For most people, vacations are occasional retreats from the business of everyday life. Thanks to busy work and family schedules, most people feel lucky to get away from home once a year, and while Royal Holiday members enjoy a variety of savings, affording frequent travel can be difficult for many. Even with 52 weekends every year, aspiring vacationers can find it nearly impossible to get away from the grindstone long enough to relax. Luckily, with some minor lifestyle adjustments and clever planning, those suffering from a bad case of wanderlust can get out and explore the world more often.
The first step is simple: make travel an important part of your life. People often tell themselves, “I can’t afford it,” or, “I can’t get away from work,” but these are myths. For little more than one might spend on a night out on the town, incredible travel can be had, often closer to home than one might imagine. To make travel a priority, it’s important to start early, especially for those who can take advantage of flexible work schedules. With a bit of help from a friendly boss, it can be easy to arrange vacation days through extra weekend work. Scheduling things in advance is also the easiest way to save on airline tickets and other travel expenses.
To travel more frequently, it is important to think outside of the normal vacation paradigm. Rather than looking to set aside two weeks of beachfront relaxation, consider shorter weekend excursions closer to home. If possible, travel on the holidays, like Thanksgiving and Christmas, when it can be easier to get time off from work. The most important factor for traveling more often, however, is saving money. Sitting down with a budget and calculating the cost of that daily latte or take-out lunch will quickly reveal plenty of excess money that could be put toward a vacation, and pairing these savings with a bit of online research will reveal some incredible, affordable deals.
