It’s very easy to get carried away on the promise of a holiday, only to find that you haven’t budgeted enough money complete the trip. We are all deserate to travel to other countries after the last two years, but it can be costly and things mount up very quickly. The next time you plan a trip to Europe, make sure that you’re keeping in mind all of the costs involved.
The flight
The costs of flying to Europe can vary greatly. The costs will depend on where you’re flying from, where you’re flying to, and when. Of course, travelling in the off-season is going to be a lot less expensive, and tickets for late night or early morning flights tend to be a little more affordable too. There are so many tips for finding cheap flights. If you’re open to leaving some things to the last minute, you can get some discounts if you’re willing to book a flight right before you leave. Of course, this opens you up to potentially missing out on the holiday entirely. There are plenty of websites that help you find the cheapest flights. However, make sure that you compare options from a few of these sites to make sure that you’re not missing any airlines.
Your hotel
Another one of the most expensive parts of the average trip, is your accommodation. Hotels can vary wildly in price based on the hotel star-rating, the season, and what type of room you are booking. It’s a good idea to find your hotel right at the start of planning, and make it one of the first things you book, as you can build the rest of your budget depending on how much of it is going to go towards paying for accommodation. Being a little more picky, such as being open to hotels with fewer stars and being willing to give up on some amenities, can help you reduce hotel prices. However, for a lot of people, the high-quality hotel experience is an important part of the holiday worth investing in.
Other forms of travel
If you’re planning to do any travel by bus, by car, by train, or by boat, then these are costs that you should calculate ahead of time. It’s important to do your research on what are the most affordable and reliable ways to get around the city or region that you are travelling to. Most public travel services will offer pricing information up-front and even if you can’t read the primary source, recent travel guides on that location should give you an idea of how much you need to spend. Of course, many cities and regions also offer travel cards with set prices that allow you to use them multiple times without having to budget for each individual journey – this can end up more affordable.
The essential paperwork
It’s likely that you’re going to have to invest in some new documents if you are travelling to the EU, especially if you are doing so for the first time since Brexit. Like everyone else, you have to check your passport and make sure that it’s not going to expire in the next six months. If it is, then you need a new one. However, there is a new system called ETIAS coming into force in 2023, which is designed to make travel through the EU safer and easier. This means that non-EU members who are participating in travel to a non-visa European country on the list of 60, should look up more information on applying. If you do have to make an application, then this comes with a fee that you’re going to have to pay, too.
The costs of living
If you have booked yourself a place with all-inclusive services, then you may not need to worry too much about food costs. Otherwise, there are plenty of sites that can help you calculate the average costs of eating in various cities, at different levels of quality, that you can find further information on Other costs of living you should bear in mind are little things like toiletries, first aid supplies, as well as drinks. You are in total control of these living costs and on how much you rely on local shopping and eating out, so you can be frugal, but you should always plan for some spending.
Your travel insurance
Since Brexit, the way that we do health insurance when travelling abroad has changed. Now, if you’re planning to travel abroad, you may need to look up more information on the Global Health Insurance Card. This is designed to replace the previously active European Health Insurance Card. However, this is free of charge. But other people may want extra travel insurance for any costs that are not covered by the card. As such, you should make sure to consider the different offerings from travel insurance providers. Know what you are already covered for, what each provider will cover and for how much, and how much insurance you are really likely to need. Working with a broker can help you make the decisions that really best suit your needs.
Sight-seeing and attractions
Of course, for many people, the bulk of the trip is made of the various sights you will see and the things that you get to do while travelling. If you have any specific plans, then you should try to create an itinerary and do your research online to see how much every experience is likely to cost you. You can reduce these costs by going to attractions that are free. You may also find that many cities and regions offer tourist passes that can allow you to visit a number of these attractions under one lump sum cost, which can often work out as being more cost-effective than paying for each of them separately. However, if you want to do unique experiences that certain cities are famous for – e.g. a Paris dinner cruise or a Venice gondola ride – you’ll need to factor these into your costings.
The tips above aren’t going to give you a specific idea of how much your costs are going to add up to, however, they point you in the right direction so that you can get all of your costs budgeted yourself, so that you’re ready and able to pay for your trip without too much drama.
