Wise travelers

Before setting out, most good travelers create a budget for themselves, factoring in things like accommodation, airline costs, food and certain activities they are set on undertaking. However, it can be hard to factor in every cost that will come your way, from unexpected expenses to the ones that just don’t cross your mind until you arrive at your destination. To help you avoid this on your next trip, here are five big expenses that are often overlooked by even the most seasoned of travelers.

1. Pre-trip preparations

The preparations you will need to make before setting off on your adventure are bound to cost you, especially if you have pets. You’ll need to find someone to look after your dog, cat, canary, goldfish or any other animals you keep company. Pet boarding homes often cost more than you plan to spend on your own lodging while traveling, so try to arrange this well in advance with a friend or relative.
Aside from this, your mail will need to be collected, your plants will need watering and your lawn may need to be mowed. Then there are also things like vaccinations, doctor’s visits and travel insurance, which can eat up your budget pretty quickly if you haven’t factored them in.

2. Water

Many countries don’t have drinkable tap water, and you’ll find yourself having to buy bottled water everywhere you go. While a bottle of water may not seem like a large expense, it can get pretty pricey over time. This is especially true in the more touristy areas, where prices are often raised far beyond what is reasonable. If you think of this beforehand you could arrange to bring water purification tablets or a traveler’s water purifier bottle.

3. Transport

So you’ve got your plane, train or bus ticket ready for the trip, but have you thought about how you’re going to get around at your destination? Even if you have booked a good budget hostel in the center of town, you may soon find that walking everywhere is just not an option unless you’re content to see a very limited amount of the city or area you are visiting.
Do some research beforehand to find out which methods of traveling are the cheapest at your destination to avoid ridiculous taxi or car rental prices. In some places you could rent a motorbike or even a bicycle, while in other places rickshaws or local buses are the cheapest mode of transport.

4. Gifts and postcards

We all do this – before setting out, we assure our friends and family that we will be sending them a postcard and bringing them something nice on our return. Unfortunately, as well meant as these promises are, you will quickly find that postcards and stamps for 20 friends will push the limits of your budget pretty quickly. Gifts are another story altogether. Souvenirs, paintings, hand woven baskets or bottles of local wine and liquor are expensive enough on their own, but on top of that they often bring extra charges with them, like when you overload your bags and have to pay outrageous airport fees to avoid having them dumped in the nearest rubbish bin by an overeager member of security.
So before you go promising the world to everyone you know, think about how much you are willing to spend on these fun but unnecessary extras.

5. Laundry

Even while on the road, laundry will need to be done, unless you are willing to bring enough different items of clothing in your luggage to accommodate the entire length of your stay. Now, if you are staying a five-star resort this won’t be an issue, but for the budget traveler laundry does present an extra expense.
If you’re staying in one place long enough you could opt to hand wash your clothing and hang them out to dry, although this often produces wrinkled and damp clothing. You’ll likely have to use a local laundromat (if there even is one in the city you’re visiting) or use the washing machine at your hostel, although guesthouses and hostels tend to charge extravagant per-load prices.

Author Bio: Aileen Pablo is part of the team behind Open Colleges, one of Australia’s leading providers of TAFE courses equivalent and TESOL courses. When not working, Aileen blogs about travel, lifestyle, and beauty tips. She is also often invited as a speaker in Personality Development Seminars in the Philippines. If you have a blog and would like free content, you can find her on Google+.