How to Budget for a Trip

how to budget for a trip

via with my edits

When most people find out how much I love travel, their top question is usually some derivative of: how do you afford it?

To be perfectly honest, I’m never quite sure how to answer that question. I often wonder the same thing when reading round-the-world travel blogs.

I don’t make a lot of money. Especially not when you take into consideration how much I pay in college loans, living expenses, etc. every month.

The thing is, I make travel a priority. When I think about all the things in my life that make me truly happy, travel is what tops the list. It has for years. It’s where I find my joy–in the dreaming up places to go, in the planning, in the actual traveling, and then in the writing/editing photos. Because of this, it doesn’t feel like a chore to put money aside for it. And though I may feel that instant pit in my stomach when I pay for a trip, I know it’ll all be worth it once I finally arrive.

All of that being said, I do use a few things to aid in my budgeting for a trip.

I could tell you to go out to eat less, start making your own coffee instead of buying Starbucks, ask yourself if you really need that new pair of shoes or if you’d rather take a ride in a gondola in Venice. But, you already know all of that. It’s not exactly rocket science.

budget travel

via

I’m a bargain-hunter.

I use a variety of sites to help find the best deals on airfare, accommodation, and car rentals.

For airfare, I mainly stick to Skyscanner. I’m comfortable with the layout, I know exactly what I’m getting when I book with them, and even if I don’t book through them, they’re a great resource and first-stop. I will say this though–sometimes booking through the airline directly offers perks. Sometimes I’ll use Skyscanner, for example, as a first pass, find a flight I like, and then check the airline’s website. On occasion, the price is cheaper on the airline’s website. Purchasing on their website also means I can earn miles and might be eligible for perks I wouldn’t otherwise be eligible for (think upgrades).

For accommodation, namely hotels, I use Booking.com and Hotels.com. I really like using these sites versus just googling “hotels in Singapore”. Both of these sites let you narrow down your results by price, location, amenities, and more. Not only that, but you get to read reviews from others who stayed there. As with airfare though, be sure to check the hotel’s website before booking through the third party. You might find better deals or perks.

For car rentals, I stick with your usual suspects: Hertz, Avis, Budget, etc. You can also search for cars on Expedia or directly through airlines, but usually the prices between those sites don’t stray much from the rental car company’s site. As with everything, it’ll take a bit of time and a lot of comparison to see what is best/cheapest. Also keep in mind that the companies sometimes run deals, like rent for 3 days or over a Saturday and you can get 20% off. Or you might get a GPS thrown in free of charge for the duration of your trip.

Of course, if you’re booking an entire vacation package (airfare, accommodation, and car rental), sites like Expedia are a great resource to do it all in one fell swoop. It’s probably easier than checking multiple sites and you may end up with the exact same deals.

Other sites to keep in mind: Travelzoo and Groupon Getaways. I love love love looking at vacation package deals and discount hotel deals on these sites. (Plus, if nothing else, at least you get a bit of travel inspiration.)

Lastly, check with your company to see if they have an employee discount program. Most companies I’ve worked for offer all sort of discounts for hotels, car rental, cruises, and more!

budget

 via

I budget.

I’m kind of a nerd for spreadsheets. Excel is sort of my best friend. I use it for everything. But where Excel fails, Mint steps in. I have every account possible tied to Mint–checking, two savings, two retirement, every college loan, every credit card, etc. I also set up budgets for everything from groceries and entertainment, to rent and gas. One of the other things I like about it is that it allows you to set up goals–to pay off debt or to start saving.

piggy bank

via

I save.

In an economic downturn where you might be lucky to earn .02% on your savings account, some banks currently boast 2% (or more) APY. I did a lot of research to determine how much I had to contribute up front or monthly, and what kind of balance you need to maintain in order to bank with each company. It takes a bit of time, but dive in and see what you can find!

I hope all of this helps and that you’ll soon be on your way to affording your dream trip!

Note: The companies above did not pay me for mentioning them. I genuinely love and use everything I’ve written about. However, some of the links are affiliates for which I will receive a small commission if you should purchase something. Thanks for supporting Meganotravels!

Author: Megan

Megan is an ordinary girl who outgrew her small town and decided to try the world on for size. She's on a mission to travel, photograph, and write about the world.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badge

  • “I could tell you to go out to eat less, start making your own coffee instead of buying Starbucks, ask yourself if you really need that new pair of shoes or if you’d rather take a ride in a gondola in Venice. But, you already know all of that. It’s not exactly rocket science.” — this made me laugh! I’ve read so many annoying travel posts that basically say, “If you want to save money to travel, skip the Starbucks!” Are there people out there who really need such basic advice?! Plus, as someone who wouldn’t pay for a fancy drink everyday anyways… it’s really no help at all!

    I’ll have to check out Mint and Smarty Pig. Both sound like useful tools.

    Thanks for offering real advice!
    Jill recently posted..A pretty small town.My Profile

    • Thanks!

      I know! I was getting so sick of reading other bloggers write about how they managed to save for some huge trip and I thought, I don’t do half of that as it is (buy expensive drinks, spend $150/month on cable, etc.).

      Hope you like Smarty Pig and Mint! They’ve been very helpful tools for my savings. :)

  • Great tips. I get the same question from people that make as much as me, or more than me! I have a mortgage, bills, etc, but making travel a priority is the key!

    I bought a “designer” bag, but at an outlet for $50. I constantly search for coupons before buying anything.

    Priceline works in combination with betterbidding.com. I have gotten some cheap hotels with them. I just started using airbnb and I love it. I’m gonna use it to rent out some apartments in Turkey.

    I also love e-miles. It’s great if your miles are about to expire and you just need a few miles to re=activate them again. It also worked great when I was 1000 miles shy of a free flight!

    • Thanks for the additional tips, CeCe! I haven’t used airbnb (or Roomorama) yet, but I check it out every now and again. A lot of my trips recently have been multi-city stops, which makes me less likely to book an apartment stay, but I would like to use it in the future!

  • I really like your blog! I found it through pinterest! I do these same things as you to budget for traveling!