Now might not feel like the best time to travel. But it is a good time to plan for travel and learn what to do when traveling is safer.
It’s also an ideal time for learning what not to do on the next vacation with your family or road trip with friends. Travel budget mistakes can ruin your entire trip. You don’t want otherwise good memories to get clouded by financial woes.
Plan on how you’ll use your money now before you even book anything. Keep reading to learn five tips that will help you stick to a budget.
1. Planning (and Packing) to Excess
We’ve all felt stuck in our homes for a few months. When you can travel again, it’s going to feel tempting to pack your days full of activities and tours.
But that assumes things that you have no power over. If you’re flying to another continent, jet lag could knock you out of commission for longer than you’d like.
Give yourself some breathing room. You should also give your luggage some breathing room.
You probably don’t need as many outfits as you think. The more bags you bring, the more you’ll have to pay in annoying baggage fees.
2. Not Contacting Your Bank
You’re traveling to Europe and try to use your debit card once you get there. However, it’s denied. Then your bank freezes your account because of suspected fraud.
You can avoid that frustration by calling your bank or credit card company a couple of days before you leave. Let them know when you’ll be leaving and returning.
And if for some reason your debit card won’t work in another country, now’s the time to find out.
3. Paying High Currency Exchange Fees
You’re too stressed to exchange your currency before you leave. So you decide you might as well do it at the airport, right?
Wrong. Airports have higher fees designed to take advantage of desperate tourists.
You’re better off waiting until you land and looking for either an ATM or a trustworthy bank.
4. Booking the Wrong Flight
This is an easy mistake to make. Booking flights often feels confusing and arbitrary. It’s tough to know how much money for flights to set aside.
It’s hard to predict what flying will be like in a post-COVID world. Yet travelers who stay flexible should still see benefits, according to a guide from Silverdome.
Don’t book a flight until you’re sure it’s one you want. That’s especially true as airlines start reinstating change and cancellation fees.
5. Using Public WiFi
You’ve no doubt heard how expensive data roaming can be in another country. But that doesn’t mean you should use public WiFi throughout your trip.
Public connections are fine if you’re looking for a nearby coffee shop. They’re not OK if you’re logging into your mobile banking app.
A prepaid SIM card is a more secure option for conducting online financial transactions.
Avoiding Travel Budget Mistakes
Every tourist will make a few unforced errors. But while those are embarrassing, they’re not usually as harmful as travel budget mistakes.
When it comes to travel, planning is always better than winging it. We can help you do that.
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