Budgeting While Vacationing

Budgetary concerns and monitoring, fiscal restraint and disciplined spending when traveling will pay off.

When you are planning your trip and setting up your travel budget, taking into account things like ground transportation, tips and other incidentals, extras like laundry and mini-bar, room service, lodging and meals.

Do the major obligations and essentials first. Then figure in expenses such as shopping, entertainment and foreign exchange fees for example.

Not surprisingly at all, it is usually the impulse shopping or spur of the moment expenses that let us over-spend and max-out our travel budget quickly or overspend.

Concerned about appearances and wrinkled clothing? Save on laundry costs with ingenuity and innovative solutions. Think practical and be creative. A frequent traveler suggests that if you travel with a small spray bottle, you can fill it with water, lightly spray the clothing, and let it hang for period. This usually helps the wrinkles fall out.

Another suggestion is hanging them in the bathroom while you take a hot shower or soak in the tub while the steam 'irons' out some of the creases. Hand-washing underwear, nylons etc. and hanging them up overnight is another sure saver and old frequent traveler favorite that has often been passed on by word of mouth!

The importance of water or H20!! Just like taking care of fueling the human engine with food, we also need lubrication. By that, we mean lots of fluid and specifically water. Staying hydrated, irrespective of the climate is just common sense. Invest in a good travel water bottle with a secure cap.

Always drink bottled water preferably even when brushing your teeth or ordering your cocktails without ice or water if you are concerned about diseases etc. Drinking lots of water regularly will help prevent dehydration.

You will also however have to plan for frequent pit stops for washrooms and remember in some countries you have to pay to use them! In air, on flight, just remember that alcohol can be extremely dehydrating and may increase jet lag on a long flight! So that's another good reason to drink lots of water.

'Cash' only when you need to! Only cash traveler's checks when you really need money. Take no risk of carrying too much cash with you for no real apparent reason. Avoid being stuck with too much local currency from a foreign destination that you will lose money on if converting.

Use all your small coins before changing notes. They make great tips! Minimize ATM and credit card transactions as they both carry transactional and administration fees they are convenient but expensive.

Plan and budget for the un-expected and incidentals. Whether it is as simple as a practical collapsible type umbrella and poncho or a buffer-fund for in case there is a delay, extended stay or other factors where you will incur additional cost.

Weather for example, is unpredictable and can ruin a travel experience if you let it. Again, the key to saving money, avoiding expense, caring for details and being a smart traveler will be organization, planning and fiscal preparedness and resourceful fiscal discipline.