You've got over the shock of the price of your air ticket, but how much does all the other stuff cost? And come to think of it, what is all the other stuff? Add it up:
| Before you go | |
| Airline ticket | $______________ |
| Airport taxes | $______________ |
| Passport | $______________ |
| Passport photos | $______________ |
| Visas for each country (if required) | $______________ |
| Vaccinations shots | $______________ |
| Luggage/backpack | $______________ |
| Luggage locks | $______________ |
| First aid kit | $______________ |
| Extra supplies of prescribed medicines | |
| (i.e. for diabetes or asthma) | $______________ |
| Sunscreen | $______________ |
| Sunglasses | $______________ |
| Toiletries (small size) | $______________ |
| Travel guides | $______________ |
| Foreign language dictionary | $______________ |
| Camera/video cam | $______________ |
| Music and headset | $______________ |
| Spare batteries/charger | $______________ |
| Plug converters | $______________ |
| Diary/notebook | $______________ |
| Books/magazines to read | $______________ |
| Phone card/mobile phone | $______________ |
| Clothes/shoes | $______________ |
| Specialist gear (like sleeping bag, mozzie nets) | $______________ |
| Travel insurance | $______________ |
| While you're away | |
| Accommodation | $________per day |
| Food | $________per day |
| Local transport/hire car | $________per day |
| Local tours | $______________ |
| Replacing anything you lose in your travels! | $______________ |
There are lots of ways to keep costs down...so read on!
Most young Australians travel on a budget, especially if they're backpacking.
Before you go, you can save money by making sure you've thought about the essentials and what you really need while you're away. Do you need an ultra-warm sleeping bag if you're not going to a freezing climate? Could a less expensive backpack still hold everything you need? Do you want to draw attention to yourself with expensive clothes or accessories - like a watch, or name-brand sunglasses - in a less affluent country where you may become a target? Rather, save your money for your trip.
Once you've taken off, you might find that local trips and accommodation are cheaper on arrival than pre-booking. If you're travelling in the low season or on the edge of the peak season, you might also find that many other things are also cheaper. Special souvenirs can be treasured for a lifetime, but you could buy one or two that you really like, rather than a bucket-load that you'll never be able to fit anywhere. Memories last longer than trinkets so don't forget to add in the cost of tours. They can be expensive, but if you budget in advance, you don't have to miss out on once-in-a-lifetime adventures. You don't get to ride an elephant everyday.
Stay mobile. Remember to check if you need to activate global roaming on your mobile if you want to stay in touch by SMS. If you need to have a phone, consider taking a (not-too-expensive-looking) phone from home and using prepaid network services in other countries. Or look at a prepaid phone card. It can be a lot cheaper than global roaming.
It also pays to travel light. If you can stick to the standard baggage limit - generally 20kg for economy class - you'll avoid whopping excess baggage charges. For example, if you're travelling from Sydney to London with a major carrier, current excess baggage charges could see you forking out almost $60 for every extra kilo. Cop that! However, if you're going away for months you may need more than just a backpack. So take a tip on how you can pack as much as you need and avoid excess baggage charges.
Tip - Send it as unaccompanied baggage
Sending your belongings as unaccompanied baggage means you won't have them with you on the flight, but it's much cheaper than forking out for excess baggage. All you have to do is turn up at the airline desk with your baggage, together with your valid airline ticket and photo identification, such as a driver's licence or passport. If you want your things to be waiting for you on your arrival, you need to send them two or three days before your departure. As weight and other restrictions may apply (for instance, some carriers won't let you send unaccompanied baggage from the US), it's best to check with your airline first.
Tip - Post or freight home what you don't need
If you're on a long trip, another alternative is to ship back anything you no longer need to have with you - such as trinkets you've collected on your travels or all that snowboarding gear you needed in Jackson Hole but won't need in Tahiti.
Tip - Sell it or swap it
If you're staying in hostels or meeting other travellers along the way, you may come across people willing to buy items you want to get rid of, or swap things such as books you've both finished with. Recycling your belongings, rather than throwing them away, is the environmentally friendly way to lighten your load.