You know what kills my vacation budget?

[Corjack]

Mine has typically been over planning. To many snacks, to many things for the kids on the ride down. This time I am going simple and we are going to walmart when we arrive to pick up a FEW snacks and some bottled water.

 

[poohfriend77]

Um, I *might* have been one of those over-the-top moms who buy new matching Disney outfits for the kids, with themes coordinated to the park/character meal we were doing each day. On our last trip, DD9 informed me that she did not want to match her sister, and they both had plenty of Disney shirts that fit. I do tend to buy new underwear and socks for everyone though (except Dh... he gets his for Christmas every year).

I also tend to buy all new "travel size" everything, too many snacks, one extra memory card or camera battery, new books/coloring books/toys for airplane, and I HAVE to get a couple of the latest trashy magazines at the airport. It's a vacation requirement.

 

[Kristibo42]

The only thing for us is parking at airport and a bottle of water. We don't usually buy any new clothes.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

DH decides he's hungry. No he doesn't want the snacks I brought, no he doesn't want to wait to buy a snack box on the flight. So $35 at Chili's Too at O'Hare's B councorse (because DH also decides a beer or two at 10 AM will make it easier to sleep on the plane...). At least the uneaten snacks I have will keep DH out of the mini bar once we get the the hotel....

This is exactly what I thought of when I started your post! We typically prepare a budget for our trips, and I've finally figured out to add a little extra for "Airport Snacks." Yes, we ate lunch at the resort just before getting on ME and I have 12 mickey-head rice krispie treats in my bag that I got using up all our snack credits, but we'll still buy expensive snacks before getting on the plane.

 

[tj2002]

Agreed with everyone on how these little expenses can add up.

I try to search the deal sites (groupon, living social etc.) for my mani/pedi.

My summer clothes/swimsuits from before never seem to fit right, and let's face it you want to wear something NEW to feel good on vacation! That's an expensive shopping trip.

I like to buy packaged snacks (granola bars, etc) for the plane. I don't know that this really saves me because DH always insists on getting a drink on the plane, or at an airport bar.

I usually have to force DH to take the EL instead of cabbing it. We live right off the blue line in Chicago, so it's super convenient and easy to get to O'Hare. I try to fly out from there whenever possible. However, this DW trip we are leaving from Midway and I am not looking forward to it.

It makes me feel better to remind myself that life is short and it's ok to splurge a little every once and awhile -- especially for Disney.

 

[pigletto]

Sing it sister!!!

I completely understand! Upgrades kill my budget. I always start the trip with the words "This will be a bare bones budget trip." Yeah right
During the planning process I realize it's *only* $350 to move to a better resort and *only* another $200 for those two meals not on the dining plan and *only* 80 for the airplane seats with extra room .. blah blah blah.
Somewhere along the line I got smart though. We learned what we could live with and without, set a firm vacation budget at the start of the year and I come under it or we don't go. When I think of it like that all of a sudden certain things don't look so appealing. I make a budget now that has a line item for every single thing I can think of from cost of the cat sitter to a new pair of sunglasses. Then I pad the budget or basically overestimate the cost of everything so there is no surprises. Every time we do this we come home with money because I budgeted for the steak but actually felt like a hamburger for example.

It's not just Disney though.. this can be a trap on ANY vacation. I was planning a trip to Yellowstone that has now changed to Banff and you could sell your first born and still go over budget for this place.
I am doing well with tips I have learned here with my Disney planning though for things like cheaper car rentals and a room with a kitchenette to cover our breakfasts and a few dinners.

 

[CocaColaGuy]

We fly out of Indianapolis airport, which is 2 hours from here. Since we fly out early in the AM, we have to get a hotel the night before. So you figure in dinner in Indy, parking the car at the hotel for the week, and you are at $200 before we even fly out!

Other than that, we pack snacks for the kids, trade pet duty with the neighbor (we take care of his dogs when he is gone for work, he takes care of our cats when we are gone), and limit airport purchases to a bare minimum.

Our biggest expense was all the crap you buy at WDW once you are already there! Stuffed animals, pins, photo packages, etc...They all add up quickly!

