How to plan your vacation budget so that you have enough money for everything

How to plan your budget

You will have to act in several stages.

The first step is to decide how much money you are willing to spend on vacation. Remember that in addition to spending on vacation, you also have mandatory monthly payments, for example, for a communal apartment, rent or mortgage.

When you decide on the amount, think about where you want to go and get busy with preliminary calculations. Check out package tours, ticket prices, and accommodations to see if you're on budget. If not, you will have to change location or increase costs. After all, you are unlikely to be able to organize a trip to Australia for 40,000 rubles.

After you manage to reconcile desires and budget, engage in more detailed calculations. Try to create a vacation program with routes and goals. Of course, it will not be possible to take everything into account, but even an approximate plan can become a guideline for the distribution of funds. Try to plan your expenses for insurance, visas, transportation, lodging, food, entertainment, shopping and incidentals. The checklists “What not to forget about” in thematic blocks will help you with this.

If you can't stay on budget, try to cut spending on something. For example, choose a more budgetary mode of transport. Look for ideas in the sections “How to save money”.

If you still can't meet the allotted amount, increase your budget or choose another place to stay and go through the algorithm again.

How to calculate visa and insurance costs

You need to take care of the paperwork for travel in advance.

What not to forget

Visaif you need it. If you buy a tour through a travel agency, the visa processing costs may be included in the tour price. Otherwise, you will need to take these concerns on yourself. The visa fee is different in all countries. Please note that in most cases, in order to obtain a visa, you will need to confirm that you have enough money in your account for the trip. You also need to take out medical insurance.
Travel insurance … Do not neglect it, even if you are traveling to a country where you do not need to apply for a visa, for example, Thailand or Turkey. With this document, you can not only save on medical treatment, but also compensate for the loss of luggage or flight delays.
A force majeure reserve that is not covered by insurance … Set aside at least 5-10% of your budget. It is not a fact that you will spend this money. But they will definitely come in handy if, for example, your flight is canceled and you have to pay for one more night at the hotel.

How to save

Compare the cost of insurance in different companies and choose the most advantageous offer. For example, using the service "" or "".
Take out insurance with an unconditional deductible. As a rule, they are cheaper than those where the amount of damage paid by the traveler is not included. The franchise does not reduce the quality of services. It only means that you will cover the small costs of treatment (30-50 euros) yourself. And in case of more serious illnesses, the insurance will start working.
Don't opt for excess insurance. To save money, carefully read the conditions and leave in the policy those that are right for you. For example, insurance may include compensation for injuries during extreme sports. It costs more. But if the most extreme thing you are going to do is go to bed after midnight, it is hardly worth overpaying.

How to calculate transportation costs

If you decide not to travel far outside your city during your vacation, travel costs will be minimal. You just need to pawn money for public transport, taxi or car. If you're driving your own car, set aside money for gas, parking and washing. And if you decide to use car sharing, consider only rent. Most of these services do not charge customers for fuel and car maintenance.

For those who go on a journey, transport will become one of the main expenses.

What not to forget

Plane or train tickets.
Transfer to the airport or train station, and upon arrival - to the place of residence. Often people count on money for the trip only to the place of rest and forget that they still need to, for example, pay for a taxi to the hotel. These expenses seem like little things, but they eat up a significant part of the budget.
Moving around the city … When planning your trip, pay attention to the location of attractions and the distance between them. If it is too large for walking, you will have to use public transport, taxis, rented cars or bicycles.
Petrol … If you are traveling by your own car, you can calculate in advance how much money it will cost to put on fuel, taking into account the distance and the price of gasoline. To do this, use.
Car rental … If you rent a car abroad, use the services of international bureaus like,, or or an aggregator. In Russia, you can pay attention to car-sharing services "", "" and their regional counterparts. Check the prices and rental conditions on the official websites. Specify the amount of penalties for damage and pay attention to the defects that were already on the hull and in the cabin. They must be secured before using the machine.

