When you are travelling this summer, sticker shock certainly sets in regardless of the mode of transportation. From gas prices currently in jeopardy of increasing to higher airline fees, you’ll feel the pinch some where. However, what doesn’t help out is that these upfront fees don’t take into consideration the hidden and unexpected costs that come with your trip, domestic or international. Today, we will take a look at 10 travel expenses that you should remember to take into account when planning your travel budget for the summer travel season. We will also factor in some ways you can save on these unexpected costs.
1. Departure Taxes
Departure fees are easy for many individuals to forget including in their travel budget. For many countries, these are fees that are included and unchangeable in your airport ticket. However, for other countries, for example Argentina and Costa Rica, in some cases you’ll have to pay the departure fees the airport. While small for a majority of countries, hovering around $20 – $50, other countries charge a lot more. To stay up-to-date on departure fees from the United States, checkout this website by the US Department of State. Simply search the country and click “Entry, Exit, & Visa Requirements”.
2. Card Fees and Currency Exchange
When traveling abroad, you are likely to encounter foreign transaction fees from your credit card company. You may even find that such a fee is even imposed on debit cards as well. Before you depart, it is always important for you to call your credit card company to allow them to be informed that you will be out of the country.
Credit and debit cards don’t have GPS chips and they are unable to know if you croissant purchase in Paris is your summer vacation or credit card theft. When you call, ask what the foreign transaction fees are.
Secondly, even when paying cash, ensure that you have a handy currency exchange app on your phone to ensure that you are truly paying a good price for all goods purchased abroad. XE Currency is a great currency conversion app that is updated daily whenever you connect to the Internet.
3. Meals During Travel
Eating is an obvious aspect of your travel budget. However, one addition to your budget that you might not always consider is eating while arriving and departing from your destination. These are costs that add up, especially if you encounter delays or layovers. If you are a family of four, you’ll find that this is a fee you can’t simply hope will organize itself. In an airport, food costs are astronomical.
To alleviate this cost, bring food from home to nosh on during your arrival, and make a short trip to the grocery store in your location you are visiting before heading back home. If you encounter a significant delay, get in touch with your airline for a meal voucher, they are almost always offered when asked in such situations. They want to keep your business, in the end.
4. Cellular Provider Fees
From keeping in contact with your family back home to sharing your vacation adventures on social media, voice and data costs are an aspect of your budget to consider when abroad this summer. Without intervention, your GSM (AT&T and T-Mobile) smartphone will simply connect to the local international provider in the area and you’ll find yourself charged huge fees.
Before leaving, inform your cellular provider of your travel plans, ask for possible international plan discounts, and if such discounts aren’t available, look into getting an international pay-as-you-go phone while there. WIFI is a great alternative as well, making use of Skype for calling back home. Some Internet cafes and hotels charge to use their WIFI, but this fee is exceedingly cheaper than paying cellular fees.
5. Emergency Expenses
It can be easy to think that the most stressful part of your trip is the flight there and back. However, if you encounter an emergency, you’ll find that the flight was only a breeze. Being on vacation, you find yourself doing more strenuous activities that you don’t normally do every day (from hiking to scuba diving, etc).
This presents itself with unexpected risks of injury. If you find yourself with a major injury, your insurance could help out. However, other emergencies and injuries may require digging into your own pocket for associated fees (sprains, cuts, bruises, etc). Due to how this is an expense that not everyone encounters, look into setting aside your credit card for these expenses, instead of setting aside a specific amount of cash.
6. Visa Costs
Along with departure fees, you’ll possibly find yourself encountering visa fees that depend on the duration of your time in a certain country. Ensure that you have these fees set aside and paid for if you are having an extended trip. In addition, if you find that you have to go to a local embassy to handle these tasks, make sure you factor transportation costs for getting to and from there. A friend of mine currently visiting China had to make three embassy visits before receiving her visa. Sadly, we can’t put a price tag on the stress that task brings on!
7. Travel Insurance
Regardless of if you are backpacking through Europe or becoming a beach bum this summer, travel insurance is a must for individuals going abroad. You’ll find that purchasing travel insurance through providers like World Nomads offers you not only medical protection, but also assistance for trip cancellations, assistance, interruptions, and delays. In most cases, travel insurance cost under $100 and can protect you with thousands of dollars in coverage.
8. Spontaneous Adventures
If this is your first time abroad, you’ll want to make sure that you have the time of your life. If you are in a country during a national holiday or celebration, you’ll find that activities and adventures appear out of no-where and can be once in a lifetime for you to celebrate in. Make sure to have a form of payment planned for these spontaneous adventures, either in cash with your budget or with your card. You’ll thank yourself in the end.
9. Flight and Baggage Fees
A common occurrence for travellers is that they encounter an amazing deal on a plane ticket, only to find that they are hit with baggage fees. Always ensure that you look at your airlines website before packing, not departure, to see the hidden baggage fees assessed by your airline. If you do this before packing, you can pack accordingly. Having a price tag attached to your overpacking will cause you to pack smartly, not impulsively.
Other flight fees that you might unexpectedly encounter are WIFI costs and food/beverage purchases. Contact your airline before departure to see if WIFI is available on-board and for how much. If it’s a short haul (< 2.5 hour flight), WIFI might not be a necessary cost.
10. Lodging Fees
Finally, when travelling anywhere, fees associated with lodging can be unexpected for many travellers. Ensure that you have a clear outline of how much you have to pay for lodging. Internet fees, room service costs, open bar, and room service tips are costs that travelers find that they usually ignore when travelling. Make sure you include these possible costs in your budget to prevent sticker shock at the end of your vacation.
By including these fees in your travel budget, you’ll find that you are better prepared for any fees that come along the way. Not only can you combat them, you can save money along the way. Let us know in the comments below how you are saving money this travel season.
Featured photo credit: http://hawaiidads.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/family-travel-1.jpg via Hawaii Dads
