Travel budget priorities

Yes to buying a seat in advance. Not so important for the hour flight to Toronto, but any distance travel; particularly an overnight flight, I want to choose that window seat.
I have dates to consider, so I book flights that work to that not travel to suit a seat sale.
I now have a credit card that has an annual fee, but no foreign transaction fees (this is a rare thing in Canada), accumulation for travel credits based on overall spending, and 6 free airport lounge vouchers. Now, these have become real treats for me particularly for meals and places of respite on long flights. From Ottawa it is rare to get a direct flight outside the country, so I can now take advantage of these lounges enroute. As I often leave straight from work, then if it has a shower, I can freshen up and change clothes before that overnight flight. The card isn't free, but it pays for itself and more. It also has a very strong insurance portion that saved me about $700 over some of the quotes for an extended cruise.
I have a self imposed $100 Cdn accommodation budget. I know, some would find this unreal, but so far it works. This usually finds me safe, comfortable short let apartments via AirBnB, or local 2 star family run hotels in the right countries. If I save in one city, I can add in another. For what it is worth, this is also my cruise daily budget I try to attain and that buys a solo cruiser with their single supplement a cabin and meals.
I take local transit or walk.
Rarely pay for a day tour, as the free walking tours are sufficient.
With the apartment, I eat in more often than not, and depending how long service takes, I often eat my large meal at lunch. Bring on the menu del dia!
Where I don't scrimp is daily activities. That's the reason I travel, so I pay what it takes to get in to where I want to be.
The other thing I often do and often costs the most is a private birdwatching day when it is somewhere with new birds. Though an introvert, I love the time spent with a local to discuss a common interest and then whatever else there is to discuss. I learn a lot about the local situation outside what a true hospitality industry worker would chat about.

Well, Allan, from your many posts I'd never have pegged you as an introvert. Of course I mean that in a good way, you've given us lots of fun and thought-provoking topics especially for a time when our travel is vicarious. ;-)

I will spring for "economy comfort" seating on the transatlantic flights. I'm a little shorter than you but I need that legroom. Of course I'm looking at 9-10 hours nonstop and you're probably looking at shorter flights via a North American hub (Toronto?). And we have used private-car services for early morning first-time arrivals at very unfamiliar places like Budapest, Amsterdam and Athens.

We like the kind of hotels you describe, centrally located, and for a long enough stay it's very nice to have a comfortable chair along with the basics. We've also had mostly good experiences with apartments for stays of a week or more.

I think you make good points about day group tours, but it can be hard to find a good one that doesn't funnel you through a lot of shopping. That's important to many people but for me a waste of time. Lately I've been focusing on RS tours, with uniformly excellent guides and no stores (but free time to shop if that's your thing).

We're not "foodies" either, and I have trouble sitting still long enough for a typical European restaurant dinner (or staying up late enough in some countries). Often it makes sense to have a satisfying sit-down lunch as a break from a busy walking day, then a light dinner at an hour when the locals eating are mostly families with kids.

But I haven't given up on that big Lotto win that will let me write my own ticket, so to speak. If I could just get interested enough to buy the lottery ticket in the first place.....

EDIT: Maria's post above reminded me how helpful an airport lounge pass can be with a long layover. I spent eight hours at Heathrow waiting for a connection to Venice, basically all day, and a ~$50 investment was well worth it for the food, comfortable seating, quiet, and clean bathrooms.

I will pay more if needed to get the flight that suits my needs, from timing & location of layovers to arrival/departure times, and choosing the seat I want.

I generally will do public transport from airport to hotel but only during the day-- there are times that it just makes sense (or is the only option) to take a taxi.

Food--solo travel has made me a bit tougher in terms of marching proudly into an upscale restaurant (if that's what I truly want, I have also been known to eat at McDonald's, which I don't do at home) and asking for a table for 1 and enjoying a splendid meal. Generally, I prefer a hotel with breakfast provided, then in the afternoon I always find time for coffee & some delightful pastries or cakes, and dinner at a sit-down restaurant. Or I'll do a sit-down lunch and have a substantial snack around dinner time--my vague rule is one "nice" meal per day. I don't budget when it comes to food, it's my vacation and I consider good dining experiences essential.

Lodging--lots of research is done to determine exactly which location will best serve my needs and also feel safe for walking to/from in the evening, and offer a pleasant environment to relax in. I only stay in hotels, prefer the anonymity of them and that there's a 24 hr front desk--breakfast, free wi-fi, A/C, attractive décor and space all factors into my choice. I tend towards the upper limits of mid-range--if I'm seeing rooms from, say, $90-175 per night, I tend to end up in the $150 room.

ETA--seeing Andrea's post reminded me about buying a piece of jewelry as a souvenir; always something artisan-made, possibly even vintage as I love flea markets in Europe. Right now I am wearing my silver ring of the Budapest skyline, an unusual ring from Tallinn along with a lace agate and silver necklace also from the same artist's collective in Tallinn, and a stork cuff from Budapest. Especially now these and other pieces are a comforting reminder of the places I love.

Well, Allan, from your many posts I'd never have pegged you as an
introvert.

We come in all shapes and sizes. https://www.inc.com/john-rampton/23-amazingly-successful-introverts-throughout-history.html

Someone asked me once why I didn't want to be rich and famous, and I told them I'd rather just be rich. Intoversion isn't incapacitating and I'm fully capable of handling myself in a public situation, but I'm more at home...at home.

I usually try and fly with the countries carrier (Air France, Lufthansa) over U.S. carriers, except for Alitalia, too many negative reviews to fly with them. But if I can get a good deal with a U.S. carrier, I will fly with them. I try for direct flights first, if not, then only 1 layover if possible.

I do prefer the Premium Economy or Delta Plus or that carriers version of a seat for the extra leg room, I'm coming from the West Coast. If the price is not right, then I try for an Economy two seat row w/me in the aisle seat. I don't really sleep on flights, usually dozing off and on throughout the overnight flight. If in regular economy seat I usually end up in the back of the plane standing during the flight, when able to.

Apartment rentals or B&Bs are my first choice, then a 2 or 3 star hotel is fine, especially if its just for 1 or 2 nights. I prefer to be in the middle of the town or city that I am visiting and within walking distance to good public transportation. Free breakfast is not a factor for me, I enjoy heading out into the town/village/city and having a bite to eat at a cafe or pick something up to go and people watch from a bench or a bridge overpass. Watching everyone go about their business in the morning and seeing the city come to life is a nice way to start my day.

I've only ordered a van once, during taxi strikes in Paris. I have no problems & prefer to take a bus, train or tram from the airport or train station, a taxi is last on the list. If my mother is with me, then its what works best for her due to her use of a cane & limited mobility.

Group tours work for me as well. Small ones first, but for certain attractions or locations then the larger ones work as well (multiple Chateuax in a day).

One thing I have learned from this site is to not try to see and do everything in one visit. Slow down and enjoy the place you are at, you can or believe in you will, return again. That is why I try to add a few days in Paris whenever I am heading over to Europe. It allows me the opportunity to see parts of the city or sites I did not on previous visits.

Allan, good question. I'm always trying to pull the spending back, DH always wants to throw budget to the wind for things that are his priorities.

After all the trips we've had, I'll always try to find room in the budget for:

• Room with a view, preferably a balcony.
• A nice restaurant meal (not fancy, Michelin starred - just nice. RS level, I guess). We generally have one of these per day, sometimes even two.
• seat selection, and exit row or extra legroom, if not a ridiculous extra charge
• Going to where I actually want to go, not where I find a good fare.
• Jewelry as a souvenir. Not super expensive stuff, but not cheap. For example, I got a gorgeous Book of Kells Serpent necklace and earrings at Skye Silver (incidentally, I've ordered online a bunch of times from them since highly recommend them. The order comes with a hand written note from the owner. Still time for Christmas presents!).
  
• efficient transit. For example, we opted into the three day Swiss Pass in 2018. A few unexpected journeys and half price lifts made it pay off. We looked into cheaper options, but thought they might be limiting. Or, a car for Provence.
  
