At some point, we all need a vacation – but we shouldn’t be going into the red for one, so here’s seven debt free holiday tips to keep your bank account happy.
A break from the “real” world, cocktails, better weather, sleep-ins, exploring: it’s no wonder that the vast majority of us quite literally count down the days until our next holiday. However, there’s nothing worse than arriving back home with a financial hangover, and a swift reality check that you may have gotten into debt by jetting off on a vacation. After all, your day to day financial obligations didn’t take a holiday – you did.
Seven Tips On Avoiding A Post-Holiday Financial Hangover
The good news is that if you wish to avoid biting off more than you can chew in terms of paying your bills after a siesta, we have a broad variety of debt free holiday tips that you can deploy in order to keep your budget and bank account happy – and they often all boil down to simply planning ahead.
Start Saving – While it seems like a no brainer, try not to spend money that you don’t have – this also goes for having an “emergency fund” should things go south on your trip. A popular saving method is by opening a dedicated bank account that you aren’t able to transfer easily from.
Get Extra Income – Depending on your own personal circumstances, sometimes it’s actually easier to generate more income as opposed to saving it. If you know you’re heading abroad in six months, start that side hustle, pick up extra shifts or even try Airtasker to chase extra cash.
Shop Around – Don’t book anything on a whim, especially when it comes to flights, hotels or tour packages. Even for domestic trips, tourism is a competitive market, so don’t be afraid to shop around and do your research in order to get the best possible deal.
Fly Mid Week – If you’re not a fan of using travel agents or are confident in your bargain hunting ability regarding booking your own flights, it’s an unspoken rule that flights are often cheaper if you opt for the midweek options, particularly in regards to very early or very late flights.
Eat In – Depending on your destination, the cost of eating out is the enemy of any debt free holiday tips – it quite simply just all adds up. Try to have food at home first thing in the morning, or capitalise on that hotel buffet breakfast – it could save you hundreds of dollars.
Watch Your Data – When it comes to post-holiday money blues, a surprise phone bill from an overseas trip is often one of the worst offenders. If you’re abroad, switch your phone’s data off to avoid roaming charges or instead buy a local sim card if you need access to the internet.
Get Insurance – Considering the era that we currently live in, it’s never been more important to ensure that you’re covered in the event of any unforeseen events. Even if it’s to cover yourself for a simple flight cancellation, make sure you get insurance after you’ve read the fine print.
Sourcing Further Financial Tips From The Professionals
If you are ready to “level up” and get financially fit, then it’s never too early to seek professional financial advice. Whether your next goal is to retire early, take a gap year or purchase a home, George Samios and the team at Madd Life are ready and waiting – even if it’s just for further debt free holiday tips.
With their entire business built on referrals, the team at Madd Loans have taken the mortgage broking industry by storm. Their overwhelmingly positive feedback has helped them to take out numerous industry awards, including the title of “Queensland’s Broker Of The Year” for four consecutive years. However, after working with a broad variety of clients in regards to their mortgage options, it made sense for the team at Madd to have the capacity to offer a full financial planning service.
If thinking about your financial future strikes a chord with you, then it might be time to speak to a professional. Whether you’re chasing mortgage solutions or a financial fairy godmother, the team at Madd work together as a collective to turn your goals into reality.
