Many families have annual vacation schedule and this can represent a huge financial commitment, especially if they plan to go to other countries. The financial fallout can be made worse if we tend to overspend during our trips. There are many things in tourist destinations that entice us to open our wallet a bit wider. The effect of the annual splurge could be felt for the rest of the year if we are not prepared and if we don’t use common sense. If we have made mistakes during this trip, it is important that we are able to make a speedy recovery and try to not overspend during the next vacation trip.
It is a good idea if we also have an annual garage sale. This would be an opportunity for us to sell artworks, souvenirs and clothing that we don’t really need. We often buy them during our trip and when we got home, we realize that we don’t really need them. It is likely that we will sell them at lower prices than their original prices, but it’s better than losing money completely. We may consider that some artwork could also be sold at higher prices at antique stores or when we offer them to collectors. But there’s no guarantee that the artwork we purchased in a distant, “mystical” country will always be priced higher at home.
It is also a good idea to double our credit card payment, especially if we used it for a lot of transactions during our trip. Finances charges can be rather nasty if we allow out debt to remain for a prolonged period of time. Before we know it, we may be required to pay up to $60 for a pair of socks we bought in France, because we forgot to bring some spares. Late charges and interest rates are our number one enemies when it comes to reducing our consumption costs. We should remember not to make the same mistake again and it’s better to use credit cards only when we need them.
When we are recovering financially from recent trip, we should put a cap on our entertainment expenses, including DVD, concerts, movies and eating out. Even without these types of entertainment, it is possible for the whole family to get properly entertained at home. As an example, we may go to library or local museums instead. Even YouTube can provide us with immense amount of visual entertainment, which may replace movies and DVD for awhile. Spring cleaning session can also be a good way for us to save enough money. Rarely used items can also be sold in eBay, if no one bought them during the last garage sales. We should make a plan on how to properly get back on track. We should know what we need to do during the next vacation trip. There are things that we can do to make our annual vacation entertaining.