• Going when I want to go.

And I thought I was the only one who didn't really like private tours! Hate trying to find things to talk about. Would rather be one of a small crowd.

Things I won't pay for:

• A pedicure prior to the trip (does this count?). I always do my own, and find it weird to pay someone to do it.

Of course I'm looking at 9-10 hours nonstop and you're probably
looking at shorter flights via a North American hub (Toronto?).

Toronto is definitely a hub to get anywhere but one of the many wonderful things about my home of Calgary is the choice of direct flights to European destinations; off the top of my head, London, Dublin, Paris, Rome, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Zurich. All in the 8-9 hour range. To fly to Toronto adds a couple of hours of airtime because of the Calgary to Toronto leg, not to mention connection time. Arriving back to Canada is more efficient as well. In Toronto it's a long hike from the the WestJet terminal to Canadian customs and then back to the WestJet terminal.

FOOD: I am a foodie, I love trying all kinds, but not a fan of fancy sit down places. That being said if its a unique food item I may splurge on it.

EXPERIENCES: I'll pay top dollar for these. I went whale watching in Vancouver, sat front row at the US Open., stuff like that.

LODGING: Hitting 30 next year so not quite a spring chicken but I look a lot younger so I'll stay in hostels around 30-40 bucks a night. As long as I don't become the weird old guy in a room, I'll keep doing hostels. I just need a clean safe centrally located place with wifi and ideally free breakfast. It is just a place to sleep for me.

TRANSPORTATION I'm 6ft and have bad knees and back so I pay extra for the space, not fan of stops on my flights so I'll pay extra. I rely on public transport, its cheaper and I have the time to relax.

Hi my Canadian Buddies! I miss my trips to Victoria and Vancouver. We have a train stop near us so with an online ticket purchase they will stop for us that will let us off near Downtown Vancouver. Take the Skytrain, All day tap ticket pass is cheap. You can connect to Vancouver Airport for a flight out. (Not during Covid) We prefer owner occupied B & Bs when we travel in UK because we Drive and enjoy farmhouse and nice townhouses to feel like we live there. We have stayed at a Pub, upstairs at a Mews, and business class hotel; clean, no frills. We usually try to fill up on the B&B breakfast; usually tasty some with buffets. We usually just buy assorted snacks for lunch bought from the grocers, sandwich shop or deli. For dinner we like Takeout with beer and wine so we can plan the next day; or eat at a Pub when we were going to the Theatre. In the UK we bought admission passes. The one we used the most was the www.nationaltrust.org.uk Overseas Visitor Touring Pass which included parking. We also enjoyed the English Treasure Houses that have offered 2 for 1 vouchers. We like going to Antique Shows, so that is our major form of entertainment...if you buy Smalls they can be easily packed in with your clothes. We're probably more thrifty than most because we enjoy getting good value.

Alan: you start THE best posts! :)

I'm a budget traveler in some ways.
I spend hours looking for the cheapest flight with the best connections, but in the end always go for the least amount of time in the air, and the optimum times to easily change flights partway at a stop.
I always pay for my seat assignment on flights to Europe, as they are 10+ hours from where we live, and if I'm not in an aisle I'm not happy. For short flights, 4 hours or less , I can sit anywhere they want me to.
I rent apartments in Europe, and like to stay near the main train stations in cities for easy day trips.
Apartments must have reliable WiFi, a washing machine, and a terrace or balcony.
Also, I travel with friends, and we all have our own bedrooms, not shared.
It's amazing what you can find for a reasonable price.
We eat breakfast in, graze at lunch when out, and sometimes cook in.
I don't care about food, but must have good coffee every day!
I take public transport, and spend the money on site entrance fees, and experiences.
I'm also not a fan of a private tour!
I like ones such as Paris Walks that have about 12-15 people max.
I keep track of what I spend each day, just to compare next trip.

We pay for the seat in advance because we are traveling together and want to be able to talk etc... on the flight over. We do a lot of public transportation while over there as we are very comfortable with it, but if it is more economical and easier to get to the sights we want with a car we also will rent. Hotels are usually in the middle, safe and clean with easy access to sites, but I hardly plan on being in it so other than that I don't really care too much. I do prefer if they provide breakfast. I have several degrees in history so I'm pretty comfortable doing the guiding for my group myself most of the time along with help from Rick's guidebooks, but I do like to take town walks like in York or Bath and will do the docent tours of Cathedrals and such. I will splurge when I feel it is important - D-Day beaches for example. We might do one nice dinner but otherwise with big breakfasts we really only need a snack for lunch and then go to a cafe/tratorria/pub type place for dinner. But I am there to see and experience things so I will always pay for those.

Flights are a big consideration for us because I've got a bad back. For longer flights we'll go business class for their lie flat beds. If that's too expensive we'll do premium economy. We also opt for a direct nonstop flight whenever possible. So thats our biggest splurge.

We're all over the map when it comes to accommodations. While we try to stay central to the main tourist sites, depending on the city/town/village it might be a 4-5* hotel, a 2-3* family run hotel, a B&B, or a gite/agriturismo. Depends on the costs on that area. We prefer included breakfasts and WiFi where possible.

We usually rely on public transportation, but will rent a car for rural areas. We usually only take a taxi if it makes sense for the time of day.

We keep a loose budget for food and drinks. Usually breakfast at the hotel. A light lunch at a local cafe or a picnic from a market, then a nice relaxing dinner. Depending on our mood it might be at a pub, a pizzeria, a neighborhood bistro, or a recommended restaurant. Maybe once per trip we'll do a fine dining dinner.

We occasionally do group guided tours, and do make use of docent tours in museums, etc. But most of the time we prefer to poke around and explore on our own.

Allan, I think you hinted at a couple of things in your post that I can relate to. Its different when you get older, and when you have to compromise with your spouse. When I was younger, traveling independently and on my own, I did everything I could to avoid spending money: cheap rooms, walking everywhere, food from the market, and skip museums and attractions that cost too much for tickets. I missed a lot that way, but my reasoning was that by spending less, I could afford traveling again sooner. When I got married, my spouse wasn't having any of that. A vacation was meant to be an experience, and she convinced me that eating reasonably well was part of the experience. So we compromised. Now older and slower, I am willing to spend more for comfort and convenience. I still cant do business class, but I will go comfort class (or whatever the equivalent is). We'll spend more on restaurants than I would on my own, but not at every meal. Not everyone can manage to find that compromise. As I've said too many times here, the RS tours hit our sweet spot, and we dont have to argue that way. Some people would say that is an indulgence, but we dont think it is.

Good subject & interesting responses. Look forward to reading more responses. I'm also usually a solo traveler. For flights to Europe I will splurge for premium economy & once got a great mileage award in business. I like to be as comfortable on the way there as I can so I feel a little rested & can hit the ground running. I'm also not opposed to flying at least desirable times if it means a great seat but I prefer non-stop. I have done plenty of one stops too.
Coming back to the states I don't care. I'll crash in my own bed when I get home so seat not much important.
I too like hotels only for safety. I'm probably mid-range & value location, safety first. I'll pay more to be closer to my desired location as I figure I'll save on time & transportation costs.
If I'm sure my itinerary I'll reserve train tickets to get max discount but only if I'm sure of my dates & approx times.

Eating out is part of the experience & I do a mixture of grab & go and sit down nicer places. Definitely not Michellen level though.
Like the other poster I will treat myself to coffee & a mid morning pastry. I find the coffee way more enjoyable than here in the states & its one of the things I most look forward to.
I too am an introvert and don't think I would like a 1:1 tour. I've done Walks tours & those are just about right.
Not a shopper but I do like to visit grocery stores in each new place & do atleast 1 picnic. I try to buy a reusable shopping bag as my souvenir as well as a toothbrush or shampoo/conditioner. It brings me a lot of joy to then use these things when I'm back home.

@Allan

I am enjoying your topics, keep them up. Best wishes for you and Calgary.

