Whether domestic or international, traveling can lead to some of the most exhilarating and memorable experiences in your life. Beyond checking off several items on your bucket list, traveling provides promising insight into other cultures and a unique way to discover more about yourself.
Regardless of your travel destination, it’s meant to be relaxing, not stress-inducing. And one of the most important ways to have a comfortable trip is to stay within your budget. For example, Oman is a low-budget tourist nation that you may visit, and it is very cheap to see attractions in Oman; in fact, most of them are free, but you can visit iVisa.com for more information on the expenses. If you thought traveling was a luxury, the 1.4 billion arrivals in 2018 beg to differ.
If planning family vacations for next year or building a road trip budget, keep reading to discover the seven travel budgeting mistakes to avoid.
Currency and Banking Travel Budgeting Mistakes
The number one mistake that international travelers make is not contacting their bank. Setting a travel alert with your bank prevents you from being embarrassed when your card declines and your account is locked. you can also try affordable party bus in Temecula
And depending on your destination, your card might not even be helpful. For example, many smaller shops in Europe and Asia don’t have a card machine, so you’re left to finding an ATM to withdraw cash.
Even then, if you didn’t call your bank ahead of time, be prepared for high roaming charges for when you’re on hold trying to get your account unlocked.
It’s understandable wanting to use your card and not carry around a wad of cash everywhere you go. If so, then your best option to avoid exorbitant currency exchange fees is to exchange your money at home or look for an ATM or a trustworthy bank.
Take Advantage of Reward Programs
There are numerous cards offered to consumers that you can take advantage of to get air miles and hotel points to help you save significant amounts of money. Check with different villas to see where you can use those reward points.
While you have to read between the lines to ensure you’re getting the most you can, when done correctly, you might even get a free ticket or have enough points to upgrade your hotel room!
Resell Memberships and Tickets
One of the best ways to budget when traveling is by joining membership programs or buying early tickets. For example, if you’re planning a trip to visit all the Disney locations around the world, you’d really benefit from a Disney Vacation Club membership.
You have various options for hotels on-site and have early access to reservations on top of all the discounts you’d get to enjoy. But you might not need the membership for very long.
Other than the discounts, you can also recoup some of your costs by reselling it if you visit resales.dvcshop.com or other reseller sites. It’s like buying a seasonal pass to your favorite team, watching all the games in the best seats, and making back some money when you sell it to someone else to enjoy.
But it’s not limited to Disney Vacation Club memberships. This can apply to generally most tourist locations worldwide, regardless if its passes to parks or even museums.
Booking Too Far in Advance
While booking in advance is necessary for some circumstances, like a hot camping spot at the Grand Canyon, it’s best not to book more than three months in advance.
The past two years have been a difficult time to plan a trip for those with limited schedules. From the original coronavirus to the varying number of variants, almost every country has experienced fluctuations in borders opening and closing.
That means the safest way to ensure you get through borders and to your dream destination is to book your trip up three months in advance.
You can also potentially lock in last-minute rates this way when people who booked a year out have to cancel.
Book a Rental Car in Advance
The last thing you want is to pay heavy fees for booking your rental car at the last minute. You’ve already planned the perfect travel budget, and you don’t need a sudden dent of hundreds of dollars ruining your trip!
It pays to be patient and take some time to research several rental companies to find the best deal to suit your needs.
Excess Packing
Being stuck at home fantasizing about your next trip is something that millions of people have in common at any given second of the day.
And while imagining all the different outfits that you saw yourself wearing on the beach is fine, it’s improbable you’ll have the chance to change into all of them.
Not only does over-packing made your travel experience a physical workout, but it can also lead to significant fees paid to different airlines. Try limiting your outfits and items to essentials only and a select few “fancy” outfits for nights out.
It’s generally more cost-friendly to buy the things you need when you arrive at your destination.
Over Tipping
Tipping practices vary widely not only from each destination but within each industry as well.
For example, tipping in Europe isn’t a common practice; at least a 20% tip isn’t. The best practice is always to check the menu for any mention of service added to your final bill.
If there’s no mention, then it’s safe to say that including a tip between 4-10 percent is perfectly reasonable.
The tipping practice also differs from a taxi ride. Again, depending on the country, it might just be rounding up the final taxi price to the nearest dollar or more.
However, to best enjoy your stay, it’s a safe bet to tip your accommodation housekeeper each day.
It’s always to your benefit to research tipping practices for every destination. This prevents unknowingly spending money that you could have spent on other essentials.
Saving Money and Staying Safe
Traveling is no longer reserved for the ultra-wealthy or those who can afford the “luxury” of escaping their hometown. If you follow these seven tips, you can avoid costly travel budgeting mistakes that your wallet and your future self will thank you for.
Are you planning a vacation soon? Check out some of our other recent posts for more travel tips and tricks to ensure the best holiday of your year.
