Hidden Travel Costs to Look Out For

It's no secret that traveling can be expensive. The costs of flights, accommodation, food, and activities can quickly add up, but these are the expenses that we typically consider when planning a trip. However, there are a string of other travel-related costs that many of us tend to overlook or underestimate. While some of these are substantially lower than others, they can put quite a strain on your budget unless they're accounted for ahead of time. Minimize your risk of running into unexpected costs during your travels by keeping tabs on these easy-to-miss expenditures.

Travel Insurance

If you've ever gotten so caught up in the excitement of travel planning that you forgot about taking out insurance, you're certainly not alone. Some prefer to have annual policies that automatically renew, and if this applies to you, you probably don't need to worry about this too much. However, if you prefer to take out insurance for each trip, estimating how much each policy will cost can be challenging. Your destination and trip duration can lead to considerable cost variances, and it's easy to give little thought to this until right before you're set to depart. To prevent any unwelcome surprises, compare insurance prices well in advance.

Visas

Your nationality and chosen destination can greatly impact how visa costs affect you. Select countries require visas for certain nationalities, and even those with powerful passports will likely face visa fees at some point. The expenses associated with visas can range from just a few bucks to upwards of several hundred dollars and often come with additional costs. Depending on the country you're hoping to visit, you may also need to consider the cost of gathering important documents and getting to and from an embassy. 

City, Hotel, and Tourist Taxes

The exact title of this tax can differ in various parts of the world, but it's essentially a fee for anyone visiting a particular destination. These taxes are typically charged nightly and added to the bill for your accommodation, but this isn't always the case. For example, Rome charges visitors several euros per night, Bali requires a once-off payment, while Japan has an exit fee. In the United States, these taxes are mostly charged by hotels and are sometimes known as occupancy fees. Some charges are minimal, and others are rather costly, so it's best to do plenty of research while crafting your budget.

ATM Fees

If you're lucky enough to have a bank that reimburses your ATM fees, such as the Charles Schwab debit card, you can evade these pesky charges! For most people, though, these often unavoidable costs can be pricey. In some countries, select banks may offer cheap or even free withdrawals, but this is non-existent in other destinations. While ATMs enforce their own charges, your bank will likely have fees for using your debit or credit cards in a foreign country, too. ATMs also offer unfavorable exchange rates when taking out cash in a currency different from your bank.

Currency Exchanges

Leading on from the previous point, exchanging currency can be more expensive than you'd expect. Even with a decent or fair exchange rate, we lose money whenever we switch between currencies. This is a relatively small price to pay if you only exchange money once or twice during a trip, but the costs can accumulate for anyone on a longer getaway. Unfortunately, these costs are inevitable unless you're traveling between countries with a shared currency, such as the European Union. 

Tipping

Those of you from North America will be well accustomed to the tipping culture in some countries. However, if you're traveling to a destination where tipping is the norm and it's not commonplace in your country, you may be in for a rude awakening! In many parts of the world, leaving a small tip of around 10% of the bill is standard, but higher tips are expected in the likes of the United States and Canada. Tipping upwards of 20% is typical in these nations, and it can seriously affect your budget if you don't account for this in advance. 

In-Person Flight Check-in

In recent years, some budget airlines have introduced charges for in-person check-ins. This means that anyone who fails to check into their flight online will face a bill when they arrive at the airline's check-in desk on the day of their departure. Although it's limited to just a handful of airlines, such as Ryanair, it's imperative to check this with your carrier to keep additional costs to a minimum. Currently, Ryanair charges between €30 ($33.21) and €55 ($60.89) for airport check-ins, which is higher than many people assume.

Parking

Are you planning an epic road trip for your next vacation? You've probably looked into car rental fees and possibly even gas prices, but parking can be surprisingly expensive. Many hotels offer free parking for guests, which can help keep these costs down, but finding spots in the city that won't break the bank is no easy task. Anyone hoping to pull up at campsites will also need to do some research, as many come with hefty price tags to stay the night and use the facilities.

Phone and Data Plans

Some phone providers offer excellent roaming plans for customers, while others charge eye watering prices for making calls or using data abroad. Before you set off on your travels, familiarize yourself with your provider's policy about international usage. In some cases, installing a local SIM card when you touch down at your destination may be more cost-efficient. Many countries have affordable, tourist-centered packages that will save you some cash. If you plan to go with this option, ensure your phone is unlocked before leaving home.

Stay Within Your Travel Budget by Recognizing These Easily Forgotten Costs

As insignificant as they might seem, the additional expenses associated with travel may cost you a lot more money than you anticipated. By taking these hidden fees into account, you can create a more realistic budget and avoid any nasty, money-related surprises cropping up while you're on vacation!