8 hour flight, bloody luxury. Would only get me to Singapore from Melbourne. Going nowhere before July 2021.

Stay safe. Time is a traveller.

Regards
Ron

I guess my general take:

• Airfare: Cheaper the better, but try to stick with Delta, always Economy, rarely will even pay for Comfort Plus, but usually upgraded. My limit is no overnight transfers, arrive at a decent time, best before noon, not too worried about number of transfers, due to my home airport, everywhere requires a transfer, sometimes two.
• Getting to hotel, never have had a private driver, usually train or bus, then walk, a couple times Taxi or Uber, but only if dirt cheap.
• Hotel, someplace just OK near the city center. Having low standards assures being pleasantly surprised at the outcome.
• Food: We are not high end restaurant people, will look for good local experiences, and will splurge to get a great meal, and are not the type of people who buy a loaf of bread and bring peanut butter to have a meal in the hotel room. Food is an important part of travel for us, so while we eat frugally, we eat well. We do not care about a hotel breakfast, few are interesting or worth the cost, rather have a nice coffee and pastry. Lunch is OK with street food or drinks and snacks, then a good local inspired evening meal, the longer the better, wine, dessert, etc.
• Sights and the like: My Wife and I have diverged on interests, I often head to Museums, churches and the like on my own, she goes shopping. We get much pleasure just from walks, but usually do not go for organized or guided tours. I usually study up enough that understanding the site is not a problem.

• Flights to Europe are usually short (2-4 hrs), the longest are Spain (5-5.5 hrs) or the UK at 6 or more. There are no bargain flights except for package deals (only good if there are 2 of your) and sometimes short stays, like a long weekend. I will spend $50-$100 more to get a morning outbound flight and an evening inbound flight, giving me the better part of a day on arrival and again on departure. It actually saves money because I don't pay for "extra" hotel nights and with only 1 hour time difference, no jetlag. I have paid extra for a "premium" coach seat on longhaul flights to Chicago and San Francisco, but since I've started flying Turkish Air, I find the regular seats comfortable enough and it seems that the prices on those more comfy (or at least less uncomfy) ones are too high to justify.
• Time is worth money. I usually take taxis to/from airports and train stations. In Portugal I regretted not taking a taxi on arrival - wasted too much time and the multi-leg journey from Lisbon airport to my hotel in Sintra was fraught with frustration and missteps. There are a few exceptions where metros or buses make the journey easy and comfortable, even with luggage.
• Hotels are my biggest budget item. I'm also picky about where I stay. My requirements are not extravagant - clean, quiet, comfortable double bed, ensuite bath, central location, AC in warm weather. Much of my planning is spent researching lodging. I'm retired so I can go whenever I want. Most of the time that means travelling off-season and usually saving 40-50% - or making a higher-end hotel very affordable. And as prices have risen rather steeply over the years, I tend to forego the big cities or at least combine them with small (and much cheaper) locations. Turns out that often saves money on restaurants as well. And I've enjoyed them as much as anywhere else (okay, Paris is still Paris).
• I'm not a foodie. If my hotel provides breakfast, I'll eat it, if not I'll pick up something when I'm out and about. I used to scrimp and eat lots of lunches on the fly and suppers in my room, mostly from supermarket shopping. I finally convinced myself that I can afford nice meals and enjoy an hour or two in a restaurant. I've found that I love a late afternoon drink at an outdoor table, especially with a view, but anywhere there's people-watching whether it's locals or tourists.
• I've rarely used a private guide because it's expensive when one is solo. One of my best decisions was to have a private guide in Sevilla, who became a friend that day. Instead of the 3-hour tour, we spent the whole day together and we manage to meet for a few hours on my return visits.
• Relatively new for me is taking tours. As a solo traveler, it's also a good way to share experiences and connect with others. I've had really good luck with "free" walking tours in lots of places. I also take small group specialty tours and a couple of times day tours to places that are logistically challenging.

Seat selection never really used to be on my radar, and while I hate paying for that seat - when we finally get on the plane, I'm glad we did it. Now our flights from Halifax to London (our usual hub) are only 6 hrs - but I'll still pay upwards of $110 (gritting my teeth the whole time) for preferred seating. We aren't even tall, but when I have to go to the bathroom and look at the people crammed in the other seats, I always think - that was a couple hundred bucks well spent - in the grand scheme of our trip, it's a drop in the bucket. I figure we offset it by some of our fast food meals we end up eating. And we aren't big eaters - a lot of times we will get one pizza and share it.

Hotel arrivals after flights - I usually try and book a place that is easy to get to via the Tube or Metro - I think last year in Prague was the first time we paid a driver to pick us up at the airport - the logistics of getting to our hotel was just too much to deal with after an overnight flight with 2 connections.

I am all over the board with accoms - I tend towards airbnb's - but I'll do an average of about $100 cdn a night. I may luck into something for about $70, but the next place will be $125. If a hotel I def look for free wifi (it's crazy that that isn't a thing in 100% of hotels!). I'd prefer free breaky but it isn't a dealbreaker. We aren't generally big breakfast eaters - unless it's a free one! Last year I used my Airmiles for two hotel stays - my best deal ever was 4 nights in Prague at the Best Western for the grand total of $12 (and free breakfast!!) - so when I looked at other accoms - I didn't mind forking over a little more. This year I had been going to use my miles for 2 nights in York and 1 at the Sofitel Gatwick - at least I got reimbursed and will try for those stays when we finally get over.

We did some small group tours last year (1 in Prague and 2 in Vienna) and quite enjoyed them - I had been going to book a few for this year in Edinburgh and Glasgow, but we all know how this year went. But I'll def be looking at that more for future trips.

But my biggest thing - I'm a penny pincher. But now, unlike 12 years ago when we first started travelling overseas, we are def more able to afford nicer places to stay, seat selection, better food. I still have a hard time getting out of that mindset. I almost break out into a sweat if I have to book an airbnb for more than $100 a night...lol.

@Nicole P, glad to know I am not the only Canadian with a $100 accommodation budget....at today's exchange rate, that's about $76 US. That's where AirBnB pays off for value for money....IMO.

Stan, after reading your comment I'm convinced we are twins separated at birth and we married girls that are twins. So many things points you brought up had me nodding my head. But to choose just one:

the RS tours hit our sweet spot, and we dont have to argue that way.
Some people would say that is an indulgence, but we dont think it is.

We've only done one, but we have the Sicily tour on the radar. I think the one unintended bonus of the RS tour was that it went well with my wife and her outgoing personality and love for being with people. While for me, I could lose myself in the group and not feel obligated to take part in conversation if I didn't feel like it. I could even break from the group dinners when I'd had enough and go explore on my own without feeling guilty that I was ditching my wife.

Maybe I'm just in a really good mood this morning, but I'm finding so many of the comments interesting and worth replying to. I'll get to some as I can, plus I have a few ideas from the comments for a couple of new topics.

Allan, I agree. Like many have indicated here, I am an introvert (maybe misanthrope is closer to the truth) so always leaned to independent travel. But you are right, that in a tour group, you can lose yourself if you want and not feel obligated to keep your extrovert partner occupied. Something its hard to explain to people opposed to tours. BTW, we did RSE Sicily in 2019 (the good ol' days) and loved it.

All throughout our working lives we have saved for retirement and that rainy day. We are retired now and, as my husband says, it’s raining! With regard to what is happening now, he has now said it is POURING! Yes, we figured if we spent this much per trip we could do this many trips. No more. Each trip we take in the future we will plan as if it may be our last. My husband’s brother’s family and ours took a wonderful trip to Croatia together in 2014 and were talking of doing more. Unfortunately, he passed away from cancer last year and we never got on that second trip. We will not go overboard to change our style, but he doesn’t want me to say, we can save $£ if we take the bus and not hire a driver to get from the airport to our hotel. Or, we can save $35 a night if we stay in the hotel outside of the city center. He wants a ease and comfort where afordable, so I will continue to do my research to look for the best value because that is half the fun. Hopefully, we will be able to travel soon and often.

