How much can you afford to spend? Consider the transportation and accommodation options laid out in steps 2 and 3. Then make choices that suit your financial situation.

When researching costs make sure they are based on your country’s currency. Otherwise you will need to factor in exchange rates and fees.

Compare several options and the total estimated daily cost of each. You will find that the daily cost of a 7-day cruise or stay at a certain resort can be much higher than the daily cost of a 14-day cruise or stay at a different resort. This is the case even though the total price of the short cruise or stay is substantially lower. You want to ensure you are getting the best value, not necessarily the lowest price.

Calculating Costs

When preparing your budget account for all transportation costs, including trains, planes and automobiles. Don’t forget taxis, car rentals and fuel. Factor in the cost of travel to, or parking at the airport. Include the cost of checked baggage, and cancellation insurance.

Travel insurance is an absolute necessity. You may have already purchased it through your credit card company. Ensure you have coverage for overseas emergencies. Don’t leave home without it.

Unless you will be on a cruise, staying at a resort or taking some other all-inclusive vacation, meals will be a significant additional expense. Consider accommodation options laid out in Step 3, and the effect they will have on your budget. Those that allow you to prepare your own meals will reduce your costs considerably.

You must also budget for sightseeing and other activities. Look for discounts and explore websites such as Groupon. But don’t book in advance for anything you are not entirely sure you will be doing. Plans often change due to weather, time constraints and other factors that are unforeseeable. However, anything you are booking through a cruise line is best done in advance, as there will likely be exchange rates and fees applied to anything you buy on board.

Select Contact Me from the website’s menu and request a free, comprehensive, Budget Template that can be completed, saved and stored electronically.

Controlling Costs

Stay Somewhere where Free Wi-Fi is provided. Depending on what time of year you travel, it might get dark early. In fall and winter you may not want to be outside exploring as late as you might on a summer evening. No matter the reason, if you’re going to be spending a lot of time inside make sure to stay somewhere with free Wi-Fi. You can use this time to Skype, Zoom or FaceTime your family and friends back home to check in and recount your adventures for the day. And you might also use your Wi-Fi to stream movies, respond to emails, and surf the web.

Some credit cards provide access to Wi-Fi hotspot locations around the globe. See if yours is one of them

Look into the possibility of redeeming Air Miles or earned travel rewards associated with your credit card for free flights, hotel stays, and car rentals.

Determine if you have accumulated a sufficient number of Aeroplan Miles or similar airlines points for use in purchasing flights.

Raising Revenue

Finally, you must determine what you are willing to do to secure the necessary funds, and when they will be available. There are usually competing demands on our resources that force us to make tough choices.

Travel can be justified on many levels, depending on your actions and intentions.

1. You can travel for charitable purposes, to help others.

2. You can travel as a means of respite or self-care to ensure you have the mental strength to continue fulfilling your responsibilities when you return.

3. In some circumstances travel can be physically healing.

4. You can travel to increase your knowledge and understanding of the world and the people in it.

5. Travel can be a pilgrimage or form of worship.

6. Travel can even be a lifestyle like any other that combines work with pleasure.

Whatever your purpose, once you have determined when and where you will be traveling and what you can afford, you can take Step 2.