There comes a time in our working year (usually about now) that, although we may be very career focused, we start thinking about taking a break. Beaches and hot sun, or museums and theatre, whatever your ideal vacation, it should fit both your interests and your budget. Although it may seem like a lot of work, a perfect vacation needs to be perfectly planned. Here are some tips on budgeting your way to a dream getaway.

Plan ahead
Even if your next vacation seems like an eternity away, it makes sense to start saving for it now. Start a vacation fund and add to it from every pay cheque. The amount you set aside can be determined by a bit of simple math.

For instance, you may decide that you can afford to set aside R500 from each pay cheque. Let?s say that it?s now the end of July, and you?re planning to take a vacation in January. Assuming you?re paid monthly, you will have six months, or 12 installments, of vacation fund contributions, which would add up to R6 000. Will that be enough for your ideal vacation? If not, increase the amount of each installment or consider re-evaluating your planned destination for a more affordable choice

But what if you don?t know how much you?ll need for your vacation? This is where the second step of vacation planning comes in.

Do your homework
Spend some time brainstorming your ideal vacation. For inspiration, visit the travel section of your local bookstore or bring home an armful of travel guides from the library. As you read about the particulars of your dream destination, you will begin to determine your most cost effective solutions, such as: whether to stay in hotels, hostels, B'nBs, or luxurious villas or whether you?ll need to rent a car or just buy a train pass. These details will help you start an outline of your travel expenses.

Next, search the Internet, call up your travel agent, or look in the newspaper to find the best buys for your trip. How much should you expect to spend on airfare? What about accommodation? As you do your research, you?ll find that the time of year when you travel will often make the difference between a manageable expense and a budget-blower. Consider travelling during the off-season; you not only will be able to avoid elbowing fellow tourists wherever you go, you?ll have money to spare for an extra day trip or romantic dinner.

Know where your money is
Thanks to automated banking machines, vacations are now much easier, and safer, than they used to be. Most travellers avoid long lines at the bank for currency exchange and instead use a banking machine at their destination, which automatically calculates the currency exchange and gives them money in the funds of their port of call.

However, those wondrous cash machines don?t plan for you, and they don?t offer you much support if you run into problems and you can?t speak the native tongue. That?s why you need to spend some time preparing your finances and accounts beforehand.