Barbara, I totally agree with your husband. Central location, elevator, AC are our hotel priorities, and in a city, a hotel where we can use points, if it's in a good location.

Edited: We also pay for taxis from the airport or train station to our hotel because we don't want to be searching for the hotel with luggage in tow after an overnight flight, but use public transportation and our feet the rest of the time. Also premium economy for me, but my husband insists on using Business Class with points. I will admit that I enjoy the First Class lounges. There is nothing like getting off a flight at Heathrow and taking a shower before an onward flight(or before the hotel room is ready). And although they were pricey, we really enjoyed Food Tours in Paris and Florence.

I've never been willing to pay for private guides, but will pay for a private carriage tour and possibly Gullah tour for the 5 of us in Charleston next month, to lessen the potential for Covid exposure.

I've probably voiced my splurges ad nauseam, so forgive me while I do it again. I spend more on conveniences the older I become, particularly during transit. I like to arrive rested. I(we) have created our own 'first class' flight, by taking the day flight to Heathrow in economy seats (we used to get upgraded fairly regularly, but not recently so I think that is over). I do pay for our early seats now on BA, aisle seats next to each other, and towards the front of our class. We usually check our carryons for simplicity. We used to pick the seats at check in and never had a problem sitting together or with the seats assigned...but I would sometimes be put in the middle seat so I'm off of that now. We arrive at Heathrow in Terminal 5 and thru immigration by about 20:00 so I(we) stay overnight at the Sofitel and enjoy a nice room service dinner, shower and a wonderful night's sleep. I try to book our ongoing BA Terminal 5 flight at about 11:00 so that we don't have to hurry in the morning and can rise at a decent hour. I take public transportation if it is convenient to the hotel...but will get a driver if I haven't gotten a hotel on a direct public transportation route in the future. I loved my Welcome Pickups in Athens (first time) and it was little more cost than a taxi so I'm a bit won over. On the other hand, the next trip to Amsterdam, we took an airport bus that left us off one block from the hotel, so it depends. Also, in the future I am planning to stay overnight in Heathrow (or London) on our next flight home as well. I really hate being on a plane for more than 7 hours.

I like hotels with breakfast for several reasons. I like to have breakfast and then return to my room before heading out for the day. I eat a large, healthy breakfast with protein, fruits, fiber, etc. We are not foodies and more often then not, might have a light bite mid afternoon (think patisserie in France), and/or stop at a grocery store for salad and sandwich for later in the evening in our room, with shoes off, etc. We will eat out at a moderate or inexpensive restaurant if the mood strikes us. I definitely do so when traveling solo.

For my hotel, I don't splurge, IMO, our budget together is $150.00 tops (solo $100.00, but add security to it), so often less...but somehow went over it in Amsterdam as it was a bit of a health celebration and I guess I didn't notice. When choosing the hotel I read all possible reviews for a sense of good mattresses/sleep. I love to sleep and well. I'm starting to think about adding a little elevator to that requirement when traveling with my husband...

Cala, we will pay for a private guide when we are traveling with others. In Split we were 6 people and had a wonderful guide. He wasn’t much more then all of us taking a group tour. When we were in Amsterdam, we were 4 people. It was more conveinent, economical and time saving to hire a private driver/guide for the day to Bruges then take the train. When we are alone, we do the group tours like Walks of Italy. You splurge here, save there and it all equals out in the end.

I am really enjoying reading all these perspectives. I am an extrovert, who traveled with an introvert husband for many years - and plan to be doing a lot of solo travel in the future (but haven’t done a lot yet), and am moving into the “older” demographic.

I have always been willing to cut costs on flights and have never paid actual money for more than economy seating. However I have flown business on miles and will probably do that on my next couple of flights. I suspect I may lean toward paying for that, especially on longer flights, as I get older. Although Wray’s system of breaking up the trip with shorter flights and overnights will be something to consider.

I also am not picky about accommodation. In choosing cancelled 2020 rooms for a single, I found myself drawn to small cozy-feeling rooms in b & bs - which often meant less expensive. Not interested in chain hotels. Location and WiFi are my essentials. I also really want a place with coffee accessible. I will drink several cups in the morning. Breakfast is good, because it it is available (with more than just pastries), I find I only really want one hot meal at some point during the day. Then a snack of some kind in the room does me. I have traveled with people (husband included) who wanted a sit down lunch and a sit down dinner. That really increases a food budget!

And I really enjoy most public transportation I have used in Europe. That is my go-to normally. I suspect I will be branching out into taxis as I get older. I am having trouble fathoming a private driver in most circumstances (but not all). Car rental is for the locations when public transportation doesn’t work as well.

Where I don’t watch costs are entrances and experiences. That is why I am there. If I want to see it or it is an experience unique to my location, I don’t mind what it costs.

As I said, I suspect some of my budget choices will change over the next ten years - they definitely have over the past 10 years!

My original reason for buying all my food from grocery stores and other markets was because I was afraid restaurant food was unhealthy. I have reverted back to occasionally allowing myself to eat some restaurant food. I still prefer to buy most of my food from grocery stores. I am a single man solo traveler so far. The money I save by not eating restaurant food is a coincidence. Maybe I save a lot of money on food when traveling.

So far I have been afraid to buy plane tickets from a non-United States-based airline. I have been persuaded to consider a foreign airline for future travel. I have chosen my seats on past flights and taken other flights without choosing my seats. I do not remember why I choose or did not choose my seats and I do not remember whether I paid extra to pick seats. I prefer the aisle seat. Otherwise I don't aways pick the cheapest tickets. I pick the best combination of cost versus shortest total duration versus fewest layovers versus layovers that are not too long. I am skinny and under 5 foot 3 inches tall. I don't worry about how much or little space I will have.

On previous trips I stayed in hostels where I could identify a decent one on booking.com, a room with 4 or 6 spaces in the room and enough amenities in a good enough neighborhood. I have stayed in low end hotels where I couldn't find a hostel that looked appealing. Maybe in future travel I will stay in more hotels or apartments. Yeah I know 90-95% of hostel guests are probably approximately under 30. The vast majority of hostels, and the good ones, don't have age limits.

I am never cheap on museums and sights.

I haven't thought much of the costs of transportation. I have never rented a car. I m not a fan of driving. I do drive near my home in Michigan. I only take taxis if really necessary. I don't try to save money on local public transportation in Europe.

It seems like I have a natural talent for being really cheap on travel expenses without consciously trying to be cheap. I believe I would not be happier enough in expensive hotels to make it worth the cost. I in theory I could afford to spend more on travel if I don't worry about saving a lot for my next car or a retirement account or random unexpected expenses.

We go cheap on airfare (hooray for moving back to the mainland after 7 years in Hawaii - airfare to Europe will be so much cheaper) and on transportation. We take a lot of public transportation- my kids love subways. We also try to keep accommodations as cheap as possible. For a family of four we’ve been finding that AirBnB or VRBO/Homeaway.co.uk are our best bets for getting good locations at a reasonable price. I do wonder how many of those will still be around after the pandemic.

MariaF - the elation I feel after scouring airbnb's and find something amazing for under $100 Cdn is something to behold - lol. I will say - I find it is getting harder to do now - it doesn't help that our sucky exchange rate makes Europe/UK/USA even more expensive.

I just recalled the one time we did pay for a private 'guide'. In 2014 we took my mom to Italy with us. We generally try public transport to see everything, but on the Amalfi Coast, it's a little harder to do. I booked a private driver/tour with Sorrento Silver Star car service - and it was pricey - I don't have written down in my blog what we paid, but I feel like it was between $400-500 ($480 is ringing a bell, and I incl a tip). I told myself - 3 people, 8 hours - that's only ~$17/person per hour, and we weren't spending money on buses or wasting time waiting for buses. Anyways - my mom told me that was her favourite day of our trip - so, to quote MasterCard - it was priceless.

EXPERIENCES: I'll pay top dollar for these. I went whale watching in
Vancouver, sat front row at the US Open., stuff like that.

