With countless study after study proving that we as humans need breaks in our workflow to remain consistent and focused – why are we not taking more vacations? Not only can vacations prolong your life expectancy but pushing your brain to be productive when it is out of energy to create productivity, will only bite you in the butt and leave you with even less productivity in the long-run.
Taking a break is good for your health, productivity, and mind. As American psychologist named Dr. Francine Lederer says, “Most people have a better life perspective and are more motivated to achieve their goals after a vacation, even if it is a 24-hour time-out.”
So let’s get you on the affordable vacation that you deserve! Some amazing ideas for vacation plans that are budget-friendly include:
- Do a Staycation – You can do this in your hometown by getting a lavish hotel in town and dropping a couple hundred on dinner and a show. This will still be cheaper than flying somewhere else.
- Camping at a National Park – This is the purest way to see nature in all of its glory, and incredibly affordable. You can drive there avoiding airfare expenses, and camping usually costs under $20 per car, per night. Stargaze, roast marshmallows, and make it a romantic getaway. Glacier National Park is Listed #1 for Best Cheap Vacations in the U.S. by U.S. News.
- Last Minute Cruises – Which can be as low as $300 a person for a weekend getaway on lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian. Cruisesheet offers options as low as $30 per day!
- Cheap Cities to Travel to:
- Vietnam – Hotels for as little as $15 a night and flights as low as $600
- Mexico – Easily visited through a cruise-line or resort for under $1,000 all inclusive.
- Costa Rica – One of the most affordable tropical locations in the world.
- Goa, India – Beach huts are as little as $20 per night.
- Las Vegas – It’s easy to visit the city of Sin for as little as $40-$50 per night in accommodations.
Here are the Cheapest Cities in the U.S. with locations like Washington D.C. and San Antonio, as well as the Cheapest in The World to Travel to with countries like Vietnam, Cambodia, and Greece.
Tips to save even more:
- Utilize Groupon Getaways – With the major hack of searching under the tab for, ‘airfare inclusive trips,’ to find deals you won’t believe. I would find them too good to be true myself, however, I’ve taken one and can speak personally to their amazing quality and affordability. There are constantly trips with airfare included to Paris, Rome, China, etc. for under $1,000. Shop around!
- Utilize The Honey App – This fantastic application should be downloaded by anyone that makes online purchases. Seriously. This free app will find you every coupon on the internet that is compatible with your shopping cart. It saved me $50 on Amazon the other day and can save you hundreds on travel sites you’re already using. Take the free money and download the app, stat.
- Utilize Costco – Surprisingly, Costco has some of the best vacation prices on the market. They basically accept the bare minimum of profit margin, but this is a win for you! I’ve worked at a Top Travel Agency in the world and we could rarely price-match Costco. See what they can offer you.
- Utilize Skyscanner – Known to be the cheapest place to shop and compare airfare.
- Utilize Airbnb – Any city can be made affordable by using Airbnb. Use this link to see locations like your own castle (or rather Chateau) in France for only $77 per night!
- Take a weekday trip which can cost nearly half the price of a Friday through Sunday trip.
Don’t allow yourself to reach the dreaded point of burnout.
If you feel burnout coming on strong, this is the time to step back and re-evaluate where your emotional and intellectual energy is being spent. Protect your energy like the resource that it is and give yourself a break now and again – even if it’s a quick overnight getaway!