How to plan a budget so as not to be left without money after your vacation

The vacation is over. All the money has been spent, the card is empty, and new crediting is not coming soon - many people are probably familiar with this situation. Here's what you should do to avoid ending up in it.

Make a budget not only for rest days, but for the entire month

It often seems that after a vacation a completely different stage of life will begin. This means that there is no need to think about it in advance - when it comes, then we will start planning. But in order not to find yourself financially broke, it is worth using a different tactic.

Try to consider as a single period for planning the time from the last salary before the vacation (or from receiving vacation pay, if they are accrued earlier) until the first receipt of money after the vacation. If you go away for two weeks, then it can be equal to a calendar month. Start planning your expenses several months in advance.

If you are managing a budget, it may be more convenient to open each financial month not from its beginning, but from the day of the advance or salary. For the vacation period, draw up a financial plan that will have several sections.

1. Mandatory expenses on vacation

These are the cost of tickets, payment for housing, insurance. The required amount can be calculated in advance - when you first choose where and how you will relax.

You can start planning from the other end. First, determine the maximum amount that you are willing to allocate for mandatory vacation expenses, and then look for suitable vacation spots.

Compare different options and choose the one that will be more comfortable for you.

Think about where you can save money. For example, try not to stay in a hotel, but to find an apartment with a kitchen where you can cook your own food.

If you think about this a few months before your vacation, it will be easier to find an option that suits you. And immediately book a hotel room or apartment for the selected days. Maybe this will help too save money, because prices will increase during the season.

2. Additional expenses during holidays

There will be spending on food, entertainment, transportation, and souvenirs. Food costs can be at least approximately calculated in advance. It's also worth considering how much money you can allocate to the rest of the items on this list.

While on vacation, try to stay within the set amount. To do this, think about how you can spend time in the place you choose without serious expenses. For example, do not purchase excursions, but go to the suburbs with interesting architecture using public transport. Information about paintings or monuments can be searched on the Internet.

3. Reserve for unexpected expenses

As a rule, during vacation there are always expenses that you did not think about in advance. For example, you might want to go to a neighboring city. Or you will have to buy new shoes because the soles of the old ones suddenly came off. Or maybe you need money for medicines.

It is always worth having a cash reserve in case of force majeure situations. If everything goes according to plan and there is no need for additional expenses, you can decide how to manage the money from the reserve. You can spend them on the last day of your vacation or postpone them for the first time after your return.

4. Post-vacation expenses

This is as important a point as the previous ones. Before your vacation, you should think about how much money you will live on after it. Add to your budget plan the amount you would normally spend between the time you return and your next paycheck.

Calculate what you got. Perhaps the amount will be much more than you planned to spend in a month. Then think if you can accumulate this money or better look for other vacation options.

Start saving for your vacation a few months before it starts.

Some people start saving for their next vacation as soon as they return from the previous one. Others - after the end of the New Year holidays. Still others remember the upcoming holidays 1-2 months before they start. Choose the period that will be comfortable for you.

It is worth opening a separate account where you will gradually transfer money.

Calculate how many months you have left before you start your vacation. From the total amount from the previous paragraph, subtract the amount of vacation pay you plan to receive. Divide the remainder by the number of months. This will be the amount that is worth saving.

If this is very difficult, think about where you will get the missing funds. For example, you can look for a part-time job. Or adjust future expenses by choosing a different vacation option.

Make all required payments before your vacation

Utilities, fees loans, mobile communications and the Internet - do not miss a single regular payment. By the way, if you are leaving for a long time, some of the expenses can be frozen. For example, if you won't need wired Internet or satellite TV for most of the next month, let your service providers know in advance and stop paying.

If possible, it is worth paying for electricity or housing and communal services for the month following the vacation. Before the holidays, these expenses may seem insignificant to you. But later you will thank yourself for such care.

Postpone all major purchases until your first paycheck after the holidays.

It happens that a vacationer thinks: he’s done great - he’s done a great job and deserves a vacation. So why not treat yourself with a small gift? For example, buy a new tablet. Or a handbag from an expensive brand.

Yes, such purchases can make you happy. But think about it: maybe you should treat yourself not before your vacation, but after it.

When you return to your work routine, it can be difficult to immediately immerse yourself in the usual flow of tasks. That's when little joys will come in handy. Therefore, put off large purchases - you will think about them later.

Don't take out loans before going on vacation

If you take out a loan, you will be required to make the first payment shortly after returning from your vacation. And this will not be the only expense item. Therefore, you should not create additional stress for yourself.

Try to postpone all purchases on credit until the moment when you return to your usual schedule of income and expenses. That is, until the time you receive an advance or salary after your vacation. Then it will be much easier for you to make the first payment and all subsequent ones.

Keep track of your vacation expenses

Determine how much money you are willing to allocate per day. If you spend a little more, you will see it in the evening or the next morning. And you can do it a little cut down on spending in the following days to stay within budget.

For example, instead of a popular restaurant, you should look for small cafes without bright signs, which are preferred by locals. Or go to the market for fresh vegetables and fruits, find a nearby bakery with inexpensive pastries and have dinner in your hotel room for a couple of days.

If you don’t want to do calculations every day, divide your vacation into short periods of time - for example, three days. And set a limit, more than which you cannot spend during this time.

Check at the end of each such period whether you have met this amount. If not, immediately adjust your expenses for the next three days. This way, you won’t find yourself in a situation where the money suddenly runs out and you can’t do without an emergency reserve.

If you didn't plan your vacation in advance, just save some money

You may be ready to plan a vacation next year. But there is a month or even a week left until the next holidays. Salary I was there recently, vacation pay is about to come into play, and it’s too late to make long-term plans.

Here's what you can do in such a situation. When you receive your vacation pay, calculate the total amount that is available to you. Immediately allocate money from there for upcoming utility bills.

Then determine the minimum that will last you from the day you end your vacation until the next accrual. Set aside this amount and promise yourself not to touch it under any circumstances until the end of your vacation. Use the rest of your money as you see fit.