| One you can afford - seriously. Look at how much | | | | research your travel costs quite easily on the Internet. |
| you earn. What can you put aside for a trip? What | | | | Food allowance might be a bit more difficult. If you are |
| are you prepared to sacrifice to make your trip a | | | | traveling alone, as a couple or in a family you will need |
| reality? Maybe you've been saving for a while and | | | | to budget food costs accordingly. |
| have a few thousand dollars in the bank. You do? | | | | 5. Now add up the costs. This will give you an estimate |
| Great. Well that's your realistic budget. If you want to | | | | of how much your trip will cost. Can you afford it? |
| fly to Europe tomorrow and you only have ten dollars | | | | Yes - then this is a realistic budget for you. If not, then |
| in the bank then you are not being realistic. But it might | | | | you may have to rethink your destination and the type |
| be enough to get you in to the local museum for a | | | | of travel experience you want. |
| few hours escape. | | | | Remember that this table will only be an estimate of |
| When you are setting your budget, be practical. | | | | your travel costs. You must also budget for incidentals |
| Everyone has different needs for their travel | | | | and prepare yourself for things to not go to plan. For |
| experience and if your travel plans include overseas | | | | example, have you got enough money in your budget |
| flights, you will need to budget accordingly. Sure you | | | | to buy new clothes if your luggage goes missing? A |
| can find great deals and get there cheaper than you | | | | realistic travel budget will have extra built in to it to |
| might have expected, but make sure you have enough | | | | cover emergencies. Setting yourself a budget of about |
| money in your budget to not only get you there but to | | | | sixty-five dollars a day, if traveling alone, is a |
| travel around, find a place to sleep, oh and have | | | | reasonable amount. If you are traveling as a family or |
| enough money to be able to eat! | | | | in a group, this number will be vastly different. |
| So how do you go about setting a budget? Following | | | | Also consider if you will be traveling and working. If this |
| these steps might help: | | | | is the case, then you may not need as much to start |
| 1. Draw up a table with two columns. | | | | with, just enough money to get you to your destination |
| 2. Column A is for Expense Items. Column B is for | | | | and a place to live while you look for work. (And |
| Approximate Costs. | | | | enough money to buy you food until you begin earning |
| 3. In column A write down all the things you can think | | | | a wage.) |
| of that will cost you money while traveling. These | | | | Start making your travel plans with your budget in mind. |
| might include: air flights, car hire/fuel allowance, travel | | | | Don't exceed your budget, always keep a little in |
| passes, sight-seeing tours, accommodation, food, | | | | reserve so you can buy that fantastic Italian leather |
| insurance, immunizations, and souvenirs. | | | | handbag or go jet-skiing in Hawaii if the desire takes |
| 4. In column B write an estimate of how much you | | | | you! |
| think these things will cost while on your trip. You can | | | | |