First of you need to figure out how much money you’ll need for the experience you want to have. Being honest and realistic when making your budget will be a big boon to your trip success, being prepared makes for a smoother more fun trip!
1. Figure out where, for how long, when, and in what style you want to travel:
Step One: Decide Where You Want To Go!
This is the fun part but location makes a HUGE difference on your budget. When you decide where you want to go immediately hop online and read more about your choice. Take into account the weather (you might not want to go during rainy season, bitter winter, or sweltering humid summer months), peak travel times (the weather will be the most awesome but prices can skyrocket above norm and be clogged with tourists), plane ticket prices and related forums, blogs, and websites to make sure the destinations fits your desires. Do you want to hike more, do you like museums, are you down for eating crazy food or do you have diet restrictions, are you into bare bones accommodations or would you like 5 star treatment, do you want to surf, mountain climb, horseback ride, bungee jump, are you trying to get in touch with your roots, do you want a religious experience, would you like to volunteer or have do charity work, do you want to rave and party, do you want solitude, do you have safety concerns, are you backpacking, will you be driving, biking etc.?
Here is a sample of popular destinations to begin with:
Europe: Sure, everyone wants to go to Europe. There is great natural beauty where you can ski, mountain climb, hike etc. The museums and historical element are top notch and world class dining, art, and partying abound. BUT be prepared to spend. Pretty much cut the dollar in half and that’s how much it’s worth against the Euro, it’s worth less in pounds. East Europe (Prague, Greece, Istanbul) is cheaper but you’ll miss popular West Europe Locations. Be prepared to budget around $5000 for a month vacation (this is more barebones: think hostels, eating cheap and cutting down on tours/souvenirs etc, does not include your flight). Look into places like Montreal (East Canada) for a cheaper faux Europe vacation.
Thailand/India/China/Indonesia: You can really get bang for you buck in these locations, most notably Thailand, a big time favorite amongst travelers. Food and lodging will be almost half of what you pay in the US. Food is exotic and can sprinkled with exotic spices and ingredients more outrageous than you’re used to so picky eaters might find it hard to eat. Here is the kicker for these locations: Plane ticket prices. They can truly take a bite out of budget, think $1300 for a roundtrip flight from La to Bangkok, Thailand. Also, while ticket prices may be cheaper to locations like say, India, in the summer it’s because the weather is sweltering with some of the worlds most intense humidity, be prepared to sweat all day long, if this won’t work for you you’ll have to splurge on tickets in the more comfortable time of year (our winter Nov-Feb).
Mexico/Central America: You already know how I feel, it’s cheap, fun, plane tickets are some of the cheapest and you can find a comfortable time to travel year round depending on when you want to go. (See Why Mexico? On my blog)
South America: All the charm of Europe with a Latin American flair and way cheaper prices. I studied abroad in Chile and had the time of my fucking life. I recommend it to anyone. From the gorgeous black and white sand beaches (with world class surfing) to the majestic Andes Mountains (with world class skiing and hiking) to the beautiful deserts (with world class star gazing) and breath taking wine country (with world class wineries) Chile has to be one of the best bangs for your buck. But also you’ll be close to Peru’s Macchu Pichu, Buenos Aires and Brazil. Also check out other less traveled but I’m sure brilliant places in Sur de America.
Africa: Not a lot of people do it because they fear coming back with a lion bite, starved or AIDS ridden. Get over it, yes these are all valid fears but do some Googling and you’ll find out safe travel in Africa is possible. You’ll have the most bad ass travel stories and the dose of culture so different from you own and pure natural beauty will change you. For less of a culture shock check out South Africa and Africa’s west coast is known to be safe and welcoming (Think Ghana). Hell did you forget the damn PYRAMIDS are located in Egypt? Or think about a safari in Kenya. Can you imagine the pictures you’d get from mountains and rivers in Madagascar? This would be a photographers DREAM as well as provide tons of opportunities to do aid and charity work. Don’t cross Africa off your travel list because youre afraid, really do you homework and you’ll find some safe and amazing travel options in Africa. Flights from LA to Nairobi, Kenya round trip are in the around $1000 so make sure your flight budget to Africa takes into account higher ticket prices.
