guarantee you will be meat-smelling-fat-guy free, it will guarantee you & your loved ones will be seated together. Otherwise the computer will randomly assign where everyone is sitting. You may be thinking that once you add in all these fees, that "good deal" is no longer so good. This is where your research comes in. Check the other airlines and see how much it would be to fly with them. In my experience, Allegiant has always come out on top as the cheapest. With affordable prices, comfortable planes and friendly service, if you are able to use Allegiant to fly for your next vacation, I highly recommend you do.
Groceries & Meals
I make a shopping list progressively over the 2 weeks before we go down. I write down different food items that we use daily that we would want to have at our place in Florida, i.e. coffee, straws, ketchup- little things that might get forgotten along the way. When we arrive, our first stop is the grocery store to pick up the items we need for the week. By planning ahead and having a shopping list, we save time by having a concise plan of what to shop for. We save money not having to go back and forth to the grocery store several times during the week. We save even more money by doing this because it means we don't have to rely on eating out for every meal. Obviously it's nice to dine out when you're on vacation, but if the purse strings are tight preparing your own meals is a fantastic option.
Budget
Before we even pick where we are going to stay, we prepare a budget. By knowing exactly how much we have set aside for vacation we can keep ourselves in check by not going overboard. It's easy to get caught up looking at spacious condos and quaint cottages- first you think "Wow, wouldn't it be amazing to stay in this gorgeous waterfront house? It's got a pool!" Then the wishful thinking starts overpowering logic: "We really deserve to stay in a nice place this time. It's got a pool!" Then bargaining: "Well we could just skip buying lunch for the next 60 days. Do we REALLY need the name-brand toilet paper? If we eat nothing but Ramen noodles for 3 months then we could totally do this!" Then in a place somewhere between desperation and reality, you either A) Step away from the computer slowly and come back after you've made yourself a budget or B) Head to Costco for a pallet of Ramen.
The point of vacation is to get away for a while and leave your responsibilities behind you. If you get some of the most important responsibilities out of the way before you even go, your trip will be all the more enjoyable.
Packing List Must-Haves
- The aforementioned budget. I like to make a spreadsheet detailing our finances for the trip. I budget out how much to set aside for dining out, how much we have for groceries, how much for souvenirs, etc. Then I print it out and keep it with us on our travels so I don't get tempted to ignore it. If you're on a limited budget then doing this is a no-brainer and will make life so much easier. (and enjoyable!)
- Vacuum-sealed bags. When we fly Allegiant, taking more than one or two bags can get expensive. We like to keep it to one checked and one carry-on, and the carry-on typically holds our snorkeling gear and not much else. Enter the vacuum-sealed bag: by eliminating the air in the bag, what would take 2 suitcases to hold can easily squeeze into one. These bags ("Space Bags") can be purchased at any big box store and are typically with other storage items. I get mine at Dollar Tree- they are only good for one or two uses and then inevitably rip, but they serve the purpose and only cost a buck. If you get them at Dollar Tree I recommend bringing an extra, empty vacuum-seal bag folded up in your suitcase in case the other should rip. Then on your trip home, you'll even have room for a couple souvenirs without going over weight or size. There is a downfall to these bags, however; make sure the place you are staying has a vacuum cleaner you can use to seal your bag up for the ride home. Standard hotels most likely won't, but most condos will.
- A "Fashion Emergency Kit." My Fashion Emergency Kit was given to me as a gift, and it is possibly the greatest way to get a lot of necessities into one tiny tin. The tin is small enough to fit into my purse (although I recommend packing it in your checked bag) and contains those little things you don't think of having until you need them. Mine contains a shoe shine sponge, a nail file, stain removing wipes, an earring back, a hair tie, fashion tape (to tame unruly hemlines, etc), a sewing kit, extra buttons, a safety pin, lint removing sheets, a deodorant removing sponge (if you get some on your shirt), a blister pad and anti-static spray. All of that packed into a palm sized tin- I can never travel without mine again!
We will be starting our road trip in less than 48 hours and we couldn't be more excited. We had a few setbacks this week (dry rotted boat trailer tires, fishing license issues) but now all seems to be well. We have a few things left on our to-do list and then it's off we go for 12 days of sunshine and paradise! Be sure to follow @fancifulflamingo on Instagram for gorgeous beachy pictures and delicious eats as we boat and shell our way through paradise.
Until next time!
