Planning vacations in advance are a major commitment. I’m usually hit with the “how do you travel so much” question, and my response usually is, ‘I plan in advance’. I am able to travel & experience as much of the world because of this, in addition to a whole lot of sacrifice and a little bit of luck! I’ve saved time, money, and sleepless nights by booking my travels from as far as a year in advance. I know it may sound strange to some people, but trust me, it works! Let me break it down for you with these “5 Major Reasons To Plan In Advance”.
- Price of Flights: When I decided to travel to Rio for the Summer Olympics, I knew I had to book my ticket as far in advance as I possible could. With millions looking to travel to the South American destination, I knew tickets would be pricey because of demand. I was able to get a ticket without breaking the budget by booking my airplane tickets six months ahead. I’m not telling you to buy every ticket six months in advance, but I’m telling you not to wait until the week of or month of. The hardest question for any traveller to answer is, ‘when is the best time to buy a ticket’? After I’m set on a destination, I begin to research and track routes and tickets. I also use the app Hopper, which helps me to find the lowest fares; I love it and I’m sure you will too!
- Availability: If you are traveling during peak season, for example summer in Mykonos, you may want to plan as far in advance as you can. If you’re looking to book a hotel or even an AirBnB, you’ll get first dibs by being proactive. The last thing you want to do is book your plane ticket and have no where to stay. The same goes for rental cars, tours, trains, ferries, amusement parks or anything that can possibly be sold out.
- Payment Plan: This is one of the major keys to planning ahead. Planning in advance helps you to budget and set expectations. The sooner you know how much your vacation will cost, the quicker you know how to readjust and reevaluate life. You know exactly how much your plane ticket will cost, your meals, accommodations, shopping and extras so you can set a plan on how to afford. Having advance time helps you to save and puts you in the right frame of mind. Once I have figured out my entire cost, I cut back to afford everything. I cut on fancy dinners, shopping, gas, hair, nails or anything that will eat up my disposable income.
- Itinerary: Having an itinerary, even if only a skeleton one is very important. Itineraries help you make the most of a destination. Yeah, there are some places that you want to wing it, but if you’re going to Europe or you just dropped thousands on a vacation, don’t wing it! A vacation is an investment and you want to know exactly how your investment will be handled. I always research and plan an itinerary to ensure that I’m never guessing or wasting valuable time. I learn about the history and culture and research top experiences in any country that I visit. The last thing you want to do is wake up each morning lost, “What are we doing today?”, “Oh, I don’t know.” Do your due diligence.
- Peace of Mind: When planning, my favourite phrase is, ‘set it and forget it’. After researching, booking, planning, shopping and all of the to-do’s are done, you will feel ahmazing and less stressed! The only thing you will have to do is dream about all of the amazing experiences that are sure to come; oh and pack!
How far in advance do you begin to plan a vacation?
