literate traveller » Traveling

What is a Realistic Budget for Traveling?

keith — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 20:33:30 +0000

One you can afford ? seriously. ?
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Look at how much you earn. What can you put aside for a trip? What are you prepared to sacrifice to make your trip a reality? Maybe you?ve been saving for a while and have a few thousand dollars in the bank. You do? Great. Well that?s your realistic budget. If you want to fly to Europe tomorrow and you only have ten dollars in the bank then you are not being realistic. But it might be enough to get you in to the local museum for a few hours escape.
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When you are setting your budget, be practical. Everyone has different needs for their travel experience and if your travel plans include overseas flights, you will need to budget accordingly. Sure you can find great deals and get there cheaper than you might have expected, but make sure you have enough money in your budget to not only get you there but to travel around, find a place to sleep, oh and have enough money to be able to eat!?
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So how do you go about setting a budget? Following these steps might help:
1. Draw up a table with two columns.
2. Column A is for Expense Items. Column B is for Approximate Costs.
3. In column A write down all the things you can think of that will cost you money while traveling. These might include: air flights, car hire/fuel allowance, travel passes, sight-seeing tours, accommodation, food, insurance, immunizations, and souvenirs.
4. In column B write an estimate of how much you think these things will cost while on your trip. You can research your travel costs quite easily on the Internet. Food allowance might be a bit more difficult. If you are traveling alone, as a couple or in a family you will need to budget food costs accordingly.
5. Now add up the costs. This will give you an estimate of how much your trip will cost. Can you afford it? Yes ? then this is a realistic budget for you. If not, then you may have to rethink your destination and the type of travel experience you want.
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Remember that this table will only be an estimate of your travel costs. You must also budget for incidentals and prepare yourself for things to not go to plan. For example, have you got enough money in your budget to buy new clothes if your luggage goes missing? A realistic travel budget will have extra built in to it to cover emergencies. Setting yourself a budget of about sixty-five dollars a day, if traveling alone, is a reasonable amount. If you are traveling as a family or in a group, this number will be vastly different. ?
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Also consider if you will be traveling and working. If this is the case, then you may not need as much to start with, just enough money to get you to your destination and a place to live while you look for work. (And enough money to buy you food until you begin earning a wage. )
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Start making your travel plans with your budget in mind. Don?t exceed your budget, always keep a little in reserve so you can buy that fantastic Italian leather handbag or go jet-skiing in Hawaii if the desire takes you!
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This article is brought to you by: Stuart S. Travel ? Your Online Travel Guru
www. stuartstravel. com

Stuart S. Travel / Your All World Online Travel Guru:
Sherry Hardesty has been a professional flight attendant for over 15 years. Her experience is extensive and she provides professional travel consulting and booking services at http://www. stuartstravel. com

Traveling at the Right Time of Year Costs Less

keith — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 20:34:05 +0000

The best time to travel is in the holidays, right? Not if you want to make big savings on your traveling costs it?s not. If you travel in off peak (or low season) periods, or even in the shoulder season, you?ll find traveling costs a lot less.
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Where are you traveling? Do you know the peak travel times for this destination? Summer and spring, no matter where you are, are generally considered the peak seasons to travel, unless you are a winter sports enthusiast. In that case, ski resorts will be having their peak season in winter. And what hemisphere are you thinking of visiting? The seasons differ depending on whether you are north or south. For example, the North America summer months are June, July, August but in Australia the summer months are December, January and February. You will need to research your destination to find out the low season times to visit.
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First of all, what type of savings can you expect to make if you travel in the off-peak season??
1. Air fares are much cheaper. There are less people wanting to fly so air carriers drop their prices to attract customers. Take advantage of these great savings. If you are traveling in the high season, see if you can book a flight mid-week. These flights are generally cheaper too.
2. Accommodation is cheaper and more readily available. In high season it can be difficult to find a place to stay in popular tourist destinations and when you do find somewhere it can be up to twice as much as when traveling in the off peak.
3. Eating in restaurants can be cheaper too. Owners will be trying to attract patrons so see what sort of deals you can find when eating out.
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There are some other positives to traveling in the off peak season, other than saving money. There are fewer tourists for one, so visiting any cultural sight will be much more enjoyable. You can get more of an idea of what a destination is really like without the thousands of extra people. Experiencing the true culture is a real bonus. Did you know that opera season is in full swing in Europe in winter? Or that winter in Australia is often the best time to visit places in the north when the humidity and heat are bearable. Or how about visiting the best holiday markets in Germany in December? Do some research to find out what your chosen destination can offer in off peak, ones that you won?t experience in high season travel times.
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So what are the negatives of traveling in the off peak? Well there are a few, but if you plan well you can overcome most drawbacks. Off peak usually means traveling in colder weather and that also means less daylight hours. Pack wisely and remember to dress in layers for the cold weather. Some tourist places close earlier or do not open at all in the off peak, so check up before you go so you are not disappointed. You will also find that in some areas the public transport system does not run as often as in peak tourist season. Find out what options you have to get to places and don?t be caught out missing the last bus home in the middle of winter, in the middle of nowhere! Some hotels and museums close down for the winter to re-furbish and get ready for the next high season influx of tourists. You can gamble and bargain your way to a great accommodation deal once you get to your destination, but all your bartering skills will be of no use if the hotels are all closed. It?s best to check what?s open before you go.
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If traveling in the off-peak doesn?t sound attractive to you, then you might like to try the shoulder season and still get some travel price reductions. The shoulder season is considered the period leading up to and away from the high season. Usually in this time you?ll get decent weather, less crowds and lower travel costs ? not the great bargains you?ll get in off peak, but lower costs nonetheless.
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This article is brought to you by: Stuart S. Travel ? Your Online Travel Guru
www. stuartstravel. com

