11 Hidden Travel Expenses and Ways to Avoid Them
Traveling is the most beautiful experience. Each place creates special and unique memories. Avid travelers believe the power of wanderlust is real. There are ‘n’ numbers of beautiful destinations across the globe that you can visit. However, sometimes the expenses for traveling may go beyond expectations. The over-budget trips can spoil the fun of the trip.
“Expecting the unexpected” can be your motto of traveling, but one may not feel the same about the expenses on a trip. While the hotel and travel costs are known, many small expenses are challenging to calculate well in advance—food, shopping, local travel, etc. Moreover, there can be some additional unexpected costs that you may encounter. A little research and preparations can help you avoid these unexpected travel expenditures.
Here’s the list of the 11 most common surprising travel costs and ways to avoid them.
1. Baggage Fees
Depending upon the airlines, baggage charges may vary. Each airline has different size dimensions and weights, and the cost depends on their terms and policy. Before packing your bags for the trip, make sure you go through the airlines’ policy of weight and size. Also, recheck your ticket to ensure that your luggage is included with the ticket. There are plenty of budget-friendly flights to Dubai and other holiday destinations, check and book accordingly.
2. Meals On The Plane
Some airlines offer meals free of cost, and some are chargeable. If you are on a long layover, choose the meal as per your budget. Don’t overspend the amount in the initial stage so that you lose the chance of spending them at last.
3. Booking of the Hotel
Hotel rooms are meant for relaxation at the end of the day-long sightseeing. Most people book a room of their choice based on their budget. But at checkout, they realize that the hotel has added cleaning charges, service fees, etc., and the bill amount is escalated more than they expected. Therefore, you must check about all the inclusive and exclusive costs at the time of booking.
Go through the details of the room. Make sure that it covers all the payments from the initial stage till the end. If you are checking the room online, do not make the payment bluntly. Check all the attached fees to it. If you are making payment via offline mode, go through the bill at least once and check out all the charges they have added to your invoice.
4. Tourist Taxes
The other name for tourist tax is hotel tax. This tax is imposed on tourists coming from other countries. It is usually paid at the time of hotel booking. Moreover, the traveler is asked to pay the tax in cash only at some places. UAE also charges some taxes from tourists. Some of the charges tourists may have to bear while in the UAE are:
- 10% tax on the room rate.
- 10% service charge.
- 10% municipality fee.
- 6-10% city tax.
- 6% tourism fee.
Dubai hotels may charge anywhere between AED 7 to 20, depending on the hotel’s grade and category. Before booking, confirm and check the tax amount.
5. Cab Fees
Dubai has a very good cab service. You can get cab from any place for almost all destinations. If you are a solo female traveller, female only cabs are also available. If the prices of cabs seem high to you, you can check the availability of public transportation such as the metro, bus, or a shuttle.
6. Download The Language Offline
Though languages add to the country’s beauty, they can resist you from understanding some information. Make sure the cost of things does not get lost in translation. Therefore, you can use Google translate. You can download the language for offline use as well.
7. Roaming Charges
Wherever you are, you love to stay connected to people at home. Moreover, it is a MUST to keep updating your Insta and FB with your travel stories. All this needs an uninterrupted internet and when you are traveling.
Turn off cellular data and roaming on your phone to avoid expensive bills, use a Wi-Fi connection whenever possible. Prefer purchasing a new sim card at your destination. You can get a local phone number, and can freely text, call, and use cellular data. Plans will likely cost less than purchasing an international plan from your existing service provider.
8. Connect To Hotel/ Restaurants Wi-Fi
Most hotels have Wi-Fi connections, but some hotels may charge you for using the internet. Connecting to Wi-Fi is usually one of the first things people do after check-in. Ask at the reception for the availability of Wi-Fi and any additional cost for it. The Wi-Fi password is generally written on the menu, or you can call reception and ask.
9. Tipping
Few restaurants have the method of adding automatic tips to your bill. Be conscious while paying the bill at a restaurant, hotel, café, etc. You may be at a loss if you keep clicking ok on automated bills. Check all the details when you are paying the bill, either through the card or in cash. Ask beforehand if tips are applied automatically, or you can add the amount as per your choice.
10. Debit And Credit Card Fees
Some banks charge fees on the usage of accounts out of the country. You can be charged for ATM fees or withdrawal fees. Swiping your credit or debit card while out of the country can result in paying extra fees to your bank.
You can withdraw money from your bank account before leaving your country to avoid such expenses. You can also call the customer service of your bank to confirm if there is an extra charge on the usage of the card internationally.
11. Emergencies
While going on vacation, no one is expecting any medical emergencies. Being in a joyful mood, we want to live each moment. However, there is always an underlying risk of mishaps when you are on holiday. Sometimes, your body may not adjust to climatic conditions, or you meet an accident. These circumstances are inevitable. Start preparing for them in advance by taking all the requisite vaccines, medicines, safe travel insurance, emergency funds, etc.
Wrap up
Exploring a new place is an adventurous task. Though unexpected incidents may occur many times, simple proactiveness can help you curb these expenses. However, taking care of every aspect may not be easy, and things can get blurry. Do not get the worries of payments to override the pleasure of your trip. Keep some extra cash with you for uncertain expenditures.
