When you’re planning a post-retirement vacation, you want to make the most of your time. However, if you’re on a budget like most seniors, you want to make the most of your savings. Luckily, fitting your holiday plans into a limited budget can be quite easy. With these easy tips, you can plan some brilliant holidays without going over budget.
 
Make Sure Your Home Is Secure Pre-Holiday 
 
One expense that travellers never expect to pay for are damages to their home. But according to former thieves, the majority of burglars will purposely look for properties that seem vacant, so take some steps to secure your home before you leave on holiday. If you have any scheduled deliveries, put them on pause for a bit. For example, if you subscribe to a meal delivery service, make sure you put your account on hold before leaving. There’s no sense in paying for items you won’t be using! Plus, thieves look for stacks of mail and packages that signal you’re away.
 
Additionally, there are ways to prepare your home to ensure you don’t come home to an expensive repair or surprise. For instance, since many seniors plan holidays in colder months, it makes sense to inspect your roof for any leaks that could lead to serious issues. But you should also take care to prepare the inside of your flat as well. Donate or get rid of food that will expire and try to limit buying perishable items before you go on holiday.
 
Reach Out to Airlines and Hotels Directly
 
Sometimes, travel sites can save you a bit of money on your expenses. Before you book, be sure to check directly with hotels and airlines to make sure you are getting the absolute lowest rates. Many travellers are surprised to know that those discount travel sites can often charge excessive fees and make cancellations difficult should your plans change. So, make some time to call around to hotels and airlines to see if you can snag their cheapest rooms or tickets. Inquire about any senior travel discounts they may offer. For flights, if you’re savvy with your smartphone, you can download apps like Skyscanner to make getting your money’s worth much easier. Do a search, set an alert, then relax while the app tracks the best deals for you.
 
Save When You Need to Hire a Car
 
Whether you’re going on holiday around the UK or need transport in another country, chances are you will need to hire a car at some point during your travels. The easiest way for seniors to save pounds on car hire is to check around with various websites. But you should also be on the lookout for those sneaky extra fees. Car hire companies hide these costs on sites and may even try to push them on you when you pick your car up. Keep a copy of your rental confirmation with you and stay firm about the original costs. Of course, you may also consider planning a holiday to a destination where a car is not needed. For example, if your holiday is in the United States, sticking to larger cities like New York or Washington, D.C., means you can walk about or use alternate, inexpensive modes of transportation to get around, such as the subway or train.
 
Look for Discounts Offered to Seniors
 
Being a traveller over the age of 60 definitely has some perks. Travelling during retirement means freedom from work commitments and really enjoying yourself during these golden years. It also means being able to take advantage of some pretty brilliant senior discounts. With these discounts, you can visit historic sites and museums for a much lower rate than other travellers. You can also use senior discounts to save money on dining out, shopping, and finding entertainment when you are on holiday in the UK. If you want to take a trip outside of the UK, you can also look for senior savings on travel arrangements to help you stick to your retirement budget. Whether it’s saving on airfare or simply having the freedom to do as you like, travelling during retirement is definitely a smart move.
 
Saving on your next holiday can be a lot simpler if you follow some basic travel tips. By taking the time to research and prepare in every way possible, you can plan a trip that saves you time, money, and stress.
 
Photo Credit: Pixabay

A change of scenery is always good for getting out of a routine, and in this post we're jetting off to Granada. 
If you’re looking for sun, greenery, and a chance to brush up on your secondary school Spanish, Granada, Spain is the place to go. Well-connected with the rest of Spain by rail, Granada is one of the places where the past is still very much present. On the streets—many still narrow and cobbled—Arabic is still spoken, and for a few euros, a street artist will make you a calligraphy plaque with your name.
Granada was one of the last Moorish strongholds in Spain hundreds of years ago. Their touch is evident; from the flowing aqueducts and fountains, orchards, terraced land, and lovely gardens of the Alhambra (“The Red Palace”), one of the must visits.
If you wish to visit the inside of the Alhambra, it is highly recommended to purchase your tickets in advance, as it is, unsurprisingly, an immensely popular site to visit. 

If you don’t mind a slight chill from a sea breeze, Hondarribia (also known as Fuenterrabía) is a quaint fishing town only a stone’s throw from France (truly—you could throw a stone across the Txingudi Bay and hit French soil), in the Northeast corner of Spain. It is small, and those fond of Madrid’s nightclubs and hustle and bustle might feel distinctly out of their element. But for a short, restful weekend trip with sand, calm waters, picturesque buildings, and great restaurants, it can’t be beat.