Tips for Saving When Traveling in a Group

keith — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 20:32:52 +0000

Traveling in a group? You are the holiday packagers dream! Imagine being able to offload bulk airline seats, rail passes and entertainment packages in one booking. A group traveling is a wanted commodity and because of this you can secure great deals for your group. But as always, beware of any hidden ?extras? such as cancellation policies and preferred partners when stepping outside the package. Be prepared to shop around for the best deal. ?
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Here are some tips for the traveling group on a budget:
1. Travel insurance can be bought through some companies where savings can be ten percent or more. A group usually consists of four or more. Contact a number of travel insurance agencies and compare quotes.
2. Pack as many people as you can into your hotel room (keeping it legal). The more heads in the room, the higher the number to divide the cost by.
3. Renting a car when traveling in a group of four is usually cheaper than buying travel passes ? and more convenient.
4. Food, guidebooks, taxi fares can all be split between the group bringing costs down.
5. Rail passes for groups or pairs may find discount offers in some countries.
6. Some airlines offer discount rates to groups of ten or more traveling together.
7. Group package bookings that have everything included in the price will have all expenses covered so you won?t be surprised by any extra costs, apart from shopping!
8. Discount holiday packages for large groups of travelers are offered through a number of travel agencies. Sports fans may be able to travel to big events using one of these travel packages for much cheaper than organizing it on their own.
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If you want to join a group tour so you don?t have to travel alone consider all the pros and cons. Will there be like-minded people? Is there any flexibility to the travel arrangements? If not, will this outweigh the savings you?ll make on joining the tour? Some travelers like the convenience of all the travel arrangements being made for them. Group tour operators will find the best fares and reputable places to stay in. This saves you the hassle but it may mean that some of the cultural experiences you want will have to be put aside for the relatively cheaper ride.
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Traveling in a family group can also benefit from a number of offers. Inform your booking agent that it is a family and ask about any special offers or deals. Can you visit any amusement parks or tourist attractions at family discount rates?
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When traveling in a group, never be afraid to ask for a discounted rate. Everyone involved in the tourism trade is looking to get large numbers on seats or through doors. Groups are welcomed and catered for accordingly.
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This article is brought to you by: Stuart S. Travel ? Your Online Travel Guru
www. stuartstravel. com

Why Traveling Without Insurance May Cost You More

keith — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:55:35 +0000

You are going traveling. You have lots of expenses to cover. You need to pay for your air fare, your accommodation, your food, your travel while away, cultural experiences and the list goes on. You want to save money so you decide not to bother with travel insurance. You are going on the trip of a lifetime so nothing will go wrong. It?s an unnecessary expense so you don?t need it. Wrong. Very wrong. Traveling with out insurance can be the biggest mistake you make when organizing your trip and a very costly one.
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What is travel insurance? Well there are two kinds of insurance to look at when traveling.
1. Travel insurance, (sometimes called trip insurance) which covers cancellations, delays, lost baggage and emergencies.
2. Travel medical insurance protects you against any medical expense while traveling.
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Ideally, you need a combination of the two when traveling. ?
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Imagine these scenarios:
You are in Darwin, Australia when a cyclone hits the area. The city is devastated by the cyclone and all services shut down. You have to be evacuated and sent home. Your travel insurance will cover you for this. You do have travel insurance don?t you?
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Your luggage goes missing in India. You need to buy new clothes and fast. Can you afford it in your budget? Of course you can, you took out traveler?s insurance ? didn?t you?
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Or what if you go surfing in Hawaii and take a big wipeout? You are so severely injured you need surgery and major medical assistance, and then are airlifted home. But that?s okay ? your travel medical insurance covers all that. You have got it, haven?t you?
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Travel insurance is there to protect you in case bad things happen on your trip. It is a necessary expense. Overseas medical costs can be astronomical if you are not insured. And if you are injured in a developing country, medical attention may not be as good as at home. If you are insured you can get flown home and attended to at no cost.
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Every year the government deals with thousands of cases of travelers being injured, falling ill or dying overseas. This is a distressing situation for all involved, but made even worse when the travelers are not insured, often leaving them with huge bills to pay. Hospitalization in other countries can cost over one thousand dollars a day. Medical evacuations can be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and if you die in Europe, it can cost over ten thousand dollars to bring your body back home. If you do not have travel insurance you have to cover these costs yourself (or your family will have to find the money).
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Travel insurance is a cost you need to budget for. If you don?t take it out, your medical expenses could cost a whole lot more. Insure yourself and travel safe.
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This article is brought to you by: Stuart S. Travel ? Your Online Travel Guru
www. stuartstravel. com

How Could Traveling The Speed Of Light Lead Us To Time Travel?

keith — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 22:55:44 +0000

In a question, someone answered that if we were able to travel the speed of light, then we could somehow achieve time travel. How would this happen?
Also, how could we make time travel possible? Is there some formula to it? I think time travel is a really awesome concept, and I want to learn more about it.