Travel Planning Made Simple (+ FREE Resources!)

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Have you ever wanted to travel but felt overwhelmed by the planning process? Or have you ever booked a trip, only to find out that it was not what you expected? Planning your next vacation can be stressful. I created this blog post for all of my fellow moms who are looking to simplify their travels.

I will share with you some tips and tricks on how to make sure that your next vacation is exactly what YOU want. These free resources will help guide you in making your adventure one-of-a-kind (and won’t break the bank).

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Travel Planning Made Simple

We all know that traveling is an adventure, but it’s also a job. I’m just like you…a mom with kids and bills to pay. I created this guide for busy moms so they can plan their trips without any of the stress! I want to share my tips on how to make your trip easier by including some FREE resources along the way.

Also, while you’re planning, check out our extensive list of practical tips for semi-budget family travel!

1) Find Inspiration

Maybe your dream vacation is an African safari or an Alaskan cruise? Maybe you want to visit a ski resort or a tropical island? It can be overwhelming to sort through travel sites or travel blogs looking for inspiration.

Here are some ideas and questions for narrowing down your travel options:

• Do you want to re-visit one of your favorite places, or are you looking for a new place?
• Is this your first trip, or do you go on family vacations every year?
• Do any family members have specific ideas of where they’d like to go?
• Open Google Maps, and see what area of the world strikes your fancy.
• Look for guide books or travel shows about a particular travel destination. This is a great way to get the whole family involved and excited about the trip.

One thing to remember when planning travel (and really all throughout the year) is that one of the best things is to prioritize experiences over stuff. By planning travel, you’re doing just that!

2) Identify Your Travel Style

Once you’ve brainstormed to find your travel inspiration, determine next your family’s travel style. There are all types of trips for all types of families. Ask some more questions to figure out the best place for you and your family.

Do you want to backpack through Europe or stay in luxury resorts (not necessarily semi-budget travel, but could be!)? Are you a museum buff or an outdoors enthusiast?

Would you prefer a road trip to see national parks in the United States, or are you ready for a long flight and some international travel?

Once you know what kind of travelers you and your family are, it will be easier to tailor your search for destinations and activities.

3) Draw Up the Dream Vacation

After gathering some inspiration and finding out your travel style, it’s time to sketch out your dream vacation. Our SBT Travel Planning Guide will help you do just that!

Create your own travel guide, planning out where you want to go and for how long. See the big picture with a monthly or weekly travel itinerary planner, then get into the details with a daily itinerary planner.

Everybody’s trip of a lifetime is different. Dream big! (We’ll talk about $$$ next!)

Craft your travel plans around the best choice for your family, and get excited for a great experience together!

4) Create a Budget (and Stick to It!)

You may be thinking…how can a dream vacation and a budget go hand in hand? Well, let’s talk about that!

Believe me, it’s easy to get carried away when planning a vacation, but it’s important to stay within your budget. And, guess what? It CAN be done!

We’ve gone to Hawaii for 2 weeks on a semi-budget, as well as Iceland and many other places!

Unless you’re a numbers person (like me!), creating a travel budget might seem like a daunting task. I’ve simplified the process by creating a FREE travel budget tool for you!

This tool will help you determine where you can save and where you can splurge in your trip planning process. It will help you think through all the categories of trip expenses, so you don’t forget anything! This includes purchasing travel insurance or trip insurance.

As you’re developing your trip budget, check out our favorite semi-budget travel tips to help you think of ways to save.

Using the right credit cards before your trip can help pay for your trip too! When I budget for our trips, it’s so much fun to be able to put $0.00 on the line item for airfare!

5) Start Planning Early

The earlier you start planning your trip, the better. Travel prices and availability change constantly – that’s just part of travel planning! The more lead time you have, the more opportunities you will have to travel on a budget.

Side Note: We actually planned our trip to Iceland in just 2.5 months! That, however, is not my norm. And, while everything worked out wonderfully, it was a bit tricky finding lodging at first.

So, give yourself time for plenty of research to find things like cheap flights on the best routes and all the best deals! Research airfare, lodging, ground transportation, and all the other line items on your travel budget.

If you subscribe to our list, you’ll have access to our FREE Travel Itinerary Template! And, if you’re ready to take your travel planning a bunch of steps further, our SBT Travel Planning Guide is made for you!

6) Get Your Paperwork Together

Given how long it might take to get a new passport or renew your existing one, making sure your paperwork is in order sooner than later is a good idea.

Many countries have visa requirements for entry. Some countries require certain vaccinations. It’s important to plan ahead so that your travel is hassle free. If you are traveling internationally to a foreign country, a current passport is imperative.

7) Book Your Trip

Now it’s time to book your trip!

There is no one best way to do this. I prefer, though, to do all the work myself and be my own travel agent. Book directly as much as possible, to cut out the middlemen.

When booking travel, always be sure to read the fine print. Understand all the cancellation policies. Know what taxes and fees you may be charged upon arrival (ahem, Hawaii rental car, I see you).

And, always, always, always, after you’ve made your initial reservations, purchase travel insurance. Especially if you want to add CFAR (“cancel for any reason”) coverage, you must often purchase the insurance within a short period of time after your first trip expenditure. So, don’t wait!

8) Prepare for Your Trip (and Come to Terms with Luggage Limits)

Once your travel is booked, it’s important to start preparing for your trip.

Download our FREE Ultimate Packing List, and begin gathering your supplies. If you are traveling with children, be sure to pack all of their necessities as well. We’ve got you covered there, too, with our FREE Ultimate Packing List for Kids!

It’s also important to be realistic about your luggage limitations. No one wants to travel with 50 pounds of gear! You don’t want to deal with it, and you don’t want to pay the associated overweight luggage fees.

Whether flying or driving, minimize your luggage, as much as possible! Find out how we make it work in our Money-Saving Packing Hacks eBook.

9) Enjoy Your Vacation!

Finally, it’s time to enjoy your vacation! Be sure to take lots of pictures, and keep a travel journal. This will help you remember all of the amazing things you did on your trip!

Travel Planning Made Simple

Planning a vacation can be overwhelming, but don’t worry. Now, you’ve got a way to get started with some of my favorite tools and resources for planning your next trip — your next adventure! Make your trip exactly what YOU want it to be – without breaking the bank!

And then…have a safe and happy journey!

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Where is your travel planning taking you? Please share in the comments below!

STARTS WITH

A GREAT BUDGET!

ALL GREAT SEMI-BUDGET TRAVEL

It's easy! I will show you how with a FREE trip planning tool.

YES, PLEASE!