This is something I really had to train myself to do and not be miserable about the money spent. My trips are better for it now that I'm willing worry less about the cost of things I really want to do.

We hired a private guide for the day in Havana. We were 8 women, family, and we were off a cruise ship. It was definitely worth the money. We walked around the town then Hired old cars for some sightseeing to 3 places then onto a wonderful restaurant in someone’s backyard which had live music. We ended our day at the craft market near the cruise port. He asked us if we wanted him to go with us to translate and negotiate, no extra charge. He said he had fun with us and had nothing else planned for the rest of the day. It was our only day in Havana but is was jam packed. We could never have done all that on our own.

I suppose part of this is I'm still working, so only taking 1 or 2 international trips per year (at least under normal, non-covid circumstances). This means I can splurge a bit when doing so. Perhaps, if/when a time comes I might be looking at the option of several trips a year this could change given how expensive it'd be. For now, though, I "splurge" on:

• Transportation. This tends to include business class or premium economy flights, paying for seat selection if needed, taxis for airport transfers (though I quite enjoy subways or buses once actually settled where I'm visiting and free of my luggage), and so on. Mind you, as is also the case with some others here, I'm in the western US. So a flight from SFO to Europe is 10+ hours - my back would hate me way too much if I tried to do that in an economy seat. Splurging on a business class ticket not only means I'm arriving at the destination well-rested and ready to go, but also means my vacation starts from the moment I show up at the airport for my departure as opposed to only starting once I've landed in Europe. It's an indulgence and a bit of pampering, but also comes with some practical benefits (less time spent standing in lines in the airport; free checked bags; the ability to get a full night's sleep on board, so on). Same often goes for a 1st class train ticket.

• Private tours. These can certainly be quite expensive, but I much prefer hiring a private tour guide and having a custom tour itinerary we can do at our own pace vs. going with group tours or on bus tours. I can offset some of the cost of this by just freestyling it for other parts of the trip (no paid tours and just exploring on my own) but if and when some kind of guided or organized tour is being considered, it's almost certain I'll book a private tour rather than group tour.

Allan, you start great topics. I am enjoying everyone's experiences and preferences. As you know, I'm not well-traveled, but do a lot of planning and researching.

**My next trip will be to London, Paris, RS Loire Valley tour, ending in Venice probably in 2022 because I don't think the vaccine will be ready for the masses in 2021. This will be my first solo venture unless a friend wants to go with me (hubby won't travel). I'm not an adventuresome person, probably more cautious than introverted.

**Solo travel is creating cost dilemmas for me, mainly for hotels. It was easy to divide some costs in half when traveling with SIL in Italy last year. But to get the hotel location and quality I want means I pay a £/€150+ nightly bill, adding $1500+ onto the trip cost, not to mention RS single supplement. The other "but" in that thought process is that location is important and I want a room larger than my walk-in closet.

**I will pay for taxis to and from airports. I don't want to deal with public transport when I'm tired and my phobia (one of them anyway) is missing a flight. Our departure from Venice to VCE last year was via water taxi, expensive but worth the parting sight of Venice.

**I will pay for sightseeing and day tours. We took three Walks of Italy tours in Rome and Venice. The guides were knowledgeable and added value. Same with Eating Italy. Plus I can only stand so much of my own company. I don't want to skimp of museums and plan for this trip to be more castle/lifestyle focused than church focused.

**The Rick Steve South of Italy tour was well worth the money. I expect the same to be true of the Loire Valley tour. Both are areas I wouldn't plan myself. Thank you for last year's trip report Allan.

**High end food is not important to me. RS tour quality is just fine, hotel breakfast is just fine, lunch is whatever sounds good. I just have to work around food allergies and sensitivities.

**Only thing I missed on this list is the flight. Seems like all flights out of Phoenix cost more compared to LA or the east coast. So I'll look at routes vs cost when the time comes to book, maximum two connections, preferable one or better yet none. I don't mind economy plus/main cabin but will pay the surcharge to get my aisle seat.

We share much of the same travel norms.

1) We fly tourist and only on flights from the USA to Australia (15 hours) do we go with Economy Plus with a bit more room.

2) We chose lodging based on value and location, preferring centrally located. Unless we are in a third world country, we don't go with five star hotels, preferring Bed and Breakfasts that have free breakfasts and charming hosts.

3) We are widely traveled, having lived overseas and visited 78 countries. We love historical places, but also visit scenic places like Around Cape Horn, Norway and Alaska.

4) Cruises, river cruises, land tours, touring on our own, taking the trains or busses, we have done it all. We try to maximize our time exploring, but sometimes doing it alone is best.

5) Dining runs the gamut, we look for the local cuisine as well as variety. For example, while in the UK we enjoy local greats like fish and chips, meat pies, lamb stew, etc., but also do Italian, Chinese and Indian.

6) Value is the key. Planning to visit Cusco and Machu Picchu in Peru we found tours for up to $3000 pp for four days, but also a wonderful tour with private guides in historic hotel (in Cusco) for $799 pp. Same with a safari in East Africa, found a great 8 day for $4300 pp but could have paid three times that much.

Very interesting post and the responses show that there isn't any one way to travel. Here are a few of my preferences.

• I only choose flights that fit my convenience. I don't try to save a few hundred dollars or take connections which will alter my trip plans. The first travel day is so tiring, I minimize the length as much as possible.
• When it comes to hotels I have priorities. A/C is number one because I generally travel in the summer. Location is important, but I found in place of being very central to just sleep, as long as I am very close to a metro stop, that works really well. I have tried the central hotel approach, but find it noisy, costly and touristy. The key for me is a good public transportation stop. Since I spend so little time in a hotel, I don't need very many amenities. I also don't shy from chain hotels. I leave all options open. I now spend more money than I use to spend to get the exact location I want.
• I rarely use a day tour group unless it benefits me seeing a very tough sight to access, like the Last Supper or it is easier to cover a lot of geography like a historical tour in Normandy. I find tours sometimes take too long because there is a lot of talking and less visual access. I like my own pace and can always read about things I see online in the evening.
• Last, but not at all least, food experience. IMO, food, native to a culture or a region or country ties the whole experience in that locale together. Fresh anchovies in Liguria, foie gras and truffles in Southwest France or homemade pierogis in Poland. I tend to have a large lunch during the day to relax from the morning sites and burn it off during the afternoon. Dinner usually is something from the local grocery or some street food if available. Unless breakfast is included in my hotel rate, I head to a local bakery for something simple. I try new dishes, but won't eat the few items I don't eat in the states. I only eat at a high end restaurant once on my trip and that is usually at the end.

It has never been a goal to travel to Europe as cheap as possible. I personally don't find that rewarding at all. I am frugal on some things and spend more on others, but that is the beauty of travelling on your own. Thanks for the post.

We mix our travel. Tours in third world countries and individual touring in Europe and other first world countries eg. New Zealand and Japan and North/Central America’s.

For a place to stay we like single rooms in a hostel. The community spaces and kitchens are good places to meet people. Sobes in Croatia and rooms in private homes are great for interacting with people who actually live in the towns we visit. They are very friendly and helpful. Small hotels also can be a cost savings. The only time we stay in “fancier” hotels are on tours. This is to be expected as they are the safest.

Beer and wine is usually purchased at a local grocery or takeaway. This we can enjoy in the evening at the hostel or local park. We will have one drink with the meal we have in a pub or cafe. Occasionally we will splurge for an overpriced drink in a place with a spectacular view of people or sites. This is the place to sit for an hour.

Like others we have the simple breakfast free or pick up a roll or some cereal and boxed milk (that’s how it comes in Europe). Lunch is usually the sit down meal for the day. Dinner is the take out foods in the country we are visiting. Beer and free tapas in Spain are good.

