5 Essentials For Debt-Free Vacation Planning

My family and I just returned from a Disneyland vacation that could have easily turned into a vacation we'd continue to pay for long after our return.  We work so hard all year, the last thing we want is to still be paying off our last vacation when it's time for the next one.  Here are the five essentials to having a fun, debt free vacation.

1. Save for It - Saving up for your vacation will not only keep you from going into debt, but  having worked hard to make it happen will actually allow you to enjoy it more.  In addition, you will not feel any guilt over racking up more debt.
2. Choose Wisely - Carefully determine how much you can or want to spend on your vacation and choose a vacation that is appropriate to that amount.  $500 may get you a vacation camping in a state park for 5 days, but a trip to Disneyland will run you $1,500 or more.  Want to go to Europe?  That will be thousands.  To help determine the appropriate vacation, use the next step.
3. Budget Everything - I know that it seems like drudgery to create a budget, and besides it's a vacation!  If you don't want your vacation to turn into a money fight for its entirety, not to mention the months that follow it, you had better make a budget.  Don't forget the little details like gas or tips, it's these things that add up quick.  Once you have a budget, you can determine if that particular vacation is right for you.
4. Leave Room for the Unexpected - Something will come up that you had not planned for. It could be something like a flat tire or an unexpected stop to see the largest ball of twine.  Things will come up and it's a bummer to say no to every unexpected thing, so leave some room in the budget for them.
5. Track All Spending - You have to do this in order to keep within your budget. The simplest way to track expenses is to track only that day.  Know exactly how much you need for the day and track that so you don't go over. The easiest way to track your spending is with cash, but many of us are worried about carrying a lot of cash around with us.  You have two options, you can just hit the ATM and get the cash you need for the day, or you can carefully track each purchase to ensure you are not going over.

These five things are essential for anyone that doesn't want bills to follow them home.  Though the planning feels a lot like work, you will have a lot more relaxing vacation and feel great about it when you return home.