Everyone loves vacations right? Have you ever spent more money than you wanted to on a vacation? How do you avoid overspending on vacation?
The key is to have a good budget.
A few weeks ago my sister asked me to put together some prices for taking a Spring Break trip with our families to Disney. So I went to work looking up pricing and breaking out the cost of all kinds of things.
I sent it over to her and she was like wow you went all out putting these costs together. I said well that is a pretty true number of what you can expect the end cost to be.
I try to break everything out when budgeting for a vacation. This includes things everyone takes into consideration like hotels and transportation but also things like parking or resort fees. It is important to plan for unexpected items but also to plan for as many as you can.
I always recommend booking directly with the hotel, airline, and ticket website. This can help you avoid hidden fees through third-party sites. If you do choose to use third party sites to book vacations please read all of the fine print and understand what can and can’t be done once purchased. Sites like Expedia and Kayak can help save money sometimes but understand fees that may be added at check in or if changes are needed.
Where will you stay? Check for things like:
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- Resort fees – read the fine print before you book
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- Wi-Fi charges – most hotels these day include free Wi-Fi but if you are traveling internationally be sure to check for added fees
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- Parking fees – on site parking may be included or a separate charge at check in, read the fine print before booking
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- Extra taxes for tourism (city or hotel taxes) – most hotels these will be included in the quoted price but double check
How will you get there? Are you driving or flying? Will you need an Uber or LYFT?
Flying? Look out for these things:
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- Baggage fees – look for ways to maximize free bags. Do you get free carry-on items? Consider doing a load of laundry and eliminating extra clothes.
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- Seat selection costs – is the extra cost worth it?
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- In-flight purchases – food, drinks, WI-FI
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- Low-cost (budget) airlines often add extra fees for basic services like bags, seats that may be included in other lines won’t be
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- Change fees – is the start of how much they can charge you to change your flight
Driving? Keep an eye out for things like:
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- Gas – how far are you going? Gas prices can vary widely depending on the city. I take an average of how much it normally takes to fill up our tank and round up $10 for each fill up and calculate how many times we will need to fill up.
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- Car Rentals:
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- Insurance costs – read the fine print to understand what is needed
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- Fuel policies – it will always be cheaper to fill the car up before you return it
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- Mileage – I alway recommend booking unlimited mileage if possible
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- Driving Personal Car:
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- Oil change – before you take a road trip always get your car checked out to be sure everything is working properly. They will generally check your tire pressure and fluids to ensure you don’t break down.
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- Extra snacks – yep I always pack some extra snacks for road trips but expect to pick up a couple extra snacks along the way
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Other transportation cost:
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- Public Transport: If you’re using public transport, look for daily or weekly passes that offer discounts compared to single tickets.
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- Ride-hailing services: Watch out for surge pricing during busy times.
Our last trip to Disney we stayed off property, and drove to Orlando. We drove our car to the parks, I had planned on staying most of the evening but part of our group wasn’t feeling great and about 7:30 wanted to head back to the hotel. So they took the car leaving me and one of my sons at Magic Kingdom. We ended up taking an Uber back to the hotel, not a cost I had planned for but that is why I always have a small amount added in a few places for overages on unexpected things.
Meals: Your meal budget is very subjective to how you like to travel but there are always ways to save on food. These are more tips for not overspending
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- Meal plans: Decide in advance how many meals you will eat out.
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- Take advantage of dining plans: if going to places that have the option see if it will be more cost effective
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- Tourist traps: Avoid eating at places near major tourist attractions as prices tend to be inflated.
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- Grocery shop: do you have access to a fridge, microwave or kitchen. Take advantage of at least a few meals in your room. Breakfast is a great meal to plan to eat in the room.
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- Share a meal: don’t be afraid to share a meal
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- Order a kids meal: If it is allowed, order a kids meal, quick service type restaurants is where this works best
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- Gift cards: Is there a restaurant your family goes to a lot or is a staple for vacation? buy a gift card before vacations. Look for sites where you can earn discounts on gift cards, even 5-10% off can help.
What about All-inclusive deals? Cruises? Consider all-inclusive resorts or cruises where meals, drinks, and entertainment are included. Can there still be hidden fees?
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- Up-charge dinning – many will have specific meals or specific dining areas that may cost extra
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- All-inclusive resort fees – resorts can get sneaky with fees read the fine print
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- Gratuities are a big one, be sure you understand how you are paying for these
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- Taxes – similar to hotels some cities and states may have additional taxes
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- Excursions – on site resort excursions may cost extra, off site resort excursions are most likely not included either
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- Entertainment charges – some extra activities will not be included just be sure you understand what is and is not
Traveling Abroad? Leaving the country consider things like:
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- Exchange rate and fees for converting money
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- Credit card foreign transactions fees
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- ATM fees: does your bank wave fees
Cell Phone fees:
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- Plan for data usage if traveling abroad by getting a local SIM card or check with your provider to get an international plan for the month
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- Use Wi-Fi calling and messaging apps to avoid high roaming charges from your home provider
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- Add a hotspot device for a small monthly fee to be able to utilize more devices
Travel Insurance: Is it worth it?
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- Ensure you understand what your travel insurance covers; cancellations, delays, or medical emergencies. Some activities (e.g., extreme sports) may require additional coverage.
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- You won’t be sad you didn’t get it until you really need it.
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- If you are taking more than one trip you may want to consider a yearly policy
I hope these tips help you to not overspend on your next vacation! Let me know if these were helpful in planning your next trip! Did I miss a tip you like to use? Let me know!
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