The holiday season is just around the corner, and what better way to spend it than to travel? You probably already have the seemingly perfect plan in place.
Unfortunately, even the best-laid plans could have a flaw, and just a single one could blow the whole thing up. Truth be told, holidays are such a busy time, and with lots of things to do, you may find yourself making small mistakes while thinking you’re doing the right thing.
Traveling is an expensive undertaking, so you’d want to avoid anything that eats into your budget. So, what mistakes should you avoid?
Booking on Extreme Ends
Most people make holiday plans long before the season arrives, but it turns out that booking flights that early may have you paying more than you would later on. The assumption most people have is that an early booking saves on cost, but data collected by Adobe Digital begs to differ.
As the company’s lead analyst explains, booking a flight six months early is pretty expensive. Vivek Pandya, therefore, advises travelers to book tickets in early December, preferably the first week, as prices go down by at least 13%.
Booking late is also not the best way to go about it, as the week just before the holidays comes with an 8% increase in flight prices.
Forgetting the Extras
When planning for a trip, the things that never miss on your budget include the flight, accommodation, food, and probably even a rental car. That’s all well and good, but people tend to forget the little things, which in truth, could hurt your budget.
Have you thought about snack breaks? What about ATM fees and tolls? They probably weren’t at the top of your head, but these expenses could be as much as $50 per day, and depending on the length of your trip, the figure could amount to a considerable amount.
Sarah Schilichter, the editor at SmarterTravel, advises that you should set aside between $25 and $50 per day to cater for these expenses.
Forgetting About Travel Insurance
If there’s something not many people think about when they’re planning for holiday travel, it has got to be insurance. Travel insurance may cover medical expenses, lost luggage, trip cancellation, or even missed connections.
In the event of a mishap, this insurance could really come in handy. After all, isn’t it better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it? Take the smart choice and take out a travel insurance plan.
Food and Entertainment
Do you plan on eating out during your trip? If yes, is that expense on your budget? Most people may have accommodation figured out, but food may be seen as an afterthought. After all, they assume that they won’t eat much, don’t they?
But not including this expense in your budget to have serious repercussions, and you don’t want to be stranded away from home, do you?
As for entertainment, look for hotels that offer your preferred services, instead of having to go elsewhere and pay for them. That’s an extra dollar spent, isn’t it?