Rest and relaxation aren’t the only things you get from vacation. If you aren’t careful, you could end up with a lot of debt. A recent survey by Learn Vest of vacation-going Americans found 74% went into debt to bankroll their getaway, spending $1,108 on average for a single trip. Of those surveyed, most spent about 10% of their annual income on one trip, and most of them did not budget for the trip in advance. 
 

The good news is that vacations don’t have to be such an enormous expense. There are ways to rein in spending and still have the vacation of your dreams. Check out the following eight ways to do so:

1. Determine Your Budget

Before you can start planning your vacation, you have to come up with a budget. If you don’t want to use debt to fund the holiday, you’ll have to determine how much free money you have. To do that, add up all of your monthly bills and expenses. Whatever amount of money is left over is the amount you can spend on your vacation.

It won’t be an exact number but if you figure out how much you want to spend beforehand, planning it can save time and money. Prior planning also eliminates the need to rack up debt. It's harder to resist that five-star hotel if you’ve spent time researching the property.

"The wine world has its share of eponymous regions; so famous, that just the mere murmur of their name evokes a sense of wonder.  Chateauneuf-du-Pape is one of those regions. The rich, bold and sensuous red wines that are created from this parcel of land in the south of France have been renowned for hundreds of years. For those of us who love wine Chateauneuf-du-Pape is practically a place of pilgrimage." Hilarie Larson CSW FWS
 

Hilarie Larson is a Certified Specialist of Wine, French Wine Scholar and Wine Educator who loves to share her travel adventures. Fusing a region's heritage with its people, places and local flavors (especially the wines), Hilarie has a penchant for capturing the essence of a destination. Listen in to Hilarie's radio chat about this special region then sample the recommendations in her article, "The Magic of Chateauneuf-du-Pape" published in Big Blend's Radio & TV Magazine. 

Her work has appeared in a variety of publications including Big Blend Radio & Magazine, FWT Magazine, Wine Geographic and Wine Folly, for whom she acted as a content editor and contributor for the new book, ‘Wine Folly: Magnum Edition: The Master Guide'. Hilarie is available for education and training through engaging, educational and interactive workshops for created specifically to train staff of winery, restaurant, hotel and related businesses "to think like a sommelier." Contact her at Northwinds Wine Consulting.

"For whiskey enthusiasts, a visit to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail is a premier trip to make. For bourbon fans, it’s Mecca. Ninety-five percent of the world’s bourbon is made in Kentucky where the limestone encrusted spring-fed waters contribute to the flavors of these delicious whiskeys."  Nancy Zaffaro

Nancy Zaffaro, Confetti Travel Cafe is a long-time bourbon fan. This was not her first visit to the region, but on this trip, she was traveling solo, arrived in Louisville during very heavy rains and had only one day to spare. Taking one of Mint Julep Tours’ all-day Bourbon tours was the way to go. Find out more: Tour the Kentucky Bourbon Trail with Mint Julep Tours
 

"If the Middle East is on your bucket list, Qatar is a country you won’t want to miss. Aside from being one of the wealthiest economies and the country with the highest per capita income in the world, you’ll find this destination teeming with culture, uber-luxurious hotels and some pretty amazing food."  Beth Graham

Beth Graham is featured on BlendRadioandTV.com, in the weekly Big Blend e-Newsletter, and her article appears in the February-April issue of Big Blend Radio & TV Magazine. Beth shares travel tips and chats about travel to the Middle East with Big Blend's hosts Lisa & Nancy. Listen in at your leisure: