Many people think that travel is something that only the rich can do. They don’t believe that it can be extremely accessible for anyone. This is part of the reason that BarrisTourista publishes tips and tricks for saving money on travel…to show that travel is, indeed, doable. No matter what your budget is, here are five travel budget questions to consider so you can fuel your wanderlust and determine what is most important when you start to budget for travel.
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What are your travel goals?
Starting at the beginning, it is important to identify your goals before going forward. I always advocate SMART (Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, Timely) goals. Do you want to take two big trips this year? Will you be traveling during the holidays? What do you want to accomplish this year in travel? But in addition to SMART goals, throw in some aspirations as well so you have something to look forward to.
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What type of traveler are you?
Okay, you have to be honest with yourself on these questions, or this whole exercise is moot. Knowing yourself is going to be the key to having a rewarding and realistic travel experience. Are you someone who likes to backpack or do must you have 4- or 5-star accommodations? Do you have certain times and destinations you must travel/visit, or do can you be flexible? These are just a couple of questions to consider, but if you don’t take to answer these questions and assess your travel style, there is a very real possibility your trip will be a disappointment…or it won’t even happen.
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Are there alternative airports that you can fly into to save money?
If you live in a city with multiple airports, or near a major airport hub, it may behoove you to check to see if you can find a significant deal from an alternative airport. Live in LA? Check out Burbank, Long Beach or Orange County airports. NYC? Try Newark. Miami? Try Fort Lauderdale.
This also works on the destination end as well. If you want to go to London, for example, check a bunch of airports in Europe, like Paris or Dublin. Once you are across the pond, it is very inexpensive to get around the continent, but the key is first and foremost to get there.
Read Also: The Do’s and Don’ts of Glitch Airfare
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What are you willing to sacrifice?
This is the word no one wants to hear but everyone has to consider. If you want to have the trip you want, but funds are tight, you may have to make some sacrifices in order to travel. So what are you willing to give up, and what are truly necessary or non-negotiable items?
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In which programs do you have loyalty memberships, points or status?
You want to figure out when it is most advantageous to cash in accrued points or miles from loyalty programs, as that can save you substantially on your travels.
How to Budget for Travel
So there you have it. There are five huge questions to consider when making a travel budget. Want more? Check out the Travel Sense & Cents Budget Sheets, which pose detailed budget questions to help you get to your travel goals. And for not only budget help, but also trip planning, check out the Travel Sense & Cents Workbook, which includes the budget sheets, calendars and trip planning guides.
For more travel tips and tricks, check out BarrisTourista.com every Thursday. And to make sure you never miss another tip, sign up for the list and you will also receive a 5-Page Travel Deals Mini Guide.
I am a planner and I like to purchase in advance. I just purchased a train ticket today for a trip in May. The price was right and I’m looking forward to my trip.
I don’t live near any major airports so traveling about 3 or 4 hrs away drops the cost significantly. I need tips on how to fly calmly? I’m a nervous traveler.
Jay, do and bring things that calm and entertain you. If you are nervous, be sure to bring things to occupy you so you don’t have a lot of time to stress. Or bring items to help you sleep (eye mask, etc.). Most of all, the more you fly, the less nervous you will be (hopefully). Good luck!
Great list, thanks for sharing. I’ve booked marked this page, very helpful.
These are awesome tips. I’ve found that flying into an alternative airport can save a lot of money. I’m super spoiled in terms of hotels and lodging, so I like to spend less on the flight and more on the hotel LOL.
LiveLifeWell,
Allison
I am the traveler that looks at my wallet and think goodness we won’t be going anyhwere anytime soon lol. I am usually decent when it comes to budgeting though making sure I budget right with a little to spare.
I’m not a huge traveler, but I plan on taking a trip for my 31st birthday somewhere small. I will definitely utilize those budget sheet.
These are excellent tips! I am always looking for cheaper options. For instance, in the DC area, it is cheaper to fly out of BWI than Reagan National.
