Traveling is life. This is an opportunity to enrich one’s life and enjoy the incredible beauty of our beloved land. I envy these people who travel every month or who take a year or two to go around the world. For me traveling is a pleasure that I agree from time to time, according to my possibilities. We are very much not to let ourselves go to our fantasies, our wildest travel dreams because they seem unrealizable. But what if I tell you that you can travel wherever you want, from the moment you make the decision to create a travel budget?
Do not be afraid to plan a big trip. With good management of your money, you can pay for a trip anywhere. Think of the destination that has made you dream forever, this place you would visit if you won the lottery. This destination becomes your goal. If you want to realize your dreams, you must have the courage to achieve them. Your first step is to choose a place and do some research. Start with the basics. How much does a week or two costs? How much are airfares, accommodation, how much pocket money is needed … You need a global idea to get you started. This is the first step towards the manifestation of this desire for travel.
Estimate a budget
To estimate the budget you will need for a trip, you need to review different things:
Transport budget
Check how much a flight will cost. If you have planned several cities do not hesitate to take into account the other flights, trains or buses that you will be likely to take. Do not forget to think about public transport as well. There are cities where everything is done on foot, and others where it is not possible because they are so big. Take into account the expenses related to the metro for example.
Budget for housing
This is where you will have to decide whether you want to stay in a hotel, an Airbnb or a hostel. Do your research to find out what is most profitable for you. If you make several cities it will be more affordable to rent an Airbnb for example.
Food budget
Are you going to eat at the restaurant, street food or are you going to cook? The budget will not be the same, if you want to indulge with a budget better to prefer the street food from time to time. If you visit a place where the sum in the euro is low, why not offer a good dinner.
Budget for activities
Are you planning to make amusement parks? Museums and other galleries? Do you go quad, helicopter or whatever? All of these things are to be expected in your budget if you want to give yourself a chance to do them.
Other expenses
Will you need a visa? From an ESTA? Insurance? Does your package also cover the country you are traveling to? I strongly recommend that you do not miss the insurance which for me is a must. You never know what can happen.
Make a balance sheet gains/expenses
To determine how much you can put aside each month, you have to subtract your expenses from your income. So start by noting your income from the previous month, this will be the most honest representation of your current earnings. Then make a list of all your expenses last month. I say absolutely all. The most difficult thing is if you make purchases with cash. If so, try to keep your receipts to know how much is being spent each month! Now you will be able to do the subtraction that will let you know how much you can save each month. If you have done some research on the destination that makes you dream, you have an idea of the amount you need.
Identify unnecessary expenses
Much of your spending can be reduced if you decide on your priorities. If your budget is tight or you want to put more aside each month, try to reduce unnecessary expenses. I think about :
• Stop eating out
• Make a shopping list
• Sell things online
• Carpool
• Find a second source of income
• Stop shopping
These are simple things, but if they are part of your daily life they will save you a nice sum. You can then take stock and see how much you can add in addition to your monthly savings.
Determine the period of the trip
This is the moment when you determine when you want to travel and for how long. This will allow you to determine the exact amount you need to save each month. For example, you want to travel to New York in November and it will cost you 2500 €. We are currently in February, so let’s start in March. You must, therefore, put aside each month the sum of 312 € to reach your budget.
Now take stock of the amount you have noted above of your current expenses + unnecessary expenses that you can stop. If the amount is sufficient then this is good news, keeping your habits you can afford. If on the other hand, you do not have enough it will be necessary to move the trip, or to find more ways to save.
Look for good plans
Do you get an idea of the price that companies charge for plane tickets but still in private navigation. On Chrome for example, just click on the 3 small points in the upper right, choose “open a window in private browsing” and voila. The sooner you take your plane tickets, the less expensive they will be. The two sites I recommend for finding cheaper tickets are Skyscanner and Kiwi.