How to save

Keep track of ticket prices. They change depending on demand. For example, three months before departure there are usually few buyers and a lot of free seats, so tickets are cheaper. But 30 days before departure, both interest and cost will increase. In order not to miss anything, subscribe to notifications from aggregator sites, for example "".
Buy tickets with departures on weekdays. It is more profitable than leaving on the weekend or Monday morning, because the demand is lower.
Buy airline tickets from low-cost airlines, but carefully check the terms of registration. Low-cost airlines are distinguished by very low prices, but their service is also minimal. You will have to pay extra for luggage, seat selection, meals on board. In addition, these carriers often work with smaller airports. For example, instead of "Heathrow" in London they choose "Luton", to which it takes a long time to get and pay extra for the train. Low-cost airlines include Pobeda, Wizz Air, AirBaltic, Ryanair, Vueling Airlines, EasyJet and others.
Do not overpay for luggage if you are flying somewhere. Flights that do not include baggage are much cheaper. Try to fit all the necessary items into your carry-on baggage.
Take advantage of discounts provided by companies and the state. Benefits are given to children, students, pensioners, people with disabilities. Check the information on the official website of the carrier. For example, Aeroflot gives a discount of up to 25% to children under 12 accompanied by an adult.
Follow the promotions on the carriers' websites. Russian Railways provides a 20% discount to families with three or more children from June 1 to August 31, 2021. However, the promotion is valid only for the compartment and only for clients of the RZD-bonus program. And "Sapsan" reduces by 30% the cost of a ticket for a passenger on his birthday, as well as seven days before and seven days after the holiday date.
Get cashback. MIR cardholders in 2021 can return up to 20% of the funds spent on travel in Russia. The main thing is to have time to buy tickets before August 31 and go on a trip from October 1 to December 24, 2021.
Buy non-refundable air and train tickets. They are cheaper, and in fact, they can be returned in the event of a forced cancellation of the trip. Illness can be a good reason, but in this case, you will need a certificate from a doctor as proof.
Do not give up connecting routes. Sometimes they are more profitable than direct flights.
Compare different types of transport and choose the most affordable one. For example, getting from Krasnodar to Yalta is cheaper by bus than by plane with a change in Simferopol, but it takes much longer.
Buy public transport passes. This is usually more profitable than paying for one-time trips. For example, in Barcelona one metro ride in one zone costs 2.4 euros. And the card for 10 trips costs 11, 35 euros.
Hitchhike. Use the application to find fellow travelers:, or. Be prepared to share the petrol fee with the driver.
Rent a bike or scooter. In Russia, this can be done using services, as well as at bike rental points in the regions. Other countries have their own rental networks, such as France.

How to calculate housing costs

Accommodation often consumes a significant portion of the budget. Of course, it all depends on the purpose of your trip. You can save money on a hotel and invest more in entertainment or shopping, but you need to decide on this in advance.

What not to forget

Accommodation in a hotel, hostel or rented accommodation. If the latter option attracts, use. There you can book an apartment or a house.
Additional services … Check if the room rate includes breakfast, electrical appliances and towels. In some hotels, you have to pay extra for them, but this is not warned at the front desk.
Tourist fees … In some European countries this tax is fixed, while in others the fee depends on the cost of living and is approximately 5% of the hotel fee. In Russia, the resort tax is valid in the Crimea, Krasnodar, Stavropol and Altai Territories. The price depends on the region and ranges from 10 to 50 rubles per day per person.

How to save

Use the services with which you can compare hotel prices, for example, or.
When choosing a place to stay, look at its location on the map. Hotels on the outskirts of the city are cheaper, but this can be disadvantageous due to the need for transfers to attractions or the beach.
Choose hostels. They are cheaper, but less comfortable: the most budget rooms are designed for several people.
Get tickets for a night flight or train so as not to spend money on lodging. This is true if you are constantly changing the place of rest. In this case, you can not overpay for the night at the hotel, but sleep on the road. You can take a shower at the train station or at the rest station. In Europe they are located on autobahns and are often used by hitchhikers. You can also negotiate with the hostel and use their shower and toilet without settling.
Try camping, but keep in mind that you will need to pay extra for a tent, sleeping bags and other accessories if you do not have your own.
Use the service for couchsurfers. These are such travelers who offer each other to stay at their place for free or for a nominal fee. You can find hospitable hosts in a special service. If you dare, be sure to check the reviews on the host's profile. And send more messages in advance asking you to live: some of the hosts may not respond.
Look for accommodation in metropolitan areas where there are many hotels and hostels. Sometimes it is more profitable than paying for accommodation in the wilderness, where there are fewer offers. And you can go to a small town and see the sights in one day, without settling.
Book your room in advance. Prices will rise as demand increases. Or, conversely, wait until someone from the guests cancels the reservation and the cost of housing falls. But this is an option for the risky.