Thank you for the ideas. I’m among those who say I’d love to travel but the way my bank account is set up… (LOL) so I can really use your tips on traveling. Definitely bookmarking your blog.
Regina, you can do this, I promise! Check out my Tips section on the blog for advice. And on Tuesday, check out this month’s frequent flier sound off. She is all kinds of inspirational!
I am such a planner. I usually plan anywhere from 6 months to a year in advance. My priority is always my hotel. I will skimp and save everywhere else and splurg on my hotel!
Same with me, LaShawn!
I am definitely a creature of habit and it spills over into my travel. I like to go to the same places a lot because they feel familiar (Aruba is basically home for me) but I definitely need to get better about budgeting so that the trips are less stress and more fun.
Great tips! I am already thinking about a big trip without our kids in 2017… I want to go to Australia for 2 weeks and am already pinning and planning!
Esther, sounds like a good plan! Go to barristourista.com/resources and check out the travel planning guide and budget sheets! Super helpful!
These are such important questions! You can find great travel deals you just have to really know what you want, and know where to look. Thanks for the tips.
These are great tips to save money when traveling. We always try to find an alternative airport that has cheaper flights!
Love these tips for budgeting. I know we always try to plan for extra money for last minute things things since we travel often with our kids.
We love traveling as a family! However, we’re a little different than the norm in that we don’t have the itch to explore far away … we prefer to explore our own country (which is pretty honkin’ huge as far as countries go, lol!). I definitely plan almost every last detail, and I budget many months in advance. It’s so worth it!
Love that Megan! So much to do all over the world. Where are you located?
Money always seems to be the biggest obstacle for me when it comes to travel, so I”m loving these tips! I’ll have to sit down and work this out for myself – make it possible!
Heather, it can be done! And check the Tips section of my blog… I have a bunch of money saving tips and websites included there. 😉
These are really great tips and seem totally doable. I’m hoping to do more traveling with the kids and could really benefit by saving like this!
Jessica, I am all about doable tips LOL. And check out our resources section of BarrisTourista.com, as I have created budgeting sheets and a trip planning workbook. Click on Buy Now and it will take you to a page to check out the workbooks. 🙂
Great tips! I plan my trips months in advance. Gives me time to look for great prices and to save. Booking my next vacation as we speak! hehe =)
Where to, Nancy! I am always looking for new destination ideas LOL.
I’m a big planner and frugal too, so I love any budget tips that I can get! We are actually traveling right now 🙂
Awesome, Rebecca… where to? I am always looking for new destinations LOL.
I don’t travel much so I need to remember these budgeting tips. I’d love to apply this for our next vacation.
Great tips. We don’t travel ever. We’ve been on two trips before we had 6 kids, so I don’t see us traveling much anymore. I do have lots of friends who travel though so I’ll direct them here!
Bless you Jeanine! But hey, start with road trips and go from there. There are so many amazing places in the US to explore!
I am loving these tips because I am living proof of someone who practices them and travels a lot and I ain’t rich by any means. Awesome tips
Exactly Anosa! It is amazing to me that it can be cheaper to go overseas than domestic. Always keep exploring!
These are great tips on budgeting for travel!! I will have to remember these the next time I am planning a trip!!
I would love to travel. Hopefully in my future there will be traveling.
Beth, it certainly can be. Just today I saw a round trip ticket from Chicago to Los Angeles… for $68! You got this!
Such a smart tips! I always thought that traveling is expensive. I’m not a traveler but I would love to.
Ryan, it can be expensive. But the key is to be flexible. Just today I have seen a deal from Chicago to LA for $68 ROUNDTRIP, and deals from places like New York to the Caribbean for under $300. It can be done!
This is a great list for people who want to be serious about traveling. So many people make excuses not to travel instead of coming up with realistic budget to travel appropriately!
Exactly, Kiwi! It can be done!
i love to travel! is is so much fun for me and i love learning and experiencing new things. thanks so much for sharing these awesome tips.
I agree, with proper budget planning one can make a safe & wonderful journey anytime. And these are some simple yet effective tips that could come handy for everyone of us.