Remember those short weekend getaways out of the city that were so easy to plan and follow through? What if we told you that you can plan a luxury weekend getaway again, and do it well too?
The pandemic has forced us to make significant changes in our lives – moving back home, surviving on pay cuts, unemployment, shifting to working from home and online learning are just a few of them. This total lack of mobility has made us feel grateful for moments where we could walk around without a care. It’s also renewed in us the love – and need – for travel.
Since it’s gotten difficult to get out regularly, people are making the most of short and long weekends away from home. With airlines, hotels, homestays and restaurants taking all the necessary precautions to ensure safety, a short, relaxing vacation never hurt anybody!
If you haven’t ventured out (safely) yet, we’re here to tell you that 2021 has quite a few long weekends coming! We’re also here to tell you that you can make the best of them by planning a short but super luxurious vacation.
When I say luxurious, I don’t mean that you must spend a bomb on this vacation – you could budget and still make the best out of it!
How to budget for a vacation and stay at a place that is fancy-schmancy? We have some actionable tips for you!
9 Tips To Cleverly Save For A Luxury Weekend Getaway
Not every vacation should be super long. If you’re looking to relax, you can pick any weekend you want and head to a place close by for a good time. But since we’re talking about a luxury vacation, you’re going to want to save a little bit before heading out – here’s how you can do it!
Plan in advance
When I say plan in advance, I mean figure out dates where you can get the most out of your vacation for the least amount of money. This also means that you should ideally have enough time to save up if you really want to go all out. Here’s a list of long weekends in 2021 to get you started on your planning!
Here are some questions to ask when planning your budget weekend getaway:
- Is it a national holiday?
- Would you be able to sneak another day off before or after the holiday?
- Would you be able to work from the holiday destination, if the situation arises?
- Is the destination close to home, or far away?
If you’re waiting for a national holiday, choose a day when not too many people head out. Not only is it unsafe during that time, but it would also turn out to be expensive. Look for offbeat holidays to head for your vacation.
What also works is taking an extra day off – if the national holiday falls on a Monday, try leaving at a leisurely pace on a Saturday and take a day off on Tuesday.
That way, you’ll also beat the crowd that is most likely to be heading back on Monday afternoon/evening. I would suggest going somewhere closer by so that you don’t end up spending too much money or time on travel.
Pick your travel buddies wisely
The best thing you can do to have a luxurious vacation on a budget is have more people on the trip! Leave your solo travel plans out for this time.
You’d be able to book a villa with a pool at a lower cost per person if you have more people with you.
Make sure your travel buddies all want the same thing out of the short weekend getaway as you, and that they’re willing to contribute equally!
Pick one luxury highlight of your vacation
Do you want your transportation to be fancy? Do you want your stay to be luxurious? Or do you want to head out for activities that otherwise cost a bomb?
Pick one element of the trip you absolutely wouldn’t want to skimp out on, and focus on saving for that. You can be frugal about the rest of the travel and still be super happy at the end of it!
Do your research and make your bookings wisely
Remember: you want to look out for things that give you value for money. Don’t go for lower costs alone; make sure to see what else you’re getting.
If you’re looking for accommodation, go for places that provide complimentary breakfasts or meals, or those that provide pick-up and drop services from airports.
Many hotels also provide transportation to move around the city, so you can always strike a bit of a bargain. Apart from this, many places are flexible with their check-in and check-out timings, so you can call ahead and request it.
When making flight bookings, always clear your caches and cookies first – website crawlers usually track your activities and raise prices when you keep checking.
A good trick is to book your flight tickets in incognito mode.
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Go local
Now is a great time to support small businesses! Local transport in particular can be a huge money-saver. If the distance is short and you’re super confident, you could borrow your friend’s car. Instead of booking an Uber or Ola to take you everywhere, go for a local travel agent who can set you up with a car.
A local travel agent would usually charge much lower than apps, and provide other services within the price range.
Now that these tips have been covered, here are some tips on how you add more money to your bank account before that big trip. Trust me, this isn’t very difficult to do!
Pick up freelance work or a paid internship
There are a ton of opportunities for freelance work and internships online. While internships may not always have the best pay, some companies do offer stipends above Rs. 5,000 depending on the work. From content writing to graphic designing, employers are also looking for freelancers to work with.
A good writing gig can pay you Rs. 1000 or more per article. If your luxury weekend getaway is still a bit far off, you can make money on the side and save exclusively for it!
You can even list your services for gigs – Kool Kanya’s women-only freelance marketplace is just the place to go!
Find discounts on your everyday spending
It would be unfair to expect one not to go out – with the easing of restrictions, it’s doubly hard to convince them! What you can do while you’re out is spend wisely – hunt for a place that has cheaper coffee and a limited menu so you don’t feel tempted to spend more. Similarly, if you want to head out for lunch or dinner, choose places that have set meals at set rates so you know exactly how much you’re going to spend.
It also helps to carry cash – promise yourself that you won’t swipe to pay your bill.
Budgeting your weekly outings should help you save a little bit each time!
Decide on ‘no spend’ days, and stick to them
This is completely up to you! You can begin this as a practice for future savings in general.
If your vacation is a few months away, you have bi-weekly ‘no spend’ days where you don’t spend any money on anything whatsoever. It’ll also help you develop better saving habits.
Put aside a small amount of money every week
You’re most likely already saving money at the start of the month, but you can always do with saving a bit more. If you’re aware of your weekly spending habits, try to be more frugal and save the extra money at the end of the week. This can help you track your weekly spending if you don’t already. Pro tip: Use a vacation budget calculator to calculate your expenses on accomodation, food and drinks, and other activities etc.
These were a few handy tips on saving money for that luxurious weekend getaway you’re thinking of. Remember that you can still have a grand holiday without spending a bomb on it! What tips do you find the most handy when planning for a luxury weekend getaway? How do you save for a grand holiday? Let us know in the comments!
Updated 15 September 2021
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