Contrary to popular belief, going on vacation does not necessarily require you to empty your bank account.
Most of the time, these are mostly small, costly mistakes that will unnecessarily drain your leave budget.
But with a few simple tips, you can easily avoid the most common pitfalls.
Here are the 9 mistakes that can make you over-spend during your vacation, and read them carefully to avoid tainting your holiday with bad memories.
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You have not budgeted your vacation
Even if you think you know more or less how much you are willing to spend on your next getaway, it is important to create an accurate budget for each of your vacations.
Having a budget will not only help you determine exactly how much money you have to put aside to finance your trip but also plan your spending once on the spot to avoid toasting the credit card.
And far from boring, planning and budgeting your vacations helps build excitement and enjoyment. Rather than regret the state of your account when returning home or feel deprived on the spot, everything will be under control.
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You buy without comparing
If you book the first flight or the first hotel that catches your eye, you probably throw money through the windows.
The Internet is a treasure trove of saving money and finding bargains, which means you’re certainly spending too much if you do not take the time to compare.
Before booking a flight or a hotel, browse several sites to compare prices. For flights, you can, for example, use an aggregator like Kayak.
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Your bags are too heavy
It is difficult to return from holidays without gifts for friends and family or without memories.
But beware of overweight baggage charges, which can take you by surprise and force you to heat up the credit card.
Even for a short trip, take the time to learn about the weight limits for your suitcases and luggage cabins. Also, remember to keep some room for the memories by not loading your suitcases to the driveway.
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You book at the last minute
We all know it. To benefit from advantageous rates on the plane and over housing, it must be done in advance. In other words, the earlier you get there, the more you will benefit from attractive rates.
So for cheap holidays, we anticipate and compare the offers on the internet sufficiently in advance!
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You must change your plane tickets
It’s been 5 months since you booked your plane tickets, precisely to take advantage of very advantageous prices.
But no luck: Boeing’s take-off day is planned … the very day of your brother’s wedding. This may seem a little ridiculous, but the date changes for aircraft are a common mistake that turns cheap holidays into hard times.
And if most airlines offer options to change your ticket, it can ultimately cost you a lot.
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You do not think about your phone plan
Abroad, the price of phone conversations on smartphones can reach highs and downright become pharaonic in case of data exchange for a simple Internet connection.
Unless you disable 4G connection features, the wisest thing is to take a temporary option from your mobile operator to avoid overbilling!
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You do not have travel insurance
We too often tend to think that the worst will not happen. This is why many people never build emergency funds … until they really need it.
And when you go on vacation, not taking travel insurance can cost you a lot.
Because if you come to hurt yourself once there, no compensation will be allowed for medical expenses abroad. And in some countries like the United States, a simple radio can come back to several hundred or even thousands of euros!
If you do not take out travel insurance before you leave, you run the risk of regretting your choice for years to come.
Ditto for travel insurance that can reimburse your expenses in case you should cancel your trip. No one is safe from an unexpected event.
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You buy your leisure tickets and museums on site
Buying tickets for your activities, museum tickets or other visits is often more expensive once there.
A good solution is to go to the major internet cultural platforms specialized in the sale of tickets online. You can take advantage of promotions and even sometimes take a cut wire option to save time.
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You must pay bank charges (payments or withdrawals)
When traveling abroad, you should not have to pay additional fees for using your card. But that’s exactly what happens when people go on vacation with a bank account that does not allow withdrawals or payments abroad.