 

[Disney_Ohana]

I always find that a week or so before our trips I like to buy my girls coordinating tees or outfits. I should start adding that to the budget to justify it.

 

[smallsteps]

I buy a lot of stuff beforehand which really adds up, but in my defense, most of that stuff are things we need anyway. My girls grow sizes between summers so they need new clothes for the warmer weather anyway. I used to be able to do hand be downs from my older dd to my younger dd but my eldest is really super rough on her clothes so they are usually too stained and holey to pass down.

The other things I tend to buy before a trip include: getting hair colored (it's been 6 months...definitely needed!), hair cuts for older dd and husband, bigger shoes for my daughters (and they are broken in now ), new tennis shoes for me (it's been years.....my old ones are falling apart!), a couple of new shirts for dh and me and makeup/toiletries we ran out of (need it anyway).

Other things we buy specifically for the trip: a couple of cheap car toys/arts and crafts for our daughters (we drive) and snacks for the trip and the hotel room. For this particular trip, I pre-bought some souvenirs for hotel room surprises so that we can limit spending in the park.

 

[anniemck]

I have one suitcase that stays packed with travel gear. Hair Dryer, sun cap, toiletries, swim suit wrap, sunglasses, all that extra stuff that I would be looking for. Then when it is time to go, I grab that case and add my clothes, good to go. I also have extra phone/camera/iPod chargers in that bag as well.

 

[PrincessBodeen]

My biggest expense is usually DH! It seems like the week before vacation is the only time in his life that he notices or cares the state of his clothes and shoes and he usually insists on new shoes and t-shirts! My personal splurge is usually new books for my Kindle because I will read in the car.

 

[Taylor'sMom]

We don't have pets that require boarding, but I think I'm guilty of just about everything else that has been mentioned. I couldn't help but laugh and sympathize with the OP. About 2 months out I start getting really excited about the trip, and treat myself to a new outfit or 2. Then that leads to something that needs coordinating (like Jewelery to go with a sundress for a nice dinner)... which leads to realizing I need new sandals... and flip flops... and sunscreen... oh, and NONE of DD's summer clothes fit, so there's a couple hundred bucks! And where oh where are our sunglasses? It just never ends...but I'm excited and like to pack the fun stuff so I smile through it all. Until I see the bank account of course

 

[LadyBeBop]

With me, it's new clothes. After all, i have to look good on vacation.

Also DVDs for the car. I don't want DGD4 to get bored in the car. A whiny toddler makes for a lousy trip. However, we have so many DVDs.

 

[kthruz143]

our dogs do not need to be boarded my dad feeds them each day. I booked out next trip last month and have already started buy little things for the trip. Matching shirt for one day and disney shirts for the kids. I buy it as i see it because if i don't it won't be there when i go back. we drive and even though i pack snack we never seem to want those snacks and always buy more from gas stations

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I make a budget now that has a line item for every single thing I can think of from cost of the cat sitter to a new pair of sunglasses. Then I pad the budget or basically overestimate the cost of everything so there is no surprises. Every time we do this we come home with money because I budgeted for the steak but actually felt like a hamburger for example.

We do the same thing. I love coming home with enough surplus to justify booking another trip!

I am glad to know that so many others suffer from the same pre-vacation issues as I do. For our Christmas trip, I decided I *needed* a new camera before we travelled. And I'm a new-undies kind of girl too.......considering that the TSA goes through our luggage on almost every single trip, I want them to know I'm vacationing in undergarments that are in good condition .

 

[edk35]

Kennel fees! We have three dogs and are taking three week-long trips this year that we can't take the dogs on. I like for them to stay at nicer places that have lots of activities and supervision and big, clean rooms to sleep in, but we could go on an entire (very nice) vacation for as much as we spend in boarding our dogs!

Ours is boarding two dogs. It is 27.95 a day for the first dog. Then they take 25% off for the second. Then we add social play which is an additional 8 dollars a day per dog. That is where they get to go outside in the fenced in yard with the "daycare" dogs to play with them for an hour. Then add in the baths on pick up day. OH....and during any holiday or in the summer...it is 2 dollars more per day.

