Dave Ramsey: 7 Vacation Splurges That are a Waste of Money

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When you go away on vacation, taking a break from your budget is tempting. After all, you work hard for your money to finally reward yourself with a retreat and some time off from your job.

The only problem is that you don’t want your vacation spending to hurt your travel memories as you try to figure out how to cover your credit card bill when you get home. This is why you must try to control your spending on your trip.

What are seven vacation splurges that can be considered a waste of money? Financial guru Dave Ramsey once shared a list that still holds true of silly ways we blow money on vacation.

Paying for a Flight When You Could Drive

You could turn this vacation into a road trip if a destination is only a few hours away. Ramsey also suggests that the best bonding can happen during long car rides when everyone’s crammed in together.

If your travel destination isn’t that far, you’re likely better off filling up your gas tank and turning the commute into a family road trip with some stops along the way.

Staying Too Long

If you find yourself ready to return home near the end of a trip, you likely booked an extended vacation instead of saving up your money and time off. You want to ensure that your trip is the perfect amount of time so you don’t spend more on accommodations than you should.

It’s important to note that you don’t have to spend all your vacation time on your trip. You can take a few days at home or return to work earlier and bank that time off for a future excursion.

Check Out: 6 Best Hidden Gems for Middle-Class Families in the Caribbean

Eating Out for Every Meal

You’ll likely feel like treating yourself to every meal at a restaurant while away. Since you’re on the road, you’ll want the convenience and luxury of dining out.

Ramsey believes that you should consider eating a few meals in your hotel room to reduce the cost of your trip so that you don’t overspend.

You can easily save money here by stopping at the grocery store to pick up some prepared meals or visiting a local market to see their fresh produce. 

Purchasing Overpriced Treats

Theme parks and tourist attractions are known for making up the treats and beverages. You must plan ahead a little so that you don’t buy astronomically overpriced snacks.

You can load up on water or rely on a huge breakfast to get you through the day instead of splurging on those absurdly priced snacks.

Buying Souvenirs That Will Turn Into Clutter

There’s nothing wrong with coming home with a coffee mug or a funny shirt from your trip, but you don’t want to stuff your suitcase with foolish souvenirs that will take up space at home.

The reality is that the stuffed frog or sombrero hat will end up becoming clutter in your space. You can also get much better memories from taking pictures and trying to live in the moment.

You don’t need to load up on expensive souvenirs on every trip. 

Not Looking for Discounts on Attractions

When you’re on a trip, you may forget about your frugal ways and pay more than you should for some of the attractions you visit. However, a little preparation before your trip can help you land discounts and deals on certain attractions you want to visit.

You can also look through platforms like Groupon to see if discount vouchers are available. You could also consider visiting the attractions during off-peak hours to save a few bucks. 

Trying To Fit Too Many Activities in Daily

You can aim to do one or two activities on any given day, but you don’t want to complete your entire day with something. When you load up your schedule, you can always feel like you’re in a rush, and it’s easier to go over budget this way.

You want to return home refreshed from your trip instead of being exhausted from trying to be overly ambitious with your activity planning.

When you plan too many activities, you also don’t get to properly enjoy everything as you’re in a constant rush to make it to the next item on your itinerary. 

Final Takeaway

The key message from the original article is that a vacation should be about creating memories, not debt. The trick is to treat yourself without going overboard on the expenses so you don’t have to stress about that credit card bill when you get home.

If you can avoid these vacation splurges, you’ll ensure you don’t go over budget on your next trip.

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