Are you planning travel? I am not a travel agent, however one of my favorite things to do is to plan our next adventure. Do you feel travel planning is too cumbersome? Do you worry if you are making the right decision when planning a vacation on your own. How do you plan a vacation on a budget?

Here are my travel planning tips for beginners to plan your next vacation.

Tip 1: Plan For A Trip

Are you dreaming of visiting Hawaii or traveling to Europe? Wherever your dream vacation may be, my first tip is to plan ahead. How do I create a travel plan?

• Do research using online platforms to determine the best time to travel to your dream location. Maybe the weather is better in the Spring or maybe the prices are better in the Fall.

• Make a budget and start saving money for your trip. Will you have enough money saved to go in 2020? Would it be better to book the trip and start making payments so it is completely paid for to go in 2021?

Related Article: Vacation for Free in 2020

• Do you want to use a tour company or are you more inclined to rent a car and plan your own itinerary? Many times this decision is based on the cost involved, whether you are comfortable traveling on your own, or the timeframe you are able to travel.

• Other things to consider: Do you have enough time off from work to adequately explore your destination? Do you want to bring your kids with you or should you book babysitting? Will you need a PASSPORT? What about recommended vaccinations for the location you are traveling?

Planning ahead is probably the most important step in the process!

Tip 2: Utilize The Best Travel Website

What is the best travel planning website? After making some general plans regarding the location you wish to travel, the best time of year, and if you are going to use a tour company, the next step is to research your destination on TripAdvisor, my recommendation for the best travel website . Simply put in a destination location and TripAdvisor will rate the location, suggest things to do, as well as provide forums where other travelers have given advice and recommendations on the location.

Recommended article: Best Long-Term Travel Insurance

I always use TripAdvisor before booking a hotel. Other tourist have posted their reviews of the hotel giving me a true glimpse into what to expect. An example: I booked a mid-range priced hotel when staying in Buffalo, New York. The pictures showed a lovely location, however when I visited myself, I found the lobby had been remodeled but the rest of the hotel was a dump. I provided this review on TripAdvisor including pictures so other travelers will get the real picture of the hotel before booking.

To check out Tourist With Tot’s TripAdvisor reviews, click here.

Tip 3: Save money on travel

Make sure you have a budget for your vacation? What are the must do attractions to see and how much money do you have to spend? Utilize money saving travel website such as Groupon and LivingSocial. Both of these websites/apps provide things to do and travel at a discounted rate. If you are planning a trip to Chicago, check out Groupon for a reduced rate hotel. Maybe the show you wish to see on Broadway has a reduced rate ticket on LivingSocial.

I personally use Groupon and LivingSocial. Here are two examples:

• I booked an entire tour and trip to Costa Rica on a Groupon. After researching TripAdvisor, I found the tour company, EcoTerra Costa Rica, had a 5 star rating. This trip was nothing short of amazing. Read about our vacation to Costa Rica using a Groupon here.
• When finding an attraction in Kissimmee, Florida, I first researched Groupon. I found a great discount on go-carting by purchasing a Groupon. Read about it here.

Tip 4: Use A Travel Rewards Credit Card

If you are able to pay off your credit cards each month without accruing interest, I suggest getting a credit card that provides travel reward points. Click here for more information on how to choose the right travel credit card.

Reward points from your travel credit card can be used for free hotel stays, attraction tickets, flights, and cruises. In addition, some credit cards offer travel insurance or rental car insurance as one of the benefits if the trip was purchase on the credit card.

I recommend the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card. There is a large bonus of reward points for spending $4,000 in the first three months. In addition, they offer travel insurance and car rental insurance. There is a yearly membership fee of $95. Since we travel quite often, the savings on travel insurance more than makes up for the yearly fee. For more information on the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card, click here. I will receive bonus points at no extra cost to you for the referral.

Travel Agent vs. Planning Yourself

Should you use a travel agent or book the travel on your own? This is definitely your choice. If you have limited time to plan yourself and do not find a thrill in looking for a bargain, I would recommend using a travel agent to do the planning for you. Did you know that using a travel agent will not increase the cost of your trip? Most cruise lines, hotels, and airlines will cover the cost of the travel agent. The cost for them to book travel on your behalf will cost you the same as if you booked it. A travel agent also has access to deals that are not available to the general public.

Do I use a travel agent? No, but not because I do not see the value in using one. In fact, I have actually considered becoming a travel agent. The reason I do not use one is because I love planning the vacation myself. I want to arrange the itinerary!

In summary:

Do you feel travel planning is too cumbersome? Do you worry if you are making the right decision when planning a vacation on your own. The tips in this article will help you in planning your next dream vacation. Plan ahead, review TripAdvisor, use Groupon and LivingSocial and consider booking your travel on a travel rewards credit card such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

Congratulations, you have graduated from Travel Planning 101! Happy planning!

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links. At no extra cost to you, I will earn a commission and/or points/incentives should you click on a link and make a purchase or sign up for a free service.

The tips contained in this article are of my own opinion.