Tickets on the “fast” trains are purchased about two months in advance for a 40percent savings. There can be special savings. The senior train tickets were less than half price in Belgium. Germany had one ticket for four people specials within one state on week days and the same 4 for 1 ticket through out the country on weekends. This was a few years ago, so I don’t know if it is still available. We use frequent flyer miles when possible to get overseas. Local buses, trains and other transportation is a given. I look for the best multi day pass, carnet (in Paris a 10 ticket book), and senior discounts. There can be significant savings. The RS books and internet can help you find these. As we age we do take a cab when it makes sense.

Visiting the sites on our travels I look for free hours (never free days-did that once at the Vatican museums. What a fiasco), ask for senior discounts or just pay to enjoy. One, maybe two major sites in a day. Hanging out in parks with a picnic or sketching is always fun and free. I like the free walking tours with a tip. It is “lite” history.

We are not souvenir shoppers. I may but some fabric to make into pillows, curtains, or something for our house and sketch. My husband takes photos and visits with people while I draw.

After reading the above, you already guessed we pack very light. I don’t pay for luggage or water unless i is absolutely necessary.

We find traveling closer to the ground, which equals spending less money and getting closer to the people, is more memorable. We can also take longer trips without breaking the bank. Our trips total cost is usually less than $100/day per person including air transportation. Our most lasting memories are when we get lost or need help and a local who doesn’t speak English comes to our aid. You then know we live in a small world. Can’t wait to get traveling again.

Priority for air travel: get there the fastest, most reliable and cheapest way possible from Tucson.

I'm very fortunate to have standby privileges with Delta. The good thing is that domestic Delta flights and nonstop flights between US Delta hubs and European Delta hubs are virtually free.

That's great for the budget, but I suspect many would not be willing to deal with the complicated planning or the potential uncertainties. The 1st significant uncertainty is that there is no choice in the seat you get. I'm thankful to get any seat and I've ridden all over the plane, including up front. The 2nd is that a seat may not be available at all on the day you want to go, much less at the time you want . So flexibility is a must, along with buffering arrival times in case that's needed.

Rather than take the chance that I can't get on a Delta domestic flight from Tucson to a US Delta European hub, I've paid (in points) for a few domestic flights to get me there early for potential nonstops to Europe.

Priority for ground travel: public transportation.

I'm far more likely to take public transportation or a shuttle, even upon arrival. It's more interesting to me than taking a taxi and I'm usually wired anyway. I save my taxi rides for other situations when time is more of a concern or when taking a taxi is more efficient. Cost is not the determining factor.

Priority for lodging: maximum flexibility without breaking the bank.

As a solo traveler, lodging is usually the biggest chunk of my trip costs. Sometimes there's a discount for singles, even for a normal double room, but the price is never half that of a double, even if it's a small, single room.

I choose apartments for stays of 5 nights or more. I choose B&Bs or small hotels for 4 nights or less. Proximity to my major reason for being wherever I am is the primary deciding factor for where I stay. Ambiance is a close second.

If I'm doing an RS tour and if available, I'll arrive early at the starting hotel and stay late at the ending one. Most RS tour hotels will honor the RS discounts and that's a help, especially when I've paid the single supplement for the tour.

Priority for entertainment: learning and enjoyment.

On my own, I've done small group tours and private ones. Sometimes I reserve them before I leave the US. Other times not. I've enjoyed and learned from all of them and all were well worth the cost, no matter how much it was. Either small group or just the guide and me works fine.

Priority for food: eat well, but with care.

One of the reasons I like apartments is that I can have breakfast whenever I want. No matter where I stay, I tend to have breakfast there, my "full meal" sometime between noon and 15:00 when I'm out and about, and a small dinner close by or back in my lodging.

I seem to eat much less when on a trip than when I'm not. Spending a lot of money overeating at a fancy dinner would be a waste for me. That's going to be even more true on my next trip (whenever that is) due to my resolve to continue to avoid Type 2 diabetes by what I eat, or perhaps more to the point, what I don't.

Great thread, my friends.

We now splurge for premium economy seats and it's made a significant difference after an 8-hour flight. We flew basic economy and even military transport planes for decades so I feel your pain regarding the cheap seats.

The day tours and walking tours are great. It's a nice mixture of independent and group travel. We generally don't hire a private guide, but when we did for a Beatles tour of Liverpool it was well worth it. The Paris walking tours were the best.

Neither of care us much for formal dinners. I had to do dozens or more of those in the military. We eat what we're in the mood for, even if that's a pizza or hamburger in Paris. Heck, maybe McDonald's or Subway for a quick lunch.

Maria, I like the idea of having access to a lounge and a shower. Being able to freshen up like that, and brush your teeth, makes a big difference as far as just feeling better. Even better if you can get in a workout.

A taxi is great if not too dear. I found it to be a more timely, efficient, and stress-free way to get to Heathrow last summer.

Just reread everyone’s budget items. We are similar in most areas. Allen’s comment on paying for exceptional experiences is right on. Our balloon ride over Capadocia sp? Will never be forgotten. The first view of Machu Picchu! Wow! Playing golf at Pebble Beach Golf Course. Rafting the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. Save you travel dollars for the experiences that are high on your list. I wouldn’t pay for a Michelin rated restaurant in France, but have friends who have. We don’t fritter away dollars on every day travel costs but save for more time traveling and those once in a trip experiences.

Before I retired, I worked as an independent contractor for the second half of my career, which meant the cost of any trip was magnified by the opportunity cost of not being at work billing hours. I know, my hourly rate should have included enough to cover benefits and vacations, etc., but it always felt like a big hit to take time off without any earnings. Also, I had to work around the contract duration to be able to take time at all. Therefore, I would also take larger chunks of time off knowing it would be a while before I would be between contracts again.

So, since my nervous guts were telling me how much it was costing me to go away at all, I tended to pinch pennies on trips. We would go for longer periods (6-8 weeks) but I would scrape together frequent flier miles and use home exchanges or longer-term rentals to reduce cash outlays. We cooked in quite a bit but still ate out every few days. I searched this board for cheap transportation tips. We only rented cars where we had to. We didn't do a lot of guided experiences but paid for admissions to things we wanted to see or do.

Now I intend to do things a bit differently, starting with having downsized and moved to Italy this fall. That will save those pesky airfares, and we've freed up 2/3 of our home equity to use for experiences instead. The new red zone COVID restrictions will keep us in our cozy new home and small town for the winter, but we hope we can then start exploring new places and experiencing new things after that. I think we will still be careful to spend in a way that we find delivers value, but we won't worry quite so much about hotel and food costs as I used to.

Summary: we chose to reduce the fixed costs of an earlier stage of life (large house, city with job opportunities) to instead spend on what we value at this new stage (small town, new experiences, new foods). Each stage of life has its own needs and wants and with some care, we think we can move between stages to maximize enjoyment within our means.

Interesting to see people’s takes on this. I will definitely pay to reserve a seat for an international flight. So far that hasn’t been optional for me, but at some cost point I guess it would become so. I will pay a few hundred more for the flights with the times and connection airports I want. I will pay for economy comfort on an international flight when I feel it’s a good deal, like under $200. So usually I don’t get that! For hotels I don’t need any special services and I can handle tiny rooms. I do like to be near what I am going to see, and at the least I have to be near easy transportation connections. I like interesting hotels, like ones in buildings that are hundreds of years old if I can find them. I look for breakfast included and good wifi. Within those guidelines I look for the cheapest I can find that also is rated well. :) I will pay for some group tours but those are usually limited to one, maybe two on a trip. I completely agree with you on private tours! No way I want to have to make conversation with a tour guide for several hours! I can have a lot of days with little to no cost for attractions as I tend to like walking around historic areas and nature. These things are free. I will pay to get in to places or for experiences that are important to me though. Last time in London I went to a musical, and I was willing to pay extra for good seats. That was a splurge for that trip. Food is usually the included hotel breakfast, then street food or a picnic for lunch, and then a sit down dinner that isn’t too expensive. I’m not really a foody so I don’t splurge there.

