Travel Budgeting

Travel budgeting is a concern for many travelers going abroad because they want to get the best deals for their money. This is important especially during the current economic crisis. Travelers everywhere are trying to save money by searching for budget travel deals.

However, understand that attempting to pinch pennies by staying at the cheapest hotel or using cheap public transportation can be dangerous.

Many college students like to seek out cheap hotels so that they can have more money to buy souvenirs or go out to more nightclubs. Unfortunately, these cheap hotels have very poorhotel security. I recommend spending a bit more money on lodging and less on extra curricular activities to ensure that you have a safe hotel room.

On this note, if your hotel room does not include the charge for an in-room safe, I recommend paying the extra couple of dollars per day to have a safe in your hotel room. You will be able to store valuables and travel documents there instead of keeping them with you or leaving them unattended in the room.

Other things foreign travelers do to save money are take cheap public transportation. In other words, they like to ride the bus rather than fly or take taxis. This can be dangerous because often crowded buses are filled with thieves and other criminals. Also, many of these buses are hijacked during long trips, resulting in men getting robbed and women travelers sexually assaulted. I recommend that tourists use reliable taxi companies and flights versus cheap buses.

Most travelers going overseas fail to travel insurance before hand because they believe it to be a waste of money. However, what they also fail to realize is that in the event that they are injured in a foreign country and need medical assistance, they most pay out of pocket. You see most foreign hospitals require payment upfront and may not accept insurance cards from your home country. Consider travel insurance before going abroad. It may actually end up saving you money during an emergency.

Be sure to save some room in your budget for auto safety kits if you intend to rent a car abroad. These kits will ensure that you emergency supplies in the event that you have car trouble or other roadside emergencies.

These are a few travel budgeting issues to consider before traveling to foreign countries. I close with a famous quote,

”Better to have and not need, than need and not have.” - Author unknown

• Return from Travel Budgeting to Travel Planning