Australia/New Zealand/Polynesian Islands/Japan: I lumped Japan in with these island neighbors vs. lumping it in with Thailand etc due to the very high prices you’ll encounter in traveling through Japan. Food lodging and general needs might surprise you, but Japan is a sophisticated 1st world country, don’t let this stop you from climbing Mt. Fuji or experiencing the wonder of Tokyo or it’s small beautiful islands like Okinawa (I lived there as a kid!). As for Australia and New Zealand their remote ocean locations can do a doozy on your budget in terms of air fare and once you get there you’ll find prices are the exact same if not MORE than what you’re paying the US. Still the welcoming populations and party atmosphere of Australia (surfers will love it!) and the breathtaking natural beauty of New Zealand (where Lord of the Rings was filmed!) make both super popular destinations.
The Polynesian islands are wonderful for surfers and nature lovers. If a beach vacation is your desire check out Tahiti, Tongo, Fiji and Samoa. The Polynesian Islands also include HAWAII!!! I lived in Hawaii during Highschool, I have nothing but good to say. It’s a US state so travel will be easy in terms of language, currency etc. The prices are higher than mainland US. Check out the Big Island of Hawaii, Kauai and Maui for less mainstream vacations or Molokai and Lanai if you REALLY want to feel like you’re on a remote island. Oahu is very populated and touristy but the famous North Shore and Waikiki beach are there, as are all the Lost Tours….hehe
The Good Ole US of A!:
We’ve got New York, Chicago, New Orleans, Seattle, San Francisco, Austin, Asheville, NC, Memphis/Nashiville and much more!! Why not keep it local and do a big ass road trip? Warning: Gas prices are HIGH and you will probably end up spending the equivalent of a pricey plane ticket and then some on gas. Save money by checking out camp sites along the way or dusting off the half friends you have all over the country to crash on their couches. Don’t cross beautiful Alaska off your list and some of those really zany places in the US like the Biggest Ball of Twine (Kansas).
Step Two: Decide For How Long You Want to Travel
Will you be quitting your job? Are you confined to vacation days at work? Do you have all the time in the world? Are you planning on living somewhere new? Do you want to see LOTS of places in one trip? Are you thinking of camping out at a Buddhist Temple for a few months or do you want to surf for solid week and head home? Obviously the amount of time you want to travel severely affects your budget. If you’re getting paid while you travel and/or subletting your apartment that’s DOPE if the money will be come from a source that won’t be replenishing while you travel you’ll have to be careful about how much you spend and budget as your travel days pass. Consider working on the road to be able to stay somewhere longer but remember, getting a job overseas might be tough or impossible and can cut into your adventure time.
Step Three: Decide When You Want to Go
Do you have to travel during the holidays to maximize your vacation days? Do you want to ski and therefore will need a snowy season? Do you need to make sure surf’s up when youre there? Don’t want the rainy season to wreck your hiking time? Is there a festival, ritual or event that you want to check out? Trying to get deals on cheaper ticket prices? When you want to go to a place will require some Google work. Make sure and check the weather, natural conditions, high season and low season dates etc so you can have the experience you want.
Also, will you be needing to save up for a year to afford your Dream Europe vacation? Are you taking a short trip and can go right now? For your longer and more pricey destinations make sure you have ample time to save and plan! For shorter, less costly trips you may be able to leave sooner but you’ll still want to make sure the conditions are to your liking.
