Tag Archives: budgets

Creating a budget for your trip – part 2

PlanningExportIf you haven’t read the first part of this series, go here to start.

So, you’ve had some time to think about where you want to go and what your transportation, lodging, and food might cost when you get there. Hopefully the number you came up with is not completely out of the park for this vacation, and now we can begin to add in some fun activities to make this trip the best ever.

1. Research the activities you’d like to do while on your vacation. Don’t worry about how long anything takes or how many days you’ve decided to stay. Pull together a list.

2. Prioritize that list. Look at each item and determine whether or not it’s a deal-breaker to see that sight or participate in that activity on this trip. For example, on a recent trip to Spain, I determined that I must see the  Familia Sagrada in Barcelona. It didn’t really matter if I d id anything else while in Spain for two weeks, as long as I visited this church. It was my number 1 priority. Number two seemed to be visiting Seville and experiencing the classic Andalusian  hospitality. We ended up doing both.

Pick your must-sees and put them at the top of the list.

3. Estimate the cost of those sites or activities and make sure they are available when you plan to visit. The internet is a great resource for the costs as well as the times and dates that the sites are open.

4. Look at your prioritized list and start fitting your must-do activities into your planned time frame. Remember that many sites are open late on certain days of the week, making them less crowded. In some cases, sites close for maintenance or special events. Hopefully your important activities fit into your stay schedule. If all your important activities don’t fit, then start at the lowest priority and eliminate activities. Or, you could increase the length of your stay.

5. Finally, compile your lists. Add the excursions, activities, and sites you’ve decided to your lodging and transportation list. Put your estimates in a column and add them up. You’ve got your first cut at a budget!

Lodging

$500

Transportation

$500

Activities

$200

 Total

$1,200

What if your original estimate is lower than this final number? In our next post, we’ll explore some ways to lower those costs.

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