How much will it all cost?
Setting your budget before you even book your trip is a good way to get a handle on how much you can afford to spend, and then targeting destinations that will give you the most bang for your buck. Let’s look at all the expenses that go into your holiday. Note, this is not meant to depress, but inform you – remember, knowing is half the battle!
Think about what you’ll need to buy before you even leave your house for the airport. Do you have a passport? Do you need new luggage; this can include suitcases, carry-ons or even small backpacks or purses to use everyday. Do you need any new clothing items for the destination you’ll be heading to? (ie a swim suit if you are going to the beach, or a new pair of good walking shoes.) Toiletry items, like all the little travel sized bottles of shampoo and lotion, etc. Mentally pack your suitcase and write down everything that you’ll need to go buy first.
If you are heading to Europe from outside of the continent look at your airfare. This will probably be one of the two biggest costs of your trip (the other will probably be your hotel.) But also think about how will you get to the airport; do you need to put your car in long-term parking? Factor in those fees or taxi fare. And how will you get from the airport to your hotel?
On to the hotel. How many nights will you be staying? Is breakfast included? If not, add in breakfast for each day you’ll be in town, and while you are at it, factor in lunch, dinner and a couple snacks. Go high on your food budget; a bottle of water here, a coffee there, quickly adds up.
Don’t forget about in-city transport costs. Will you need to buy public transport tickets, or will you be doing a lot of traveling around that will require train or even more flight tickets?
What will you be doing while on holiday? Having at least a fairly formed idea of what you’ll be doing will help you budget. Look at tour costs, museum and other admission prices, activity fees, (golf, spa) and don’t forget about the souvenirs.
Photo Credit: practicalowl@Flickr
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[...] often don’t know exactly how much everything is going to cost, but you can get a rough figure. We discussed this last month. But figure out how much spending money you are willing to spend for the entire [...]