When I travel, I always try to take advantage of early booking. Not only does booking your flight and hotel early save you hundreds of dollars, but it also offers some much needed peace of mind and comfort. Here are 4 good reasons why you should book your next trip in advance.
- Cheaper Prices
Tickets are usually less expensive the earlier out you book. For example, right now you can find flights under $500 from O’hare to Heathrow in November via Skyscanner. Its no secret that the closer you get to the date of departure, the more expensive the flights are, so its always best to book at least two months out. This tip also applies to hotels and Airbnb. As a general rule you can always expect to save more when you book early.
- Avoid Backing Out
This is probably the most important reason! You should book as soon as you have the money so you don’t talk yourself out of going. Often times traveling on a budget can be stressful because we’re always worried that we can’t afford to go. “Can I really afford to take this trip?” “What if I have to cancel last minute?” “Will I be able to save enough for the hotel and activities?” The best way to clear your head is to just take the leap and book it. Once you get your ticket there is no going back, which is great motivation to save your money for the trip of a lifetime!
- Time To Budget
One smart way to budget for a trip is to give yourself time to save. A big reason people back of trips is because they feel pressured to have all the money up front. If you make the decision to go a year in advance then you can set small savings goals to help you along. For example, booking your flight in January gives you the remainder of the year to book hotels and excursions for a trip in December. So set a goal to book your hotel my May, and save for a big excursion by august, then food and spending money by November. The more time you give yourself, the easier it is to save.
- Planning
Worrying about the what ifs won’t make you feel better, but being proactive about planning your trip will. Start by establishing a budget and setting savings goals. Then look up places you may want to visit, print them out, and place them inside a notebook labeled with your destination. Over the next few months add little details about your trip so that when you departure date comes along you will have everything planned out. Not only will it give you some much needed peace of mind, but it’ll keep you pumped thinking about all the fun memories you’re going to make!
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