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The holidays are very eagerly waiting for some thing that after all this time working, this time we will discuss how merancanakan holiday so enjoyable , No doubt that we need a fitness and the freshness of the pilgrimage. Travelling is often the choice of our brothers. Most of them go to the beach or mountains for the friendly with nature. Some were traveling missionary, visited the cottage-boarding schools, orphanages or chatting with farmers and workers. Thus we recall, that we are not alone. Many of our brothers and sisters who need our attention, so that they too live in the guidance of Islam. Allohul-mustaan​​.
Saving money and wealth creation has been our theme of most of my articles so far. But life is not all about just making money. What is life without a little bit of fun. Going for a vacation and taking off from the hustle and bustle and deadlines of everyday life to relax with your family can really recharge your batteries and help you to start afresh.This article is specific for Indian readers though the ideas expressed are universal.

If you plan properly you can save a lot of money and have a peaceful and relaxing vacation. Planning of a vacation should be done by the brain. Your heart can take over once you reach your destination. The first point to be kept in mind is that your destination should fit your budget. A foreign destination is very attractive and you may fall for the combo offers of Airlines and travel agents but remember to check other cost like visa, food, local travel, shopping, entrance fees etc. All incidental expenses are going to cost a packet. Add up everything to get a ballpark estimate. A domestic vacation offers a plethora of choices and is much easier to manage and likely to be easier on your wallet as well. Timing of your vacation is also very important. If your work schedule allows it then always try to plan your vacation just before the peak season starts or a few weeks after the peak season ends. Your savings would be substantial.

If you are planning your vacation then it is very important that you have an idea of the total budget. An ideal allocation would be 1 month's take home salary [after all deductions including all EMIs] per year on your vacation. Please do not borrow money to fund your vacation as this practice will only postpone the pain of your debt burden into the future.

The early bird gets the choicest worm. Most often you will find that Hotels and airlines give a higher discount for early booking. Take advantage of this. Plan early. If you or your spouse has the time then you are more likely to get a good bargain if you directly approach the Hotel. Try not to call the hotel and ask for a discount. An e-mail parley between you and the hotel is likely to yield better results and is much less impersonal than talking which allows you to keep the pressure on the Hotel. If they do not give you a big discount try to get in a free half day tour package, spa facilities, pick-up and drop or dinner. It is your hard-earned money, so try to get the maximum out of it. It is also a good idea to choose the high end room in a lower rung hotel than a standard room in a high end hotel. You will get privileged treatment for the same cost. As for airlines you could choose a travel agent or travel website. My personal choice and recommendation is always the website of the Airline. Use any of the travel websites to narrow down your choice and go and book on the airline website. If your destination is just an overnighter take the train instead of the flight and divert part of the saving to the shopping fund.

Do some research on the internet on what you should see. A hotel travel desk is not the best place to arrange for sightseeing. The same goes for the taxis and autos waiting to pounce on you outside your hotel. Take these only as a last resort. You could get in touch with local taxi/tour operators by checking the yellow pages at your hotel or you could take a walk and talk to a few taxi drivers to get a feel of what they charge. If there are only a few places to cover, a coach service can save you a lot of money. If you are on a foreign trip then a hop-on-hop-off bus service would allow you to see tourist attractions at your convenience and at a lower cost. Most foreign cities have good train and public transportation facilities which are easy to use. Try them out.

When you are relaxed and in a good mood you tend to loosen your purse strings. You have a tendency to think "Anyway I have spent so much to come here and it is just once a year, I might as well buy it as a souvenir for remembrance". Pay cash while you are shopping and avoid credit card purchases while on vacation. Do some research on the internet and you can easily locate good places to buy the local specialties. Do not trust your cab driver or local tour operator for this. A little research can get you good quality at reasonable prices. Using your international credit card in a foreign country is not advisable unless it cannot be avoided. You lose on exchange rates and charges. An option would be prepaid foreign currency cards issued by most major banks.

"Fix a budget" is a very theoretical and clichéd usage. Most often than not we spend more than we plan to. Try to avoid impulse purchases. You do not have to nit-pick every expense, enjoy but be aware. As with all things in life, preparation and planning is the key to a successful and relaxing vacation. If you put in a little effort you can achieve a lot. So go ahead and have a great vacation.

The writer works as the Country Head for AGEM India Branch, the foreign branch office of the Euro 32 Million Spanish company AGEM S.A. He is in charge of the Indian operations and primarily engaged in sourcing of products from India. He is also Consultant, International Business Development for QualiMed Systems, a fast upcoming medical equipment start-up. His interest in investment started when his father introduced him to the stock markets in the early nineties in the pre-Harshad Mehta era. He also writes for the investment column "Money Matters" in the website www.yentha.com