Thank you for the post Allan.
We were not much in the travel budget before (we never went overboard for luxury trip anyway) but now going to retire soon, we pay more attention to travel budget. We set aside the amount fo travel budget for the year, and depend on where we are going, I set up a separate budget for air fare + "per diem hotel/meal misc" for each place, and see how many days /trips we can do in that year. For example, Hawaii or Florida would cost more in accommodations (100-200/day), but you can spend less money on meals (cook at home) or activities (mostly just enjoy the warm weather and light hiking) , SEA will be cheap in accommodations and meals but more expensive in air fare. I think in Mexico/south America also.
I just heard about "slow travel", I think it will cost less since you are renting the place for a longer term and going there in the shoulder time or in the less peak time.
I 've always watched out for a good deal :-) , for examples, few years ago, we got the ticket to go to Hongkong for $600 inc tax, then we used Hongkong as a hub and went to go Japan, Vietnam, Singapore , or another trip with air ticket to go to Brisbane for $1000, we then combined that to go to Cairns, Sydney, Melbourne and New Zealand. Sometimes we paid extra $ for the seat on the aisle.
We enjoy big group day tour , small group tour or private tour , each of them has the different fun/interesting. We took some private day tour when we did not have much time, for example when we went to Cairo (we only less than 23 hours stay) to visit Pyramids and when we went to Athens, very early 6:00 AM and by noon we completed most of the "main' attraction places (we went to that trip with free miles /points so we have extra $ for private tour ) Or when we went to SEA Vietnam, Taipei, Bali, Siem Reap, Chiang Mai where the private car/tour guide was not expensive, and some of them we combine with pickup/drop off from/to the airport.
We also rented the car (Europe, Australia, New Zealand but not yet in Asia :-)
We don't need to stay in the luxury hotel ( we can have it when we go to all inclusive or cruise :-)). We stayed in the clean/not luxury hotel (unless I have the good discount :-)) and airbnb, we went to the restaurants, but with airbnb we can prepare breakfast /lunch for picnic or quick dinner . I just use the average budget eating here (without drink) to budget avg $40-50/pp/day (25 dinner, 15 lunch , 10 bf) - If one day we spend more, next day we would spend less, cooking own meals does not cost much or local street food is very cheap. We don't eat much, sometime we can share a dish and we don't drink much either.
I hope the pandemic is over soon, so we can start prepare for travel again. I would like to go somewhere warm to have a break from the cold winter.

We were not much in the travel budget before (we never went overboard
for luxury trip anyway) but now going to retire soon, we pay more
attention to travel budget.

I could describe my wife and I this way as well. We've decided that we are 2 years away from retiring and so the pressure is on to make sure the money won't run out before we do. I have one kid out of the house and one in her final year of University and so I joked in another post that the Bank of Mom and Dad is set to close soon. We're both healthy and so we hope that medical expenses won't come into play for many years, but we do have to be realistic about budgeting to make sure we don't go overboard. One thing I'm really looking forward to is looking at the weather forecast and decide at the spur of the moment that we're heading somewhere warm for a week or two because the temperature is about to plunge.

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Airfare sale prices have often initiated trips - planning where and when - so keeping flight costs low has been a major priority. We’ve avoided paying extra for seat assignments (it’s Coach, so it’s not like you’re getting a 1st class reservation bless you pay a LOT more), but airline fare structuring may make those extra fees unavoidable. You want to carry on your luggage, not check it? OK, there’ll be an additional cost for that.

Lodging, never 5-star. We’re not in the room that long during the say, and as long as the bed’s comfortable and the bathroom’s not down the hall, it’s OK. Having laundry access is usually important, so we’ll pay more for that.

We’ve hired more private guides recently, so that’s become a more important spending priority.

And finer dining has always been important, but we can sometimes cut costs going there for lunch, rather than dinner. Either way, food costs have been a big part of the budget, and worth every cent/penny.

I missed this post on the first go around, but now it’s been bumped up, so here is my perspective.
Money is not too much of an issue, but I am naturally a spendthrift.

Lodging-we like boutique hotels that are centrally located with charm and character. RS types I would say.

Food is important-We are foodies and have been known to pay a ridiculous amount for a special dinner. It is not always about the food. In Dublin, we ate at 2 starred Michelin restaurant Patrick Gilbaud. This was our first and only time at a Michelin restaurant and it was an Experience! We would do it again. Even had a celebrity sighting, The Edge from U2 was also dining there that night.
Flights- we pick our seats, but are always in coach unless we fly Alaska airlines where we have enough miles to upgrade.
Entrance fees, well of course!
Transportation-we love walking and public transport, but for Scotland, Norway, and Ireland we did rent a car for at least part of the time. I am always the driver, husband is the navigator.
While I love researching and planning our trips, we did our first RS tour last year and enjoyed it immensely. I wouldn’t say I’m an extrovert, but compared to my husband I am. So, nice to have others to converse with. We were supposed to do another RS tour this year. I think they are a great value!

We were supposed to do another RS tour this year. I think they are a
great value!

Not cheap, but I agree a good value. By far the most expensive way we've visited Europe so far, but so much bang for our buck. The tour of Sicily is likely the next RS tour that we do.

Thank for this interesting thread!

I wonder, how many of you are like me and put aside a certain amount of money each month for travel? I had 3 trips planned that were "Covid cancelled" and I have kept up on putting aside my monthly travel budget amount. My point is, my travel fund is looking really good right now and this thread caused me to ask myself if that would change how I travel and what I prioritize.

My answer was , "I don't think so." I always look for the value component in travel. Some things are valuable to me and I am willing to pay more for those. These would include extra legroom on a flight, a well-located hotel, an unique experience, a guide/day tour in certain circumstances and perceived safety needs. I have also found that Rick Steves Tours leave me feeling like I have received good value. I find that there is amazing value in traveling with a congenial and interesting group of people.

Some things add very little to the value of a trip for me. I don't really care about fancy meals or shopping. I'd much rather be out doing. This fall (hopefully) I am going to try a 4 day guided walking trip in the UK. I am hoping that the advantage of a set base, choices of walks, local transportation and guides will turn out to be a good value proposition as well.

Happy traveling!

We're value oriented travelers as well, although we're learning to let go of the purse strings a bit as we move into our mid 60's.

• direct flights from Western Canada are preferred. This is fairly easy and Calgary and Vancouver have many choices.
• we pay extra for selecting our seats with ample leg room . My husband is 6'3", so extra space is critical for both of us.
• hotels/B+B's need to be in walking distance to restaurants, transportation and sites. We don't need to be in the hub of things. Quieter is better and have found some lovely accommodations in residential locations of big cities.
• we like our food, so supporting the many local neighbourhood restaurants is always a highlight.
• we also like to stay in apartments from time to time. This helps to keep costs down and provides a nice spot to relax when you're tired of being a tourist. Breakfasts and maybe half our evening meals are cooked in the apartment. It's always fun to explore the grocery stores where you are staying. We usually lunch out with either a picnic or restaurant meals.
• we've used a couple walking tours and day tours on our last travels. They were money well spent and very educational. We laugh at ourselves and wonder why we haven't used them before. No shopping was part of them.
  

Besides having income one can never outlive, travel is the #2 financial goal in my practice.

Are you going less expensive, because of budget constraints or the inability to give yourself permission to live, live, live? Many times people think they can't do something when in actuality they can without detrimental effect on their financial well being.

I am not one who subscribes to the "just in case" style of retirement living. Trust me, when the family inherits they will be spending the inheritance, your hard earned money, on first class trips, cars, stuff for the kids, paying off debt and most likely will have little of your money left after they have had a good time with the windfall.

Most people need a few years to adapt to asset withdrawal after years of asset accumulation, so watching pennies is normal the first year or two after retirement. Replicating a paycheck from savings is scary and having a financial plan can help alleviate this kind of anxiety.

Consider getting or creating a financial plan where there is an income strategy as well as goal prioritization and allocating funds accordingly.

Goldance 5, I believe you misunderstood the aim of the thread. No one was asking for a lecture on financial planning. It was simply a question about how each of us prioritizes different aspects of travel. Would you care to share how you allocate your travel budget to transportation, accommodation, food, sightseeing, etc?

