Solo traveling is an activity that very many people do to take time for themselves when they are starting to get tired with their work. It is undeniable that our brains definitely need something fresh, fresh air, and our eyes also need rest.

You can take advantage of long weekends and holidays to travel out of town, even abroad. Unfortunately, not everyone can make a good schedule or plan for traveling. The thing that often arises and becomes a problem is the budget. Basically, the budget is really needed no matter how small the nominal.

However, as a wise person, you must also be able to manage finances for traveling so that big losses do not occur later.

Budgeting for Solo Travelers

Even though your travel destination is close, budget planning for solo travel is still necessary. Especially if the tourist spots are far away, you have to plan a more mature vacation budget.

Planning a travel budget alone requires precision and proper research because you will do everything yourself. Don’t let it be in the middle of a vacation, you run out of money because your spending money is out of control due to careless budgeting.

Before planning your own travel budget, it’s a good idea to see how to prepare money for a trip.

1. Looking for a Side Job

If you want to travel during the long weekend next month, it’s a good idea to find a side job this month. A side job will help you more financially so you don’t lose too much later.

2. Saving Routine

There’s nothing wrong with setting aside money from your salary for vacation needs. You can set aside 10% or more of your salary every month for savings so you can plan a fun trip.

You can allocate your salary or money from a side job for shopping at tourist attractions and so on so that these vacation activities won’t leave your pockets dry when you return from vacation.

How to Plan and Pay for a Solo Trip

It can be said that everyone must have a different method for budgeting a trip alone, depending on whether they are someone who prefers to save money or prefers to buy anything on vacation.

In general, there are some tips that you can do for budgeting a trip alone. This will come in handy for anyone having a hard time managing a travel budget alone.

There are at least two ways you can plan and pay for a solo trip:

1. Decide where you are going and how you will do it.

The main thing when going on a solo trip is to determine the destination, whether it is far or near. Next, how are you going to take the trip, do you want to take a simple walk or want a luxurious vacation.

Because the difference in the choices of these two things determines the budget that you will spend. Of course, longer distances and luxury vacations will cost more.

2. Calculate the costs that you will incur.

After determining the place and style of solo trip that you want, then you have to plan a budget from the time you leave to return from the trip.

You can start calculating the costs that you will incur by doing research on the place you want, transportation and accommodation costs, what tourist attractions you want to visit, and what you want to buy.

Tips for Budgeting Solo Travelers

The right way to minimize your expenses is to calculate expenses from the largest and then reduce the budget to the smallest. You can throw away things that are unnecessary, such as lodging that is too luxurious or buying too many souvenirs.

Here are things you need to pay attention to when budgeting for solo travel.

1. Accommodation and transportation

At this stage, you can do research on what type of transportation is the cheapest but most comfortable for traveling alone, as well as accommodation that is safe for living alone.

• Transportation; For example, if you choose to use an airplane but the costs are expensive, you can consider using the train or bus if possible because the costs are cheaper. However, comfort is the main thing.
• Accommodation; Do research on the price of accommodation per night at your destination by searching it on the internet. You can choose several accommodations, then compare them in terms of prices and positive reviews from users.

2. Food

Setting up costs for food can vary greatly from one person to another. You only have to determine whether you want expensive food or simple food during a solo trip.

If you already know it, you can budget how much money you have to prepare to eat in a day. If it exceeds your budget, you can change your plan by choosing simpler foods at your next meal.

3. Tourist Ticket

At the beginning, we explained that it is important for you to determine what tourist attractions you want to visit. This is because you need to set the right budget so you don’t spend more on buying tickets to tourist attractions that aren’t on the list.

4. Budget for Walking-around

This budget is needed for other purposes while you are walking around town. For example, to buy snacks, drinks, transit fees, or others. It’s more like you’re setting up an emergency fund for small, unexpected needs while out for a walk.

5. Souvenirs

Souvenirs are something you can’t miss when you visit tourist attractions, whether just outside the city or abroad. This is useful for giving mementos that you have been to that place and also giving gifts for loved ones at home.

However, you need to calculate how much money you will spend on buying souvenirs so that it doesn’t disturb your budget for other, more important things.

6. Travel Insurance

Remember, we don’t know what awaits us in the future, especially if you are going to travel alone. Therefore you need to prepare money for travel insurance costs to protect you from bad things.

7. Expenses outside the budget

It is important for you to prepare more money among the budget lists that you have compiled. Because you are in a foreign place, it is not impossible that things will happen outside of your plans. Prepare at least 15% or 20% of the total budget.

It could be that later you are tempted to buy goods in a shop when you pass it while sightseeing, or suddenly you want to visit a tourist spot that you just found out about when you were there.

Travel Budget Breakdown

When you really want something during a solo trip, you don’t need to be too pressured to make a choice. Remember that you go alone, everything is in your hands no matter what decision it is.

You can just spend money according to the travel budget if you feel you have enough fun, satisfaction, the things you want, delicious food, and pleasant sights.

However, it’s also okay to break your travel budget plan if you feel that you can only do this once in a lifetime, and you don’t really think about how much it will cost you.

As long as you have enough money and don’t interfere with other important needs, try the things you really want when traveling alone. Whether it’s expensive food, five-star hotels, luxury entertainment, or buying lots of things you really want.

If you don’t have enough money, you can work around this by reducing your budget in several aspects, for example:

• Reduce transit costs and decide walking,
• Reduce visits to tourist attractions that are not very desirable,
• Choose a cheaper place to stay,
• Buy some souvenirs, or
• Don’t buy snacks at all.

All depends on your decision. However, it would be better if you think about a wise decision so you don’t have to regret it later.

Things You Should Pay Attention To In Budgeting Solo Travel

There are a two things that you should pay attention to when preparing a travel budget so you don’t regret it and still get happiness according to your main purpose for traveling.

1. Do not borrow money

Money from debt is someone else’s money that you have to return, including using a credit card. If you plan to travel, you should already have your own money savings.

2. Do not choose something very expensive

If you only have a small amount of funds, don’t choose something more expensive. If you can only prepare money to take economy class transportation, then don’t dare to choose business class.

Or for example, you can still choose food at roadside stalls as long as it’s hygienic, you don’t need to come to a fancy restaurant. So that your expenses will not overflow from the set budget.

Conclusion

Your purpose for traveling is to relieve stress, seek happiness, and experience, not to add burdens to your life when you return from vacation.

So, arrange your travel budget as best as possible with your own money so you can still have a peaceful vacation.