Planning The Perfect Spring Break On A Budget

Every year, thousands of College students head to exotic island hot spots for spring break. Unfortunately, the recent economic conditions and the rise in the price of tuition have now left many students on a tight budget. Many students cannot afford the usual spring break exotic vacation destinations. Fortunately, there are many things a student can do to plan the perfect spring break vacation while on a budget.

1. When planning a spring break vacation, you should figure out how much you can afford to spend. Once you know how much you can afford, you can plan a vacation that will not have serious financial consequences. You should set the amount of money aside and stick to your budget. Do not take more money than you can afford to spend as you will likely spend it. As well, you should plan how you will spend your money on things like, transportation, food, entertainment, and other expenses. Wherever possible, use cash to buy your items instead of a credit card. You do not want to return from your trip and find yourself saddled with high credit card debt that you cannot afford.

2. Selecting the right vacation destination is a key component to helping you stick with your budget. Decide where you want to go for spring break. If you cannot afford a traditional exotic beach vacation, you should consider a more local destination. Miami and Las Vegas are fun places to vacation. They can also be more affordable destinations. The internet is full of travel sites that offer special spring break packages. Once you have decided on your destination, make sure you book early to ensure you get the best and cheapest deal.

3. Traveling alone or with one person can be expensive. Plan your vacation with a group of friends. You can often get great travel and hotel discounts if you book as a group. If you are traveling by car, travel with a group of friends so that you can share fuel costs. You can also share a hotel room. Having about four people per room will significantly cut down on the cost of accommodations. It can also be really fun staying together.

4. Restaurant costs can really take a bite out of the budget. Instead of dining out every day, get a hotel room that has a kitchenette and buy your food from a supermarket. If you do dine out, look for restaurants where you can get a cheap meal such as a fast food franchise restaurant. By doing so, this will significantly cut down on food expenses.

After calculating how much money you will need and you discover you still cannot afford a vacation, there are many other options to take advantage of such as going on a road trip with friends for a few days, visit family or friends, or take a day trip to another city or fun attraction such as an amusement park. No matter what destination you choose, you should have fun, relax, stay safe, and enjoy the break from your studies.

Adriana Noton is a freelance writer who specializes in providing great financial information for Canadians. When searching online for debt counselling or credit counselling, one of the many resources available is Consolidated Credit; offering a variety of debt counselling services and financial planning tools to help Canadians get their debts under control.

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February 10 2010 | vacation | No Comments »

Travel Insurance

Buying travel insurance is something every traveler should do. Many problems could happen while overseas and many regular insurance plans wont cover you overseas. If you aren't covered when you travel, you should buy travel insurance for your trip. Moreover, travel insurance cover more than just you but all those accidents and problems you might face on the road.

You should also be aware of what is not covered and exclusions. Travel insurance policies do not normally cover alcohol or drug related incidents, or carelessness in handling your possessions and baggage. You won't get reimbursed if the problem happened because you were reckless.

Travel insurance often covers health problems that happen on the road. Dont buy a plan that doesnt or won't protect you from illness. If you get sick on the road, you want to make sure you are covered, especially if you are injured during an outdoor trek and need to be airlifted somewhere- those airlifts are expensive. You do not want to have to cover the costs of that yourself.

If you have to make a claim, remember travel insurance companies are a business and will drag their feet to avoid making the payout. Make sure you have all your receipts and necessary forms. Be prepared to wait awhile to get your payment as their can always be some reason and some loophole that delays payment.

There are a lot of travel insurance companies out there. Some of the best travel insurance companies are STA Travel, World Nomads. Depending on your needs and requirements, one of these companies will meet your requirements. Remember to always read the find print in any contract and agreement before you sign it because if something goes wrong, you don't want to be the victim of a legal loophole.

No matter what your needs it is important that you buy travel insurance before you go away, especially if you are going away for an extended amount of time. You never what could happen, what could get lost or stolen or who could get sick with what. It is better to be safe than sorry for the few dollars travel insurance costs per day, it is a worthwhile expense.

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March 27 2009 | Travel | No Comments »