9 Expensive Mistakes to Avoid on Your Next Vacation

A vacation can be extremely exciting, you get to see and do things that you wouldn’t normally experience and come back energized and refreshed. But, travel can be a stressful wallet draining exercise if you don’t avoid these nine expensive mistakes.

1.Ignoring the Need for Travel Insurance

When we travel, we’re exposing ourselves to unusual risks and many of these are completely out of our control. Some prime examples include illness, lost bags, flight cancellations and more. If you don’t have travel insurance, you may be left to cover the costs of any losses or mishaps yourself. That could mean hundreds or even thousands of dollars to rectify the situation. Anyone that’s experienced a medical emergency in a foreign country can attest to the fact that it’s extremely expensive. Travel insurance, in comparison, is cheap. It can be taken out for a single trip or frequent travelers can save more if they choose an annual cover plan. When you choose travel insurance make sure to check for exclusions to fully understand what it does and doesn’t cover. If you need add-on coverage to cover something specific to your trip, make sure it’s sufficient for your needs. 

2.Failing to Book Tickets Online

It’s likely that you will need tickets for certain attractions that you want to visit, such as national parks, museums, art galleries and more. Standing in a line to purchase a physical ticket is a time-consuming and boring experience that eats into your precious vacation time. To rub salt in the wound, these tickets are probably cheaper if you bought them online anyway. Most places have some way to book tickets in advance and you should take advantage of this at every opportunity. The virtual tickets will be sent to your phone and you simply show the screen at the attraction and you can enter. 

3.Buying a Drink with Each Meal

When we go on vacation, we tend to eat out more and this could be virtually every meal. This can be expensive, but there are simple ways to save some money to spend elsewhere. Avoid buying expensive beverages with every meal and opt for some free drinking water as an alternative. This may seem trivial, but if you are eating out three times every day the cost of those drinks adds up quickly. Save the wine and coffee for the more special meals as a treat and you may enjoy them more!

4.Ignoring Free Hotel Amenities

Many hostels and hotels offer a lot of free amenities that may or may not be advertised up front. If you don’t understand what’s available, you could be missing out on a lot of hidden value for your vacation. Some places may offer a free breakfast which is a cost-effective way to start off your day. Some hotels could have free toiletries that you can use, but you may need to ask for them upon arrival. That expensive taxi ride to the hotel from the airport may be completely unnecessary if there is a free airport shuttle. 

5.Getting Ripped Off by Taxi Drivers

In some countries, the taxis don’t have a meter, the price may be negotiable if you do this in advance. If you simply get in the taxi and ask to go somewhere, you may be horrified when you reach your destination and you are presented with the bill. A taxi driver may become angry, they provided the service, you didn’t ask for a discount and now you’re haggling over the price after the fact. So, if you don’t make an effort to negotiate first you could be setting yourself up for trouble. After all, you are obviously a tourist and they may believe that you’re an easy target to make a quick buck.

6.Not Making Home Preparations Before Your Departure

When you go on vacation, your home will be left unattended unless you have someone you trust to look after it or check on it from time to time. So, you need to avoid paying for things that you are not going to use while you are away. Make sure to turn off all appliances that you won’t be using, shut-off the water, turn off the AC/heating system and all the lights in your home. Any valuables should be stored in a secure location and every door and window needs to be locked. Home insurance will probably offer no cover if you left a door or window open when you departed. Don’t forget to arm the alarm system and any other security features you may have before you leave. 

7.Making Yourself an Easy Target for Criminals

When you travel to a popular tourist destination, it’s important to remember that criminals are also drawn to these locales to make easy money. In many cities, pickpockets are an ever present threat and if they take your passport, wallet or phone, it may ruin a carefully planned trip. The best strategy is to have some cash on hand for the day and keep the rest in the ATM or hotel safe. All valuables should be split into different compartments of bags or about your person. If you absolutely must carry cash consider a money belt that’s virtually impossible to access without your knowledge. Keep an eye out for people distracting you while a second person picks your pocket.

8.Exchanging Currency in the Airport

Many airports have terrible currency exchange rates, they have considerable overheads to run their business in a lucrative spot and those costs are passed on to the customer. It’s tempting to exchange currency upon arrival and you are likely to need some sooner rather than later. It’s a better idea to exchange some money at home through your bank to get a better rate and take that cash with you. The rest of your money can be exchanged gradually during your trip when you can get better exchange rates. 

9.Paying Overweight Fees

Many people pack too much for their trip and that can cost a lot of money in overweight fees at the airport check in. A few added pounds here and there may not seem like a big deal, but it all adds up. Remember that you can buy a lot of what you need at your destination and you can wear your heaviest clothes to save weight. Take full advantage of your carry on allowance to reduce the weight in the rest of your luggage. Some research is essential, airlines can differ a great deal in their weight limit allowances and overweight fees.