Tips To Budget Spending While On a Trip

Are you looking to go on a memorable getaway? Whether you pack up your tent and take a road trip to a remote destination or choose to live in the lap of luxury in paradise, budgeting is a must. The travel industry is massive, and there are plenty of ways to spend your time off.

All that said, it’s not always a cheap endeavor. If you’re not careful, you can easily overspend on unnecessary buys. But having the time of your life doesn’t have to be expensive. You can still have a good time, save money, and maintain financial responsibility no matter where your adventures take you.

Ways to Stop Overspending While on a Trip

Ask anyone who’s gone on a grand vacation, and they’ll tell you that travel costs quickly climb. There’s transportation to your destination, lodging for a temporary place to call home, and daily spending for food and experiences. It all adds up!

Fortunately, you don’t have to deplete your savings account to have a good time. We have some tips for creating a vacation budget and managing your spending without sacrificing a thing.

1. Budget Before You Book

Before you book anything, create your budget. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to go into this experience without knowing how much money you really can afford to spend.

You can save up additional vacation funds if you have plenty of time before you embark on your adventure. Fitting your plans into your monthly savings strategy can help you set money aside for your holiday, but don’t rely on the unknowns for budgeting. Stick to what you have, and take full advantage of any budgeting tools available. Gerald’s intuitive and helpful online software can help you become a budgeting wizard in no time! Let our calculator do the work for you and easily monitor your spending habits.

Start here, and consider every facet of spending to build your budget and avoid overspending before you get started on your journey.

2. Eat In

Have you ever considered how much it’ll cost to eat on vacation? Here’s a pro tip: Restaurants in tourist areas can be surprisingly expensive. Business owners in tourist hotspots know how to make money, and they take full advantage of the naiveté of vacationers.

You can avoid all that by eating in. Instead of hitting up that five-star Michelin restaurant, go to a local market. You can gather ingredients and prepare meals in your vacation rental. Even if you only have a microwave, you can do a lot to keep your food budget under control.

3. Bring Cash

Debit cards and credit cards offer loads of convenience. Travel credit cards may even give you additional points and perks. But you know what’s not a way to save money? Paying ATM fees and foreign transaction fees — not to mention the constantly changing exchange rates.

Those extras add up quickly. A simple purchase can turn into a pile of added expenses.

Instead of doing that, bring cash. Cash is accepted everywhere, and you can often get a more favorable exchange rate for the local currency from your bank at home. As long as you have a bank account, you can place an order in advance with a local financial institution, and you should be able to get foreign currency before you travel.

4. Cut Back on Booze

We get it: Drinking on vacation is fun. But is it worth blowing your budget?

Like restaurants, bars often charge an arm and a leg. You’ll see tons of variations wherever you travel. For example, getting a beer in some countries may cost less than a buck. But in others, it’ll be much higher than what you’re used to spending at home.

You don’t need alcohol to have a good time, and getting wasted in a foreign country isn’t the best way to spend your vacation. A few drinks here and there are acceptable, but if you want to avoid overspending, stick to cheaper, nonalcoholic beverages.

5. Spend Money on Experiences

When you go on your dream vacation, ask yourself one thing: Do you want to spend money on unnecessary expenses or have experiences that you’ll remember for a lifetime? Chances are your answer will always be the latter.

One of the best ways to control spending is to use your budget on experiences instead of material things. You don’t have to get super extravagant or expensive. For example, you can spend your money on entrance fees to beautiful parks and attractions instead of wasting the day at a bar.

You’ll find that simple experiences like a lazy day on the beach are just as memorable!

6. Travel in the Off-Season

Every tourist spot has a peak vacation period. For most places, the peak season is during the summer. Summer months are when people take time off work and school, leading to bigger crowds and more demand for the essentials.

As you can probably guess, going to a tourist spot during spring break, major holidays, or summer vacation is expensive. Everything costs more because more people are willing to spend.

If you want great deals, try to create your travel plans during the off-season. Timing can vary from one destination to the next, but many places have a number of months when business is slow. You can nab better deals and have many of the same experiences for much cheaper.

7. Focus on Free Memories

Don’t think you have to set aside tons of money to go on vacation. Before you spend a single dime, search for free experiences.

You’d be surprised by what you can do without spending a thing! Major cities often have beautiful sites with free admission. Stroll through a quaint town to appreciate the architecture, walk through a nature preserve, or admire public art installations.

There is no shortage of resources to find free activities. You can also ask around and get recommendations from locals. See what fun things you can do without blowing your budget.

8. Avoid Impulse Buys and Overpriced Souvenirs

Don’t let the allure of cheap souvenirs force you to overspend. Once again, business owners in tourist areas are cunning. They know how to appeal to foreign travelers, and they’ll often offer cute knick knacks that you think you can’t get anywhere else.

But the truth is that those items are usually cheap and pointless. There’s also a good chance you can get them elsewhere for much more reasonable prices.

Avoid those impulse purchases; you don’t want to have to pay more fees for your bags heading home anyway!

9. Look for Discounted Rates

Finding discounts for your travel plans is easier than you might think.

There are countless discount travel sites out there. A simple search can uncover good deals on airfare, accommodations, and more. If you have something specific in mind, visit the relevant website and sign up for email alerts to buy at the right time.

When planning your vacation, start looking for deals as early as possible. Buying your airfare several months in advance can save you hundreds, letting you take advantage of significantly lower prices. The same goes for booking hotel rooms, rental cars, and more.

Don’t forget to join rewards programs, too. Loyalty programs can help you earn points you can use for generous savings and discounts.

10. Do Your Research

Our final tip is an important one: Always do your research. This should be the first step in your planning process.

Throwing caution to the wind when you’re on vacation sounds fun. But being unprepared is the quickest way to fall prey to scams, avoidable fees, and overpriced expenses. Take your time researching everything there is to know about where you’ll be spending your vacation time.

Look into the most affordable parts of town, where to get reasonable car rentals, how you can take public transportation, and more. This might seem like overkill, but it’s the best way to keep your travel funds under control. Know what to expect, and you can spend smartly.

Consider a Staycation

If going off to some faraway destination isn’t in the cards for you, consider taking a staycation. This can be a great way to enjoy your time off without spending extra money on a big trip. With loved ones by your side and a schedule of fun activities, you can have just as much fun at home!

To get in vacation mode, disconnect from your work. It can be tempting to check in on the workplace and take care of small tasks, but that’s not what vacation time is about! Disconnect entirely; lock away your laptop if you have to.

Then look into fun things you can do in your own hometown. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve lived in your city; there are likely things you’ve always wanted to do. Now is your chance. Go out, have fun, see new things, and make memories with the people you care about most.

Treat your time at home like a vacation, and it can be just as rejuvenating as taking a trip.

Download Gerald Today

If you need help creating a vacation budget or managing your finances, download Gerald! Gerald is a unique app that helps you manage household bills and take charge of your financial situation. With Gerald, you can reach your financial goals, create a manageable budget, save money, and plan an incredibly affordable vacation.