Projects
Travel budget: work it out before, hold it during
The flight is never the problem. It's the three weeks on the ground, and the four things nobody counts.
Count backwards
Most people start from what they can save and see where it gets them. Do the opposite: price the trip first, divide by the number of months left, and you'll know immediately whether the date holds.
| Flights | 780.— |
| Accommodation (12 nights) | 960.— |
| Food (12 × 45) | 540.— |
| Local transport | 220.— |
| Activities | 300.— |
| Contingency (10%) | 280.— |
| Total | 3,080.— |
| Over 7 months | 440.— / month |
440 a month is a decision you can make. « I'd like to go to Japan » is not.
The four things always forgotten
Before you leave
Suitcase, adapter, vaccines, visa, cancellation cover, sun cream. Easily 150 to 300 that goes in the week before.
Getting to the airport
Two journeys, sometimes a night taxi, sometimes a week's parking. The ticket costs 780; getting to it costs 90.
Exchange rates and withdrawals
Between 2 and 5% depending on the card, plus a fixed fee per withdrawal. On 1,500 spent on the ground, that's up to 75 lost.
The month you come back
The fridge is empty, the bills carried on, and you still want to go out. The month after a trip always costs more than average.
The 10% contingency is not negotiable. It isn't for souvenirs, it's for the missed train, the doctor, the unplanned hotel night. If you come home without using it, it joins the next trip.
Holding the budget on the ground
The classic trap: spending 60% of the budget in the first four days, then restricting yourself for the rest. Two simple moves avoid it:
- Divide per day, not per trip. 45 a day can be watched; 540 just gets spent.
- Record the same evening. Five seconds per expense, and every morning you know where you stand. Exchange fees make bank statements unreadable anyway.
If the date doesn't hold
Three levers, in this order: push the date back by a month or two, shorten the trip (beyond a week, nights cost more than the flight), or change season. Cutting the daily budget on the ground is the worst of the four: that's the one that ruins the trip.
⚠️ And a trip is not financed from the emergency fund. Two different pockets, for two different purposes.
Common questions
How do I work out a travel budget?
Price the trip item by item first — flights, accommodation, food, transport, activities — add 10% contingency, then divide by the number of months left before you go.
What do people forget most often?
The costs before leaving (suitcase, insurance, visa), getting to the airport, exchange and withdrawal fees, and the month you come back, which always costs more than average.
How much contingency should I allow?
10% of the total. It is for surprises, not souvenirs: the missed train, the doctor, the unplanned hotel night.
Can I use my emergency fund to travel?
No. The emergency fund covers hard knocks; a trip is a project. Two separate pockets — otherwise the first one stops serving any purpose.
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