Hi everyone! Let's hold on because the weekend is almost here, and we can do it! Oh my, this week took over me, and I couldn't do anything. I'm a bit stressed but also proud of myself for surviving this hectic moment without losing myself. Sometimes it's challenging and frustrating because I put effort into making time for myself, but, in the end, I can't have a minute to breathe. Sometimes, my efforts are paid with an hour of blog writing, ten minutes for an excellent relaxing shower, or just a yummy dinner. I'm so grateful for those moments, especially when I hit the publish button for a new blog post like this one. 

The first thing I was looking for this week was an escape from the adult-life duties, so let's talk about the number 1 escape of the year, summer vacations! I think today is the perfect time to talk about summer vacations last minute and on a budget. Don't get me wrong. I know that last minute and on a budget are giant enemies, but stay with me, and I'll prove to you that you can do it! Just like this week! 

Where to start to plan your summer vacations last minute and on a budget

This post is a step-by-step guide that you can follow for any vacation, but it's perfect for those trips you do during expensive periods of the year. Thanks to my corporate job, I don't work during the Italian festivities and the two central weeks of August, which means that the prices for any destinations are near the stars. So, I learned a couple of tricks to enjoy the time off without breaking the bank account. I know that all of us dream of beautiful, big, and long-haul trips, but they are expensive if you travel when everyone has time off. But, if you follow this guide, you can still enjoy beautiful vacations! 

Let's crack on! 

The first and most crucial step is to decide what your budget is for the vacation. Next, you can allocate how much you are willing to pay for the essentials: transportation (flight, boat, car, train), accommodation (hotel, Airbnb, house), and activities (food, museums, experiences). Then sum up all three numbers, and you have the first idea of your budget. This is a more straightforward method of deciding the budget for your vacation. My piece of advice for this crucial step is to be generous with, let's say, 20%. So, if your budget is 200 € for the three categories, decide to go for 240€. This extra 20% will give you the flexibility to face emergencies, buy something cute, treat yourself, or be more relaxed. 

The following step is to decide what kind of vacation you want to do. Relaxing, adventurous, glamourous, in a single destination, in multiple destinations? Growing up, I experimented with different things. I used to stay three months at the beach when I was a student. Then I started to travel and visit big cities. Then I did small weekends near Milan to take a small break. I also tried the road trip around an Italian region. All of the above are great, and I enjoyed every minute. So, decide which type of vacation you want. 

Finally, it's time to look for options. What flights can you take with your budget? Are the suitable destinations good for you? What if you travel by train? What if you take your car? Maybe this is the longest step, but it's fundamental because you can explore your possibilities according to your budget. From my experience, low-cost flights are tremendous but pay attention to extra luggage costs. Usually, if I take the boarded luggage with me, the bigger one, the ticket cost will be higher than the train ticket, where I can bring as much stuff as possible. Also, you'll save much time with trains! Then, if you want to explore multiple destinations while staying away from tourist traps, the best solution is the car. The train is perfect if you want to relax because driving a car is tiring.

I know that during this step, you might feel frustrated because you can't tick off a destination from your travel bucket list due to the price. But let's switch the perspective and think that you can discover other destinations or vacations to get out of your comfort zone. That's exactly how I found out that I love road trips!

You picked the destination, then what? 

Ok, you nailed the most challenging part of the process! I'm so proud of you! Now, it's time to book everything. Remember when you allocated your budget for the three essentials of a trip? Now, it's time to book your transportation according to your budget and accommodation. The best piece of advice I can give you is to pay attention to what they are offering you in terms of included breakfast, cleaning service, and location. I prefer the hotel over Airbnb because I can have included breakfast for almost the same price per night. Speaking of the area, I love a strategic place to visit different neighborhoods without walking too much and to go back quickly if I need it. Maybe it's not the most central hotel, but it's strategic for my itinerary, and that's better!

I love this step because my mind starts to dream, travel, and escape even before the actual date! 

Last but not least, if the pandemic taught me something is this. Pick everything with free cancellation so that you'll not pay and have a refund if you can't make it! Of course, it's easier with hotels and other accommodations, but you can also do it with flights, trains, and buses. 

You're almost there...let's pack and go!

You're almost there. Now, all you have to do is pack and go. Strategic packing is something I'm nailing over the years, but recently I got packing cubes, and they are GAME-CHANGING! It's so easy to pack and repack with the cubes! I can categorize by clothing type or outfit, have an organized bag, and always know where everything is. I was over the moon during my last trip to Vienna! Also, they are an investment because you can use them for a backpacking trip, the cabin suitcase, and your most oversized luggage. 

Last but not least, enjoy every minute of your trip, from planning to the route back home. I travel pretty often, and it's better to see less and have a better and more relaxed mood than do a marathon and feel exhausted and crazy. I used to feel so much FOMO that I had to visit every corner of my travel destination. But when I was home, I used to feel exhausted. So, I started to select my key points to visit and introduce a dose of spontaneity each day. This was another game-changing moment because now I come back home energized, happy, and ready to start a new chapter. 

Do you have some advice on traveling last minute and on a budget? Let's chat about it in the comments below!