Authored by Thea Tan in Cruise
Published on 01-07-2009

Going on vacation is one of the things that all of us love to do. Who would not want to go on a vacation anyway? The thing is there are factors that need to be considered before you take a vacation. All of you might agree when I say that money or budget is the greatest hindrance why vacation seems to be improbable.

Whether we admit it or not, money is one important key to have fun. So when we do not have enough, we just spend our unwinding moments in amusement parks or in shopping malls because it is what our finances are capable of supporting. Although at the back of our minds, we want a grand vacation, perhaps abroad or on a cruise ship. We all deserve a grand vacation in the first place.

Always think positively. Don’t let negative thoughts take away your dream vacation. Do not think that a vacation such as going on a cruise is impossible. It is not. As long as you are determined to do so, you will always find a way. The fact that you are thinking that you can never experience life on a cruise ship can prevent you from experiencing it. You should believe in the power of positive thinking. You never know where motivation can take you.

First, you must plan your budget. Think of and list all the expenses that you have and then determine how much you can afford to spend for your vacation. Of course, the basic needs are still priority. List everything you have to spend for in a period of one week or one month.

After listing all the things where your money was spent, try to assess which of those are necessary and which ones are not. You may be surprised to find out that some of your money was spent on unimportant things. This money could have been allotted to your savings for your cruise ship vacation.

Now that you know that there are unnecessary expenses, you have to cut off these expenses. However, this is easier said than done. It is difficult to curb expenses that you are used to. This is where being resourceful can come into the picture.

For instance, instead of buying coffee at the coffee shop every day, why not brew your own coffee at home? This could help you save a lot if you do it regularly. Just be sure to allot your savings to your vacation fund. You can open a savings account too; this can stop you from spending on other things. After all the sacrifices you do to save money, you are sometimes tempted to spend your savings on other things, different from what you originally saved for.

You can also try to ask if there are discounts that you can avail of. Visit travel websites to help you get affordable rates. Also, don’t forget that some travel agents offer discounts if you are a member of a particular club.