Image: Phil Dragash.
We've been thinking a lot about budgeting lately, and wondered do you make a travel budget? If you do, what helps you keep things in line? If you don't budget, why not? Join in the discussion in the comments.
[adsense:468x60:6645408381]
We don't insist on a line by line budget, but we definitely try to estimate how much we're going to spend per category (hotels, food, entertainment, etc.) We almost always forget to factor something in or misjudge our travel habits. But the whole point in budgeting is to try, right?
When leading teams for relief work in Lebanon, yeah...you better believe I budgeted. Trying to manage 10 people and arrange all their food, lodging, and transportation without a budget would be impossible.
When traveling myself I don't formally budget. I do try to stay within my means but outside of airfare costs I don't keep track. From my point of view when I travel I am living wherever I am traveling to. The money I would have to live on at home in the States is used for similar purposes when I travel. Seems to make things easier.
For my last trip to Lebanon my airfare was around $1600. I included some $$ for insurance and that was it. Since I stayed at a friend's house lodging was $0. I was just responsible for food, entertainment, and in country travel, which was far less than what I would have spent in the US during that time. YMMV, esp. if traveling to a location where the USD is not as strong as it is in Lebanon. If I were to spend much time in Europe I'd probably be more prone to budget and watch what I spend.
Post new comment