Getting Started

How to get started planning your budget dream trip:




1. Pick a place.
2. Pick a time.

These can be reversed. Are you planning a trip for a specific time? Your kids' Spring Break? Your anniversary? If so, reverse the steps. 

If you are a little more open, pick the place first. 

Anywhere you travel has times that are more or less expensive. Generally, summer and holidays  are a bit more expensive. We like to travel somewhere new for our anniversary most years. Our anniversary is July 5. Sometimes these anniversary trips hit my high budget of $1000 (More on this later). If there's a specific place we want to go, I research when the accommodation and attraction prices are lower.

3. Make a wishlist.

The sky is the limit here.  Now that you know where you want to go, if you didn't have a budget, what do you want to see or do there?
Make a list. 
For example, when we traveled to the Smokies for our 10th anniversary a few years ago, I knew I wanted to see bears, so I found out where the most likely bear sightings would be (Cades Cove). My husband wanted to drive The Tail of the Dragon (motion sickness to the extreme). I wanted to go to Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies (Sharks! ♡). I wanted to hike. He wanted to go to check out some of the tourist-y attractions in Gatlinburg. 



Now what to do with this list? Stay tuned for the next post....

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