Step Four: What Style Do You Want To Travel In
Does sleeping in a Dublin castle or hitting high end museums and high fashion shopping districts sound about right? Or is sleeping in a hammock in a jungle and taking a high to the sea what you pictured? Maybe a combo of the two? Really be honest with want on the trip. Will you be paying for lots of tours or be jumping around to a lot of locations (means you’ll need extra money for trains, plans and automobiles). Think about if you’ll be running up a bar tab or know you’ll want to dine out a lot. Will you be doing lots of shopping and souvenir collecting? We all know how lodging, dining, and shopping tastes will affect your budget, get what you want out of your trip, if you want some of the finer things all you have to do is budget for it. Decide if you want to stay in one location or bounce around to a lot of different locations. It will be more work to plan but you’ll also be able to see more and get more bang out of the cost of the initial flight to whatever part of the world you choose.
ALERT!!! If you are traveling with someone else or a group you HAVE TO make sure that you’re all on the same page. It can really ruin a trip if someone was planning on cooking rice and beans in the hostel and hitting up free hikes and someone else was planning on paying to see plays and concerts and dining out at local restaurants. Compromise to be a team player or find a new travel mate that shares the vision you had for your travel dreams.
Step Five: Add It Up!
Ok it’s time to get real, now that you know where you want to go, how long you want to go, when you’d like to leave and what style you’d like to travel in you’ve got to hop online and find out how much all this is going to cost, here’s an outline to get you started
- Pre-Trip Expenses:
- Luggage and supplies: Will you be backpacking? Do you need equipment for camping, skiing, surfing, trekking? Do you need a safety wallet, pepper spray, a new coat, bathing suit or shoes?
- Passports/Visas/Documentation/Immunizations: New passports and renewals will run you about $60 and double that if you need to expedite it (aka you need it in less than 3 months). Get on this ASAP and put the savings in your Travel Fund. Check out the Embassy website of your destination to determine if there are immunizations or visa requirements. Take this seriously or you’re uninformed ass will get booted back home.
- Cell Phone Cancellation/Account Freezing: If you’re traveling for longer than a month you may need to cancel your cell phone contract, this can run you around $200 if you’re still under contact although some companies will cancel your contract for free if you say you’re moving there and they don’t offer service where you are going. Check out options to FREEZE your account for things like your gym, cell phone service, etc.
- Rent/Storage/Car Storage: If youre moving out of your place and not selling everything you own like I did add in the cost of storing your car and items. If you’ll still be renting your place add that in, cut down on costs by thinking about subletting!
- Your Initial Flight: I like using international flight search engine Vayama for checking out flight deals but definitely compare different sights. If you’ll be doing a road trip factor in the cost of gas and possibly a rental car. Don’t forget to add your luggage fee’s. If you have more than one bag this can add up and you possibly might need another bag on the way home for your sweet travel momentos.
- Lodging: Be smart and read reviews to find the best hostels, campsites, hotels and bed and breakfasts. Check out Couch Surfing and save money by crashing on a benevolent strangers couch. Reach out to your Facebook friends and see who has a spare room or wants to act as tour guide. You’re friends and online forums might also have great recommendations and useful warnings!
- Food/Beverage: Take the amount of days you’ll be traveling and multiply by your daily food needs. Listen up: Factor in the cost of drinking water!! This can really get up there if youre drinking the healthy amount and lots of people forget about this. Factor in three meals a day and snacks. If you’re a person that eats street food allow for a few nice nights out and splurges and if you’re a picky eater or have diet restrictions know that you’ll be paying more for the luxury of getting exactly what you want. Be realistic and generous here! Note: Some places offer free breakfast but I’ve found that can mean a piece of white bread and watery coffee.
- Tours/Entrance Fee’s/Experiences/Entertainment/Trips: Read websites of what there is to in your destination, popular tours and tourist attractions, plays, musicals, concerts and festivals during the time your going and more. Prices should be listed.
- Nightlife: Factor in your drinking tab, late night munchies and DON’T FORGET cab rides, they can add up.
