If you love to travel and immerse yourself in new cultures and experiences, there’s a good chance you’re looking forward to traveling in retirement.

Once you’re out of the workforce, you’ll have more time to visit the places and people you’ve always wanted to see. You can reach your goals by budgeting for travel expenses in your financial plan. Planning for travel helps ensure you have enough financial resources for other costs, can enjoy a quality of life at home, and pay for travel expenses. Here are several tips to help you budget for travel during your retirement years.

Lower your retirement expenses

Even if retirement is years away, it’s a good idea to consider what you might pay for housing, food, health insurance, and other expenses after you stop working. Once you know your monthly expenses, look for ways to lower or cut some of them to increase the amount of money you spend on travel.

Create a travel bucket list

Maybe you’d like to travel to a few different states yearly. Or perhaps you hope to explore a new country every few years. Design a travel itinerary for your retirement years with the understanding that it can change due to health concerns, financial emergencies, and other factors.

Research travel costs

After you decide where you want to travel to during retirement, create an estimated budget for each trip. You may have to research online or ask a travel professional to understand what specific trips will cost. Don’t forget to include daily expenses such as rides to and from the airport and tickets to museums. You may want to work with a travel professional to make this step easier.

Add cost buffers

Once you know how much your dream trips may cost, build a buffer into each trip to account for unexpected expenses. For example, you may budget for a cruise to Europe with everything in one price but decide to enjoy some excursions at the last minute. Wiggle room in your travel budget can be beneficial in situations like this.

Maximize your travel dollars

Since retirement can allow for time and flexibility, you can lower the cost of your trips. To do so, consider traveling during off-seasons or watch for online deals to score the best deals. Another option is to combine trips to save on airfare or visit family and friends to reduce the amount you spend on accommodations. Get creative and make the most out of your travel budget.

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When thinking about their financial future, many pre-retirees and retirees experience anxiety and uncertainty. With McKellar and Company’s Financial Planning process, you’re able to focus on today, knowing your future is secured. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.