Travelling the world has always been at the top of many people’s bucket list but travelling requires money. Budget travel or no, travelling will require some kind of planning to ensure that you won’t run out of money halfway through your trip. This can be tricky especially if it involves different currencies but there are great ways to overcome this.
If you’re not a whiz with budgets and planning (most of us aren’t, so don’t worry!) the easiest way to overcome the confusion and stress is by budgeting your trips. We recommend planning around three main segments: Preparation, Actual Trip and Emergencies.
Keep in mind that a significant amount of your money will go towards Preparation. This can include passports, Visa, flight tickets, travel and health insurance, vaccinations (better safe than sorry!), luggage, travel gear, toiletries and medication that you might want to take with you.
For the Actual Trip, do factor in your budget accommodation or hotel options – a bulk of your finances will go to this unless you find out-of-the-box options that will give you a place to sleep for free. Do your research and find out more, the internet is your friend!
Travel on a Budget | The Colony Hotel
The most important thing that you should really think about is Food & Drink. How much do you need to get you through the day? It is relatively easy to find cheap and delicious food if you’re travelling in Seminyak, Bali but it might be different in other parts of the world. Find out if your hostel or hotel provides free breakfast. All-You-Can-Eat Buffets will help too! Keep alcohol down to a minimum.
If you’re headed to Seminyak, Bali, you will definitely want to explore. The easiest way to do this is to make friends with the locals and let them take you around. If not, engage a tour company or guide and make a list of all the places that you want to see. You should also plan for souvenirs and shopping as these will take out quite a chunk of your Actual Trip budget.
As for Emergencies, remember to keep a stash of cash separate from your Actual Trip budget. You never know when the need for extra money might come up. While travelling is fun, accidents do happen and you might need money for the doctor, accommodation, food and drink and transportation. Credit cards might get lost or might not work, so keep enough for all of the above plus a plane ticket to take you home.