Having a Budget

Okay, I know, that word budget gives people the chills, but honestly, it's absolutely crucial to think about money when you're travelling.

When budgeting, plan for the worst-case scenario money wise. Prepare for things to cost a little more than you expected. Keep an eye on the exchange rate (if applicable). Allow up to 20% increase in costs to be on the safe side of things.

It is extremely easy these days to have access to your financial resources through ATM’s and credit cards. Just remember that it is just as easy to overspend because it’s so readily available. A little discipline will go a long way to protect your financial interests and help you stick to your travel budget.

Set some spending priorities and criteria in advance, like eating well, even if this means sacrificing a bit on lodgings or vice versa, depending on what is more important to you. Think about value and cost in the local currency as opposed to converting all the time to your home-currency and comparing and weighing prices that way. It takes too long!