How to calculate food costs

When traveling, download a couple of apps to find nearby restaurants. In Yandex. Maps and The Fork, you can find a suitable institution based on the average bill. Multiply the value by three and add another third to half of the amount for snacks and drinks. You will receive the cost of meals per day per person.

What not to forget

Even if you do not leave your city, you still need to leave money for groceries home, as well as lunches or dinners in a cafe. For example, if you are going to a festival in the park for the whole day.

How to save

When traveling, ask the locals about where you can eat deliciously and inexpensively. Such establishments are sometimes not displayed on maps.
Pay attention to business lunches: usually it is more profitable than ordering meals separately.
Avoid places where you have to put food on your own plate. You won't know the cost of a meal until you weigh everything at the checkout, and you can go far beyond your budget.
Some establishments, such as bakeries, sell assortment at deep discounts before closing. Watch out for such promotions.
Buy ready-made meals from supermarket cookery. Prices are usually lower there than in cafes.
Don't just rely on street food like donuts or doners. It is often more profitable to have a snack at a buffet or fast food chain.
Cook it yourself. In some hotels and hostels, guests have access to a kitchen and the necessary equipment. However, it is not always cheaper than eating out in eateries. Plus, cooking takes time that you don't want to waste on vacation.
Dine in the markets. It is more profitable. Well, there you can also taste the national cuisine.

How to calculate entertainment expenses

You will hardly be able to accurately predict these expenses in advance, but you should not forget about them.

Check the ticket prices for the biggest events you want to attend. For example, if you know for sure that you are planning to go to the water park with the whole family, and you want to estimate how much money to put in for this purpose. Leave also a small amount for small wishes like movies. Match it to your budget.

What not to forget

This category includes excursions, boat trips, trips to amusement parks, concerts and much more.

How to save

Don't buy excursions. Better use the free services, where you can find information about attractions and build routes around the city. For example, or.
Buy tickets to museums through the official websites. Some institutions give a discount for electronic registration in an attempt to unload cash registers.
Also check the website for information on happy hours, when there are additional discounts on attractions, and free days. For example, the Pushkin Museum in Moscow opens free visits for large families on the last Tuesday of the month.
Use public transport instead of tourist buses.
Prepare documents in advance to prove your benefits, such as a retirement certificate, school certificate, or student ID. To receive a discount abroad, a student needs to apply for an international ISIC card. You can do this on the official website.
Buy a City tourist card. This is a subscription, thanks to which you can visit museums and galleries for free or with a big discount. City card can be issued for one or several days.
If you buy a tour, arrange with other tourists to pay for the group and get a discount.
Read reviews: they often contain information about discounts and promotions. Look for reviews on maps on the Internet or in social networks using geotags.

How to calculate expenses for gifts, souvenirs and unplanned purchases

In general, everything is clear with the first items of expenditure. But the latter usually causes difficulties: how can you plan the unplanned? Nevertheless, it is important to set aside a small amount for such expenses: about 5% of the budget. So you don't have to remember where a couple of thousand rubles went.

Svetlana Shishkina Consultant of the Ministry of Finance project on financial literacy. Quote from the book ""

It is better to plan money for all the articles - albeit a little - than to think feverishly later than to plug a hole that has suddenly formed. Be sure to budget for spontaneous purchases. Let these spontaneous expenses be completely unaccountable, but remain within the planned amount. So it will be easier for the brain to accept the need to limit itself in something. And the budget will not suffer from sudden bouts of shopaholism.

What not to forget

Gifts and souvenirs.
Unplanned purchases … These include snacks while walking around the city, additional services on the beach (sun lounger or umbrella), or fees for photo and video filming during an excursion.

How to save

Compare prices in different stores: the assortment of souvenirs is the same everywhere, but the price tags may differ slightly.
Avoid buying souvenirs near attractions or on the main tourist streets. In the markets and on the outskirts of the city, they are usually cheaper.
Pay attention to the shops with fixed prices "all for 300".
Use the Tax Free system. With its help, you can get value added tax refund on purchases made abroad. To do this, you need to have a receipt and a special service form. It can be taken directly from the seller in the store. The documents together with the customs seal must be sent to the Tax Free operator. Usually, the period during which it is possible to refund the tax is limited: it is a period of up to three or six months.
Buy gifts at duty-free. There you can save on duty.
Try to bargain.