Only a short bus ride from Hondarribia is another town called San Sebastian, a slightly busier area with a fantastic beach, a castle, and an excellent aquarium. It may not be on the radar as much as central or southern Spain, but Basque country is well worth the time. 

Just below Spain, through the Strait of Gibraltar, lies Morocco—a country that, according to King Hassan II, has “roots planted in Africa, but branches which extend into Europe.” While Arabic is Morocco’s official language, one can get by perfectly well with French. Most Moroccans are bilingual, if not trilingual or better. If you’re looking for more of a tourist experience, Agadir, in the south, is the beach location to be. For a more traditional look into Moroccan life, the small  idyllic “blue city” of Chefchowen is a must-see. For something in between, Rabat offers modern city structure complete with trams and traffic with an old crowded medina center; partly surrounded by an old wall, shops on top of shops (be prepared to haggle), fruit vendors, vegetable vendors, sellers of leather, fresh juice stands, small cafés for quick harira (type of soup) or mixed sandwich, and of course, a stand that makes a special Moroccan fried treat called svenge.  
​
 But of course, what Morocco is best known for is its tagines, a kind of North African stew. No matter what restaurant you are in, they will have tagine and they will have mint tea, although if you’re not fond of sugar content that makes your eyes roll back in your head, it is advisable to request your mint tea without sugar. If you’re seaside, a fish tagine is highly recommended. Lamb tagine is always tasty as well, and kefta or beef meatball tagine with egg is a consistent favorite. For the less carnivorous, vegetable tagines are available, along with tasty side dishes such as zaaluk (eggplant-based) or a Moroccan “salsa” with red onion, tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, and spices. To get the true Moroccan experience, you must eat your tagine with bread and your hands—and share it with a friend. Moroccans never skimp on the food, and your tagine will in all likelihood be able to easily serve two. 

Now that you’re excited about visiting one of those places—or perhaps you have had another idea entirely—here are some practical considerations to keep in mind while traveling:

Plan, but don't OVER plan, It’s good to have at least a sketch of an itinerary to give yourself some structure, but you would be selling yourself short if you’ve planned every single minute of every day and did not give yourself time to just wander, or sit on a bench and people watch. You never know what you might find that isn’t listed in the guidebooks. 

Don’t overdo it when packing. Unless you have military-grade folding skills, packing excessively is going to hinder you more than it is going to help you, especially when re-packing and moving from one location to another. Bring a laptop or an iPad, not both.  One hat, one pair of sunglasses, one swim suit. Think of clothing items that are multi-purpose. Think about what you’re definitely going to be doing, what you might be doing, and what you’re almost definitely not doing. If worse comes to worse, you can wear that pair of socks again. Just be sure to air them out. 

Check the weather in advance for the area that you are visiting, particularly what is expected or typical for that time of year. Few things are more irritating than having to take time out of a vacation to buy clothes you will be comfortable in—or is socially acceptable, if you happen to be visiting a more conservative country.
​General advice: bring layers; easy to add on and easy to take off. One good pair of jeans and a pull-over is essential. Shoes—ditch the heels, unless you’re planning on spending most of your travel in nightclubs. Cobblestone roads, high hills, and getting on and off public transportation are not conducive for wearers of restrictive or poorly designed shoes. Invest in a good pair of boots or trainers. 

Bring a practical bag. Purses and drawstring bags are fine, but if there is to be a lot of walking involved, a nice backpack with sturdy straps and pockets of varying sizes is preferable. It is easy and safe to store money, glasses, sunglasses, a water bottle, sunblock, and perhaps a purchase or two. Keep in mind if you are visiting a museum or something similar, your bag will probably be checked, so avoid keeping anything in there that could be construed as dangerous. Checking online in advance what is acceptable in some places and what is not will easily avoid this potential hassle.

Stay safe. ​Be aware of your surroundings at all times, especially if you happen to be alone. Tourists are pickpocket’s bread and butter, so try not to look too much like one. Don’t carry your passport around with you. Store it out of sight in your hotel or hostel room somewhere in your luggage. Keep money in your front pockets—jackets with zippered pockets are ideal for this and your phone. Ladies, the old money-tucked-in-bra method is always reliable, though this may not be ideal in hotter months and climates. Never take anything strangers hand you, and be cautious if you must give to beggars—it’s entirely possible another person is nearby waiting to see where you pull your wallet from. Use common sense when wandering off the beaten path. The fewer people there are and the less well-kept the buildings begin to look, the more likely it is you should turn around. 

And there you have it! No matter where you decide to go this world travel week, keep in mind that a fun trip doesn’t have to be expensive, or long, or even to a popular destination. It only requires your willingness to get out of your comfort zone, an open mind, some patience, possibly a friend or two, and of course, a good pair of shoes.