Sunday, March 22, 2020

Can You Afford an Exotic Vacation in 2020?

Is this the year for your once in a lifetime vacation to that exotic place you’ve been dreaming about for decades? If so, you’ll need to finance the dream. Taking time to plan far ahead for special events like these can make a huge difference in affecting whether or not you can make it happen. When the money question is dealt with up front, you can sit back and take in all the wonderful aspects of your special excursion. Whether you want to attend the Olympics in a foreign venue, camp at the base of Mt. Everest, ride the Trans-Siberian Railroad or explore the waterfalls of the Amazon Forest, do the budgeting now and you’ll be able to take in the full pleasure of your big trip when the time comes.

Join a Tour Group

If you can find a group of like-minded adults who have the same travel dream you have, you’re in luck. Consider speaking with an experienced travel agent, or doing some online research to find groups who travel together. For example, there are large organizations that arrange for entire planeloads of tourists who visit Antarctica, the Australian Outback, Tibet, and Central Africa on a regular basis. Hooking up with these clubs and organizations can mean dirt cheap airfares, hotel rates and other special discounts. Never underestimate the power of a group!

Borrow

It can make good sense to take out a personal loan to finance your trip. That’s because you might come across a special price on something like an Olympic tour or a visit to Mt. Everest. If you pay a year or two in advance, it’s possible to save a significant amount on the cost of the travel package. This strategy can help you take advantage of the discount while it lasts and begin repaying the loan right now, in smaller monthly payments. There’s no reason, for example, to pass up a 50 percent discount on an Antarctic vacation just because you don’t have the hard cash in your pocket right now. Use your ability to obtain a personal loan to make your dreams a reality.

Get a Part Time Job

This is one of the oldest tricks in the book, but a reliable one. Planning ahead is the key, but it’s also important to make sure you don’t stretch yourself physically. There’s no reason to think the only part-time jobs are 20 hours per week gigs. Today’s economy is flexible, so it’s possible to work an additional 5 or 10 hours per week at an online or in-person job for a year or so to fund your venture. Think of it like working five hours extra per week can add between $2,000 and $5,000 to your trip fund.

Sell Your Stuff Online

Consider having an online garage sale to boost your travel account. This may not be the way to finance your entire trip but it can work in conjunction with other methods. Check around to see which online auction and direct sale platforms are best suited for the things you want to sell.