How do I calculate my trip budget
I used to just look at the price of the tickets and the hotel, add them up and think I roughly understand the budget. I was almost always wrong. Now I count the trip as a percentage, so it's much easier to understand where the money really ends.
My budget scheme
For a typical 7-day trip, I'm focusing on about this proportion.:
- 35-40% - flights and accommodation;
- 20-25% - food;
- 10-15% - on-site transportation;
- 10-15% - entertainment, excursions and tickets;
- 10% is a reserve for unforeseen expenses.
For example, if I'm willing to spend 1,500 euros for the entire trip, then I'll put about 550 euros on flights and accommodation, 330 euros on food, 180 euros on transport, another 290 euros on attractions and entertainment, and about 150 euros I try not to touch at all.
How much is it per day?
It's more convenient for me to count my daily expenses separately. If I have 800 euros left after paying for the tickets and the hotel, I don't just divide this amount by 7 days.
First, I subtract the reserve. For example, I leave 100 € in case of unforeseen expenses. That leaves 700 €, which is about 100 € per day.
Of these, I can focus on about 35-40 € for food, 15-20 € for transport and 30-40 € for entertainment. I leave the rest for coffee, small purchases, or just reschedule for the next day.
The most important part is the reserve
I used to think of the reserve as money that could be spent if I had any left. Now, on the contrary, at first I consider them inviolable.
For a week-long trip, I try to have at least 10% of the total budget. If the trip costs 1,500 €, that's 150€. This money may be needed for an unplanned taxi, ticket change, extra night at the hotel or other situation that cannot be foreseen in advance.
Where did I go wrong most often?
The biggest mistake is to count only large expenses. A ticket for 300 €, a hotel for 500 € - everything is clear. And then there's coffee for 5 €, taxi for 20 €, entrance ticket for 15 €, dinner for 35 € and a few other little things.
In a week, these "little things" easily turn into several hundred euros.
So now, before traveling, I first determine the total limit, then categorize it, and only after that do I start booking. This way I understand in advance not only how much the trip itself costs, but also how much money I can safely spend every day without returning home with an unpleasant surprise.
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