I would like to travel as often as possible: not only to the seaside once a year, but also to fly to Europe on weekends and holidays or ride around the cities and expanses of my homeland. And to make frequent travel a reality, when planning, many are ready to cut costs on literally everything. However, there are a number of points, saving on which can lead to you spending much more, or even completely ruining your vacation. We decided to look at the most common mistakes that can be costly.
Health savings
One of the items that is either forgotten or deliberately skipped when planning a trip is travel insurance. If you are flying on a tour or applying for a visa, you don’t have to worry – insurance will be included in the price or you will buy it anyway. But when the visa has already been opened, it seems that an extra 1000-2000 rubles is a waste that you can easily do without.
However, this misconception is not only literally dangerous to health, but can also be very expensive. If you get sick or injured on vacation and have to see a local doctor, the prices will unpleasantly surprise you: even a simple appointment with an examination will cost a hundred euros, and more serious treatment or hospitalization will cost thousands.
We are sure that this saving point is too expensive, so it is better to purchase insurance in advance: then the insurance company will cover all costs. By the way, she will find you the right doctor or send you to a good hospital.
Saving on flights
Cheap air tickets are great. For just ten thousand rubles, a plane will take you to another, unfamiliar country. What could go wrong?
Nothing if you are ready for Spartan conditions. Inexpensive tickets are usually available from low-cost airlines – airlines that save on literally everything, from the airport (therefore they are based in the smallest points, from which it is not always convenient to get to the city) to food (it is simply not available on flights). You will also have to pay extra for check-in at the airport (free only via the Internet),
both for choosing a seat and for an extra bag, and as a result the price of the flight can increase by one and a half times.
Saving on luggage
Almost all inexpensive tickets today include a baggage-free fare: as standard, it only includes hand luggage weighing up to 10 kg, and you will have to pay extra for each additional bag or suitcase. Many people think that a backpack is enough for a trip, but think about it.
For example, you flew Pobeda to Milan and paid 6,500 rubles for tickets. You have one backpack, which has some space for souvenirs. And suddenly you decide – why should I deny myself a beautiful life! I’ll buy a suitcase at the outlet, load it with things, parmesan, wine and olive oil (you can’t take this with you in a backpack in any case – it’s a liquid)! You buy the most inexpensive suitcase and all the local delicacies, arrive at the airport and find out that transporting such luggage will cost you 45 euros (3,400 rubles). More than half the cost of your ticket! Add the cost of the suitcase itself and the wine – and it seems that the savings turned out to be not very economical.
If you are looking to purchase wine and other local delicacies at Duty Free, keep two things in mind: firstly, some low-cost airlines do not allow free transportation of packages from airport stores, which means you will have to pay for them like baggage at the counter before boarding. And secondly, prices for products in Duty Free are often several times higher than in supermarkets. So it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to save money.
In general, if you are not ready to fly back and forth with one backpack, it is better to immediately buy additional luggage on the website. In our example with Pobeda and Milan, the cost of the flight will increase from 6,500 to 9,750 rubles, but the price will add a suitcase weighing 20 kg and a choice of seat in the cabin.
Saving on hotel comfort
One of the most common mistakes is choosing a bad hotel. Accommodation in large cities can be very expensive, and it’s tempting to choose the cheaper option. After all, a hotel is only for sleeping, right?
True, but not always. Sometimes, for a minimal price, you get a room in a real bug-infested place next to the station, which means walking around the area after dark is dangerous. The windows overlook the kitchen of the neighboring restaurant. There is no air conditioning, there is mold in the bathroom, the sheets are damp, the walls appear to be made of paper (and you can hear the neighbors’ conversations in detail),
and the staff can’t help you because they don’t understand English well. And now, after a couple of ruined nights, you are urgently looking for a new hotel and are ready to pay any money (especially since there are no inexpensive options anymore),
just to get out of this hole. Unfortunately, this is a true story.
A special point is breakfast at the hotel. Travelers often think that since it is included in the price, this expense item can be crossed out. At the same time, many inexpensive hotels offer for breakfast the cheapest pastries from the supermarket, packaged juice and tasteless coffee: it will be difficult to get enough of this, so you have to have breakfast in a cafe or buy food in a store.
Before booking a room, look at the hotel rating and read the reviews (they often contain important details, including about breakfast). Look for the hotel on Google maps to know what is located in the neighboring buildings, and look at real photos from social networks using hashtags and geotags. Then your choice will be balanced and justified.
Savings on hotel location
Another common mistake: you see a great price, a high rating and great photos. True, it’s a bit far from the city center – half an hour by public transport or an hour and a half on foot. No problem, let’s go for more walks! But we won’t get better from eating local cuisine!
On the spot, it turns out that half an hour is an optimistic option, because the bus runs on a schedule that is not very convenient for you. But you won’t be able to walk there at all: you can’t cross the highway. And forty minutes twice a day is more than an hour of wasted vacation time. And God forbid you forget something you need in your room and remember about it on the way… It’s easier to buy this phone charger or an umbrella than to come back for it and waste another hour.
As a result, at the end of your vacation you have a lot of unnecessary little things, a lot of frayed nerves and memories not of the sights, but of the audience on the commuter bus. By the way, transport in Europe is more expensive than in Russia: one trip, even with a weekly pass, will cost 1-2 euros. Add up these costs and decide: you definitely want to stay here? Or maybe a nice apartment near the metro will not be so expensive?
On-site costs
Many people forget to look at the price level on the spot before buying tickets and booking a hotel. For example, on sale you can find a ticket to Copenhagen for 10,000 rubles, and then discover that accommodation in the most modest hotel costs from 5,000 per night, and the same price for a full dinner in a cafe. The picture is similar in Switzerland, which is easily accessible from neighboring Italy and from where you immediately want to run back, going to the supermarket and leaving about 1000 rubles for a couple of sandwiches and a bottle of water.
So keep in mind that in some cases, airfare can be as little as 10% of the cost of the entire trip. Take the time to look up information about costs for accommodation and food, and only then make a decision about booking.
Travel by car to Europe
It seems that traveling by car is a real opportunity to save money. There is no need to spend money on expensive air tickets; if necessary, you can spend the night right in the car, and you can take many more things with you (and bring them from abroad too!).
But consider the costs of this: gasoline (in Europe it is very expensive),
car insurance, toll roads, parking and, finally, purchases at gas stations (water, coffee, a bag of chips, chocolate). If you add everything up, the sum turns out to be quite large.
For example, a full tank in Europe, depending on the country, will cost 4000-5000 rubles. Covered, secure parking in the city center costs around 2,000 rubles per day. You can, of course, leave it on the street, but then it is important to understand the markings and signs – the fine for incorrect parking can amount to several hundred euros.
By the way, about fines. Unfastened seat belt, running a red light, speeding and the “favorite” entertainment of tourists in Italy – entering the historical center – all this can cost a hefty sum.
Besides, don’t expect to take a supply of food with you from home: according to the law, it is prohibited to import food into European countries, and your bag of supplies may be confiscated at customs.
Of course, the cost of a road trip depends on the number of passengers, the type of car (it will be cheaper in a passenger car than in an SUV),
countries (Eastern Europe is cheaper than Scandinavia). But before the trip, in any case, count all possible expenses and throw a few hundred euros on top just in case. It turned out more profitable? Then go ahead!
The travel planning service OneTwoTrip will help you simplify your search for hotels.
