As the enforced stay-at-home orders and lockdowns have lifted across the country, the demand to travel is historic. People want to make up for the vacations they may have lost due to the global pandemic and are going all-in on their next vacations.
This does pose a financial danger, however, as many people end up spending more than what they can truly afford to make up for the lost time. I fully encourage everyone to travel during this time, but there are ways to do so in a way that will not break your bank account.
First of all, consider what is important in a vacation. You may find that it is not only about the destination but the ability to escape somewhere and enjoy free time away from your job or the stress of the pandemic while spending time with people you care about. In this case, there are plenty of options.
Get creative and think about places that can offer you this and you will find that you have many options. I recommend places that are closer to home that does not require flights specifically. Road trips are a great way to travel on a budget while at times even experiencing more than you would while traveling by flight.
If there is a specific destination that you really want to go to but it appears to be too expensive, do not give up. While you certainly should not go if you cannot afford it, you still may be able to go if you can round up more people to go with you that can help you split costs.
While you will likely have to pay for individual airfare, you may be able to trim costs of hotels or AirBnB rentals significantly simply by having more people to chip in. Ask your friends and family if a particular destination interests them.