For teachers or those in school, summer itself is usually seen as a vacation. But many families use it as an opportunity to visit new places, see far-away relatives, or go to a favorite getaway spot just to break up the modern life monotony and enjoy the warmest season of the year. However, traveling has the reputation of being an expensive endeavor, so if you are looking to travel but also save some money this summer, check out our 6 best travel budget tips for summer vacation.
- Be Flexible on Travel Dates and Destinations: Unless you are traveling for a special occasion, such as a birthday or wedding, being flexible with your dates and destinations enables you to pick cheaper places and times to travel. Avoiding holidays and flying mid-week can decrease airline prices as well. Be on the lookout for special airline or hotel promotions, as they usually run deals at certain points of the summer to increase tourism.
- Take Advantage of Rewards: Lots of credit card companies offer flight rewards and hotel benefits either when you sign up or as you accumulate more points on the card. Specific cards partner with certain hotel chains or airlines, such as American Express and Delta. So, if you usually fly a specific airline or stay with a particular hotel chain this might be a fantastic option for you to stretch your travel budget.
- Cancellation Policies: Keep an eye out for hotels and flights that offer free cancellations. Life can be unpredictable, and if you end up having to cut a trip short or even cancel, cancellation fees can cause you to still have to pay for your vacation but not enjoy it. Keep your eyes peeled as some travel and credit card companies may cover reimbursement fees if your plans change. Take these benefits into account if you are looking into getting a travel-based credit card.
- Budget Accordingly: When planning a trip, it is easy to get hung up on larger expenses like airfare and accommodations, but don’t forget about all the smaller expenses that can add up quickly. Be sure to budget accordingly and account for things like car rental, food/grocery money, gas, and activity/attraction tickets on top of flight and hotel costs.
- Free Amenities: When exploring hotel options, keep complimentary amenities in mind, such as free breakfast, on-site parking, free Wi-Fi, and free cancellations. Saving on meal, parking, and cancellation expenses is another great way to save on smaller expenses.
- Online and Mobile Deals: Travel apps and booking tickets in advance can also save your travel budget. Some companies offer exclusive rewards through their apps, and others offer pre-booking discounts and/or online purchase discounts. Travel credit card companies can sometimes offer exclusive savings when purchasing on certain sites or buying tickets to certain attractions.
Protection from the Summer Sun
Sun skin damage is no joke. Protecting your body can become such a hindrance when all you want to do is have fun in the sun. But save your skin from premature aging, sunburn, and skin cancer by wearing sunscreen, sunglasses, and sun-protective clothing.
Why Even Wear Sunscreen?
The sun emits ultraviolet (UV) rays, which are what provide us with vitamin D and also what burn our skin. These UV rays are split into UVA and UVB, and both are quite harmful to the skin. 95% of the sun’s rays are classified as UVA and are the cause of tanning, sunburn, premature aging, wrinkles, and some skin cancers. UVB, while only making up the other 5% of the sun’s rays, are more dangerous and can cause sunburns, blisters, and other types of skin cancer. Make sure that you are finding a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against both.
Choosing the Right Sunscreen
The two most popular types of sunscreens are chemical and mineral. Chemical is more common and rubs into your skin to absorb the sun’s UV rays so your skin isn’t harmed. Per its name, chemical sunscreen contains chemicals such as oxybenzone and octinoxate that work to absorb sun rays. Chemical sunscreen is more water and sweat resistant, making it a more popular choice when doing summer water activities or outside sports. Contrary to chemical sunscreen, mineral sunscreen does not rub into your skin and instead functions as a protective layer between UV rays and your skin. Most mineral sunscreens are made of zinc oxide or titanium oxide and are recommended for those with sensitive skin.
Chemical and mineral sunscreen each offer their varying benefits, and the same goes for the SPF of your sunscreen. Sunscreen is measured by its Sun Protection Factor (SPF), meaning the higher the SPF, the more sun rays it will block.
- SPF 15 filters out 93% of UVB rays
- SPF 30 filters out 97%
- SPF 50 filters 98%
- SPF 100 about 99%
However, the higher the SPF, the more abrasive chemicals are in the sunscreen. These higher SPFs are great for blocking almost all UV rays, but they may irritate your skin and put harmful chemicals into the wildlife area you are swimming in. Be sure to choose the right sunscreen for both you and your skin’s needs this summer.
Make your Sunscreen Last
Once you find the right sunscreen for you, follow some of these tips to increase the shelf life and effectiveness of your sunscreen so it can last you as long as possible. First, check the expiration date, as sunscreen does expire, and once it expires, it is essentially useless. Expired sunscreen does little to nothing to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays. Be sure to store your sunscreen properly because prolonged exposure to extreme heat and sunlight can cause it to expire sooner.
Your Eyes Need Protecting Too!
Sunscreen is typically a well-remembered beach necessity, but one that is more often forgotten is sunglasses! Your eyes need protecting from the sun in the same way your skin does. Long exposure to UV rays can cause cataracts, macular degeneration, eye cancers, and chronic dry eye. Protect your eyes from developing these painful and scary conditions by wearing 100% UV-protected sunglasses, wearing a hat, and not looking directly at the sun. Not all sunglasses are 100% UV-protected so when investing in a pair, be sure to make this a priority. They might be a little more expensive, but your eyes will thank you! Do even better and pair your UV sunglasses with a wide hat to keep the sun out of your eyes but also off your face and neck.
Now all this talk about protection from the sun hasn’t yet pointed out that some sunshine is good for you! Vitamin D is an essential vitamin that everyone needs to stay healthy. Getting some sunshine is the best way to give your body enough vitamin D. Just be sure to use your sun protection to ensure your body isn’t getting too much vitamin D and, consequently, too much UV ray exposure.