 

[Jridou]

The biggest "$ add" we had to a vacation was the pump not being marked right in GA, and DH put gas in a diesel truck. We both saw the "diesel here" sign, the handle was green, but at that station, the diesel handle was black. The tow truck driver @ the next exit where we were stranded at, knew exactly what had happened. We weren't the first people to do that obviously... So, $600. and 5 hrs. later we were back on the road.

OMG, I'm so afraid of doing that ! The green handle should be sacred !

 

[edk35]

Mine is always shoes... and not the fancy kind either! I am NOT a shoe gal at all (I live and work in New Balance) but I always need either new supports or new shoes before I go on a Disney trip or a conference trip. I don't know if it's timing or what! It may be because I started buying my walking shoes right before a trip and now that's when they need replaced, but man, they can add up quick!

I need new shoes too...getting those this weekend. Got our son's last weekend.

 

[preschoolmom]

All the "other stuff" related to traveling you need to spend money on. The trip itself (flights, hotel, meals, activities, etc.) seems to be the cheapest part of the total cost sometimes!

Any place I go, I need to either pay for parking or a town car to get me to O'Hare. Town car is at least $60 plus tip one way, parking in the economy lot is something like $105 for 7 days. So $105 to $150 depending on if I want the hassle of taking the tram from/to E lot.

Once I get to where I'm going, I need transportation to the hotel. With WDW that's not an issue due to ME, but other places (like DLR) that's going to run me upwards of $100 (for town car, less if I can do something like Super Shuttle).

Then, while I don't have a pet right now, we plan to get one soon so that's kennel fees of around $150 for a week, although sometimes I can have a friend house sit for us. That's not a given though.

Then there is that week before the trip, when you start to get all the stuff you need to pack collected. Oh my bathing suit doesn't fit, need to buy a new one. Don't have enough sunscreen, need to buy more. Can't find my hat to keep the sun off my face, need to get yet another one (and then find my stash of old hats a month after I return from the trip). Need new travel sized shampoo containers (DH trashed the last ones, or can't find them...probably stashed with my missing hats...), snacks for the plane, new sandles because my old ones are just about shot....on and on it goes until I drop what seems to amount to a car payment - for a very nice car - on just trying to get us out the door!

Then we actually get to the airport...DH insists on checking bags, $50 round-trip (I refuse to check more than one). Then DH wants water once we're through security. $5. I want coffee because I've been up since 3 AM trying to get last minute stuff done, $5 at Starbucks. I realized about half way to the airport I forgot my sunglasses. $20 at the sundries shop.

DH decides he's hungry. No he doesn't want the snacks I brought, no he doesn't want to wait to buy a snack box on the flight. So $35 at Chili's Too at O'Hare's B councorse (because DH also decides a beer or two at 10 AM will make it easier to sleep on the plane...). At least the uneaten snacks I have will keep DH out of the mini bar once we get the the hotel....

When people say their trip cost them $1200... I can never figure out how. I seem to spend that much before I even land at my destination!

So what are your "hidden" travel costs?

OP, This post honestly had me LOL!

I read it out loud to my DH! We are going on a spring break trip to the beach next week - and after buying the kids new clothes (they just keep growing!), and all the other vacation stuff we "need" - Just UGH!

We're taking our dog on this trip, but usually that's a big expense...

Glad to hear we're not the only ones!

 

[edk35]

LOL, Funny but true! I'm leaving Saturday for WDW. You forgot to include the manicure/pedicure! Oh, and I just had to get a new Nikon 1 camera (because I don't want to carry my big DSLR with me). I also got new walking sandals with built in orthotics (because of a recent foot injury), and a few new summer shirts on sale. I would get a haircut but I ran out of time. I picked up a back-up pair of sunglasses too, plus a new bathing suit.

Add me to the pedi list too. Just got mine yesterday. We leave next Wed. I did have acrylic nails for years....but stopped a couple of months ago....so didn't have that cost this trip.