Fun thread. Splurges—I happily pay a premium to fly Delta. I also love Marriotts and Hiltons shamelessly. ;) To be fair I book all three of those on points frequently but I’m not opposed to paying a premium for them. I’ve stayed in enough bad hotels to not want to risk it anymore. (My travel motto is, I rarely regret money I spend, but I often regret money I don’t spend.) And our big splurge - we book two rooms or a suite everywhere we go, not because we’re spoiled, but because husband snores like a grizzly bear and the kids and I can’t do it for days on end. ;)
Savings—I happily take public transportation everywhere possible. Many of the things we like to do are free (hiking, museums). Use points as mentioned above. (Husband is self employed and his business credit card expenses generate points so not spending extra $ for points’ sake.)

We have been traveling with our 2 teen boys so flights are always our biggest expense. So, we kind of let our flights pick our trip. We are limited by school breaks, so we start way in advance wish shopping and see what comes up. This has put us in Europe 4 times over our Thanksgiving break affordably. Usually on Iceland air ir Norwegian.

For rooms our biggest concern is enough space and walkable in a price range. Sometimes the biys have the teen sleep schedule and this lets my wife and I go and walk or sit in a breakfast cafe while they sleep in and no one is too frustrated...we find some countries seem to be hotel breakfast countries and others not. In an expensive city like London we definitely look for it as saving a meal for 4 a day helps a lot. In spain it wasn't a concern and we preferred sitting out on a patio with coffee and our jamon sandwiches.

We are food people. But it doesn't have to be high end. I do a lot of research before we travel with local food bloggers to find good local foid that we can enjoy on a budget, eat well and experience local food.

Sometimes with 4 using taxis is the same or less as transit, and the same for private guides vs group tours. But we research and see and if its close make a decision.

What a fun thread and not sure how I missed it the first time around. Just the kind of things I love to hear about from others.

Allan, I'm an introvert, too and people are often surprised to hear me say that because they equate it with "shy." In reality, it just means that I need a lot of down-time by myself to recharge my batteries. Spouse calls it "Todd Time." Although I enjoy traveling with others, there is something absolutely special about solo travel. I can go where I want, when I want and spend as much or as little time there. Not worry whether my fellow travelers are enjoying themselves or hungry or want to shop (which doesn't appeal to me).

I have traveled solo to Europe the past few summers to the various opera festivals (plans cancelled in 2020). I've got friends in most of these cities, so visit with them before or after performances. Like many others, I am fine with a mid-level hotel so long as it is comfortable, quiet and clean. In a safe, central area preferably. As another poster mentioned, time is a valuable commodity so I like to be near the things I'm seeing (whether they be museums or opera house). I'm not a huge breakfast eater at home, but coffee is essential, and I do like filling up on hearty breakfasts to keep me going throughout a day of exploring. I'm just about the opposite of a foodie -- will grab what looks good when I'm hungry, ideally in an atmospheric setting. But I certainly understand the desire to just go to a McDonalds where it satisfies a need and you know what you're getting. So food is rarely a big budget expense unless I'm out with friends.

I like to take public transportation (or walk) as much as I can since that feels like part of the experience. Not usually to/from the airport unless I've been to the place before and am comfortable with the transit system. In Munich, for example, it turned out to be so easy to take the train into the city that I was almost embarrassed to have taken a taxi (expensive and congested traffic) on my first visit. Same with Barcelona and the express airport coach.

The one place I tend to splurge is in airfare. As another poster mentioned, it's worth it to me to spring for biz class as I can sleep on the flight over from CA and arrive refreshed and with little jet lag. I have toyed with alternate routes to save a couple of hundred dollars in the past, but sometimes just getting there in the most direct manner possible is worth it to avoid a layover and wasting yet another day traveling. If I was staying for a significant length of time that wouldn't be such a factor, but I'm generally there about 2 weeks so time is a precious commodity.

I am not terribly obsessive about a budget. I find that spending money on things that are important to me, and skimping on things that matter less makes for a pleasurable experience. I may splurge on a hotel if I'm going to an expensive area and it will be worth the comfort, also knowing that I'll make it up in a less expensive city on the next stop.

Me and the Hot Wife don't always splurge for premium economy if the flight is under about 6 or 7 hours, IF the plane is configured 2-3-2 and we can get two seats by ourselves on either side. We're both turning 60 and yes, you do feel more rested with roomier seats upon arrival in Europe, where I feel like a bit of a zombie that first day. I just can't sleep much on planes.

I'm ambivalent about accommodations near the city center. You can save a lot more than indicated above staying at a place 30 or so minutes away, as we did in London. I'd probably cap the travel time to the city at 30-35 minutes. It was nice to have dinner back in suburb and walk the local parks. We still had very full days in London.

interesting topic and has made me think about my past trips and how i budget
i guess my philosophy would be : save money where i can so i can spend money later on things i really want

i dont reserve seats , i just wait for the 24 hr window to pick my seat for free
im a big guy 6'2 225lb and all i really care about is getting a window seat as i can sit my seat for an entire flight and hate getting bothered to get up for others and getting hit by people walking though the aisle

accommodations : can be anything from hostels (private room preferred) , airbnb (private room) or hotel. i try for the best value but all i care about is being close to a metro and pretty close time wise to getting to the historic center

food : i love trying new foods. not a breakfast person so not a big issue for me . usually have a fridge so will pick up some groceries to make sandwiches or snacks to save money . i will eat at street vendors and markets to save money and then go out to small family restaurant for dinner

beer : i will go to markets or corner stores to buy beer and put in fridge or buy singles to walk around with . i also will go to breweries to try all their flavors and sometimes it cost me a fair bit

transportation : walk and metro are my 1st choices , sometimes uber or grab . very rarely a cab

museums and art galleries : i will try to get into for free (80% successful) and if that doesn't work then i will pay . i dont want to skip these as its 1 the main reasons i travel to see the history.

sporting events : i plan my trips around them so i can cost me very little or a lot depending on how i purchase the ticket

Sunday's NY Times Magazine has a long (8k words) feature article on Brian Kelly, The Points Guy. The expert on airline loyalty miles.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/05/magazine/points-guy-travel-rewards.html

It covers his recent trip to an almost tourist-free Dubrovnik, how he became 'The Points Guy', and how he grew his business.

Best quote: “People are willing to pay anything for a free ticket.” Travel rewards pose a compelling incentive — a shortcut to the playgrounds of the globalized elite.

We pay the $30(?) fee to reserve seat assignment in advance when flying. The fee is worth the piece of mind.

I’m fine suffering silently for an 8-hour flight and don’t upgrade to a wider seat with more foot space. There are other things I would rather spend money on.

I use taxis to and from the airport,, for sheer convenience.

For hotels, I stay in the middle of the action at a smaller-but bit better than average hotel. Or if there is something historic or unique,, i will give that a look.

If I had to narrow it down to one thing, it’s to be close to the action.

I’ve learned to love private guides. For me, it’s worth the extra cost to listen to someone tell some stories of what I’m seeing and to meet and interact with someone on a personal level.

I typically go out looking for a place to eat breakfast.

I mix formal sit-down restaurants with pub and beer sorts of places.

I spend a lot on good music and theater and more in wine bars.

I never rent a car, but from time to time I hire a driver to reach the otherwise difficult to reach.

A shuttle or taxi to and from the airport is a definite stress reliever.

Also agree on reserving seats unless you want to risk a middle seat with two hefty people on each side of you, each with a tuna or salami sandwich from Subway and a proclivity to take their shoes off.

I'd spring for first or business class airfare - either the lie-down seats or pods! We always err on the side of cheaper airfare in our travel budget, and then I always regret it when we're sitting crunched up in those small seats.

Other than that...well-located, nicer hotels are already part of our travel budget. We generally do a mix of casual, moderate and high-end meals anyway (and some of our most memorable meals have been the delicious 5 euro ones).