As the summer months are quickly approaching, many people are dreaming of vacations and fun in the sun. Since COVID-19 hit the world, travel plans have been shattered or canceled for many people. However, if you and your family aren’t sick, there’s still a way to enjoy your dream vacation or staycation. The key is to get creative with the following tips.

1. Automate your savings process
Create a savings account that’s separate from the rest of your normal banking systems. Once you create a separate savings account, make it difficult to access. Oftentimes, when people have a savings account that’s attached to a checking account, they use their mobile banking features to move money back and forth. Therefore, that savings account becomes another checking account. If you truly want to save money for your next vacation, become disciplined about placing money into a savings account that you don’t touch until it’s time to use it for the vacation expenses. A great option involves automating a direct deposit for that account when you get paid. If the money goes into the account before you even touch it, that can help you remain focused as well.

2. Avoid the temptation to procrastinate
When you’re a business owner, you’ll naturally have to handle a lot of money. Whether you’re dealing with receipts, cash withdrawals or fees, there’s a lot of money moving around. You never want to put yourself in a position where you don’t really know how much you’re actually making. This means that you can’t procrastinate on the accounting and bookkeeping processes. If you do, you’ll have a false sense of reality regarding your true income, profit margins and more. If you want to succeed in growing your company’s financial margin, make sure that procrastination and business finance don’t go hand in hand. When you mix procrastination and business finance, you’ll end up dealing with issues such as mismanagement of funds, decreased profits and more. Especially during a time when many small businesses are suffering, you don’t have to if you keep a close eye on the business numbers at all times.

3. Book excursions in advance
Because COVID-19 has left a lot of people concerned about the concept of traveling, the travel industry is taking a hit. While it’s fun to travel, you still want to do so with precautions. That’s one of the reasons why a camping trip, hiking or a remote vacation are such great choices. Taking an RV across the country can be done safely during this time. To make it even more fun, book various excursions. Since the travel industry is taking a hit, many companies are offering discounts for different excursions and experiences. As long as they are practicing the guidelines that are specified by the government officials and health professionals, you and your family can enjoy some fun experiences at a discounted rate.

4. Tighten the budget
Since the coronavirus caused states to shelter in place, many people have saved money on gas, fast food and more. Just because many states are opening back up doesn’t mean that you have to change too much. Don’t overspend. Continue to save money by cooking your food at home. This will help you to tighten your budget. Take an honest look at your monthly expenses. If the children spend more time watching their streaming platforms instead of cable television, take a look at lowering or canceling your cable package. Do some research to find an internet option that’s a lot cheaper. Take a look at your insurance plans for your car and home. Many insurance companies are giving money back to their customers because of less travel during the shelter-in-place orders went into effect. As you tighten the budget, see how you can retrieve money back from expenses you normally take care of.

For many people, the coronavirus caused a shift in perspective and priorities. You can use this experience to improve your business flow, your spending habits and more. Plus, you can still enjoy the benefits of vacation time without breaking the bank when you use these tips.