- Transportation within destination: If you’re going to more than one location (recommended: to get your money’s worth but tough if you really want to get to know a place and your time/money is limited) you need to factor in travel from place to place. In places like Mexico, Central and South America travel is done mostly by bus. In Europe flights are super cheap from country to country. Factor in cab rides, and look into trains, car rentals, bike rentals etc.
- Customs: If you’ll be crossing borders there may be visitor fee’s, or border crossing fee’s you’ll have to pay. Usually flights into other countries include the fee in your ticket price but to be sure look online and ask your airline what you’ll need to enter each country and get back home without delays or problems.
- Incidentals/Emergency: You never know when you’ll need extra or emergency cash. If you’re in a crazy area you might need bribe money (This is rare, I don’t want to scare you!). Missing or changing flights and trains might require more money and you might have to stay in a hotel you weren’t planning. Also, opportunities come up you might want to take or you’ll need to buy stuff like toiletries (tampons, sunscreen, medication) or god forbid replace lost or stolen items. A smart traveler is a well prepared one!
- Shopping/Souvenirs: Are you going to a place like Italy or London where you’ll want to splurge on high fashion? Are you planning on getting souvenirs for all 42 of your brothers and sisters? Factor in possibly needing an extra bag to bring home your loot and the luggage charges. Make a list of people you’ll want to bring things home for or how much you want to spend.
- Travel and Health Insurance: This isn’t necessary but how GLAD will you be you got it if you use it? It can really put you at ease or it could be an unnecessary added expenses. If you already have health insurance and call your agent and ask if youre covered in another country. If not consider health insurance for travelers. This can come in handy if you need medical treatment overseas (although some countries have GASP free health care!). Travel insurance can come in handy for cancelled or changed flights, insure rental vehicles, passport and item theft, lost luggage and sometimes includes a little bit of health care, READ POLICES CAREFULLY!!
2. How much money I will need when I get back:
BE HONEST, lying to yourself and cutting corners isn't helping anyone. If you're financially prepared for your travel return you'll have a more relaxing time traveling. Put your Return Money into an account you can't touch until you return. I repeat DO NOT USE YOUR RETURN MONEY TO TRAVEL LONGER, you'll just screw yourself over!
Think About:
-Rent: Have at least a months rent saved, more if you'll be needing to look for a job when you get back. Will you be subletting while you're gone (this is a great idea if you're going to be gone for a month or more). If you'll be needing to rent a new place straight out you'll need deposit money, 1st and last months rent and money for necessary moving in items.
-Food, Utilities, Gas, Good times, Emergency, Bills: Don't cheat yourself here. The last thing you want is to regret your travels because your broke ass can't afford to live. Look at how much you’ve spent over the last month and have that amount or double in an account for when you get back.
3. Add up your travel expenses and how much money you will need upon return. THIS WILL be the amount you need to have saved up before you depart. If it looks not doable maybe scale back the days you want to go or just hunker down and save and have the trip you want.
Tip One: Cushion It
Add $200-$600 to your budget depending on your length of your stay, most of us will naturally under budget because of our optimistic nature. This will only help you and if you have extra cash upon your return thats a good thing!
Tip Two: Start Saving Now!
The sooner you scrape your budget together the sooner you get to travel! Every little bit helps, reach out to family and friends for ways to save or possibly even donations! Here are some savings tips:
i. Save the meals and shopping for when your in a different country: Why eat at Olive Garden when you could have the real thing in Italy? Why buy the on sale T-Shirt when you could buy a kimono in Japan? Cook at home and save for you shopping money for when youre abroad.
ii. Change your party style: Bar tabs and cab rides can add up. Have parties potlucks at home to still maintain your social life.
iii. Sell some crap on Craigslist and Ebay!: Lightening your load is always nice.
iv. Work extra hours or get a side job like catering and babysitting
v. Drive less and save on gas. Carpool, bike, walk or use public transportation (You’ll be all green too! How NOW of you)
vi. Be diligent about searching for travel deals and great flight prices
