Summer is here, and you and your girls are ready for fun in the sun. While your heart is saying beachside cabanas, your wallet might say backyard inflatable swimming pool.
Are you dreaming of the girl’s trip of a lifetime, but your funds are limited? You might want to delay your trip until you have more money or consider a low-budget vacation. Fortunately, you’re a BAUCE woman and can plan a luxury girls’ trip on a budget. Here’s how to get started.
Decide what you want your luxury trip to include
“Affording luxury travel on a budget starts with defining what luxury travel means to you and having an open conversation with everyone in your group to ensure you’re on the same page,” says award-winning affordable luxury travel and personal finance expert Danielle Desir Corbett.
Discuss with your friends how you want to experience the finer things on your trip. For instance, you might want a luxury spa experience or to treat yourself to fine dining. Having these conversations will help you get a good idea of everyone’s idea of luxury. Some options may be a group spa experience, a high-end hotel, or glamping. Once you know what to do, you can look at the numbers and see which activities are in your price range.
Create a budget for your trip
With any budget, you need a list of expenses and income/available money. Start by listing your wants and needs for the trip and write down how much they’ll cost. Your list might include:
- Accommodations
- Flights or transportation
- Groceries
- Eating out
- Drinks, events, and other nightlife activities
- Tours
- Spa experience
- Miscellaneous
Once you have your list, add up the total cost of everything. If the total is something you can afford, great. If it is a little expensive, pick out where you can make adjustments by spending less in one area so you can spend more in another.
“Consider the types of travel experiences you value, including food, accommodation, transportation, and activities,” Corbett advises. “Allocate most of your travel budget to the highest-priority experiences and aim to spend minimally on everything else. For example, when planning luxury girls’ trips, we typically prioritize top-notch multi-course dining experiences and reservation-only rooftop lounges. Although, we don’t mind sitting in the economy or taking public transportation if necessary,” Corbett shares.
Consider the length of the trip and destination
An easy way to cut costs without sacrificing quality is to consider the length and destination of your trip. A weekend getaway to a mountain spa or traveling to a boutique hotel in your state may be more affordable than an international trip.
Start by looking at what luxury experiences you can find close to home. This may be a boutique hotel or a Michelin-starred restaurant. According to Boutique Travel Advisors, if you have your heart set on leaving the country, here are some affordable, safe, and fabulous destinations.
- Tahiti
- Azores, Portugal
- Slovenia and Northern Croatia
Kayln Salinas, founder and CEO of The Citrine Compass, says, “If you’re looking for luxury travel on a budget, skip the popular hot spots like Positano on the Amalfi Coast or Cannes in the French Riviera. For clients looking for that quintessential European summer vacation, our agency might recommend the cool, underrated Italian island of Ischia instead of its crowded and costly neighbor, Capri, to save on spending and ramp up the authentic experience. “
Do comparison shopping with your hotel
A little-known travel hack when booking hotels is knowing where and how to book. The key is to compare prices across platforms. Some guests mentioned on the Fodors Travel forum that they have found cheaper prices when booking directly with a hotel rather than using a third-party booking website.
The advantage of many booking sites, including Booking.com, is that you can often find various hotel options and take advantage of free cancellations. However, when you search a third-party website, you should look at the price and cross-reference that price with the cost of booking directly with the hotel. According to this article in The Washington Post, people have had mixed experiences. People who reported booking directly with the hotel received special perks, like a free taxi ride to the hotel.
The bottom line is that it is best to shop around to see which option is best for you.
Travel during shoulder seasons
If you and your girlfriends have flexible schedules, consider traveling during the shoulder seasons in most regions. Salinas says shoulder seasons are “the time right before and after a region’s peak season. For Europe, the high season is June to August, so traveling in May or September can save on costs tremendously without skimping on experience.” During the shoulder season, there are usually fewer crowds during these times, and finding deals on flights and hotel stays can be easier.
Create your luxury experience on your trip
Staying in a high-end hotel with luxury amenities can be pricey. Salinas recommends renting a villa in the place you’re visiting. You can also rent an apartment or a home through Airbnb and add luxury activities. Salinas advises ordering luxury services such as bringing in a masseuse or hiring a private chef. “If you want to have a 5-star experience without the 5-star price tag, call around to local high-end hotels to see if they offer day passes to their pool, beach club, and spa!”
According to the Oxford Dictionary, luxury is a state of great comfort or elegance. Therefore, crafting a luxury experience is all about embracing a mindset of ease and doing what makes you feel comfortable. Corbett says it best: “The key to affording guilt-free luxury travel is knowing your values and closely aligning your spending with them.”
