Get Your Money Right Before You Go On Vacation

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH MONEY

It's no fun when you're on vacation only to realize the money has run out. This puts a real damper on a trip and that can leave you stuck in a bad spot or in a lot of debt. I've had both happen. This story is about being in a bad spot.

My mother loved the Civil War in the Wild West. When I mean love, I mean she read about these times in history for hours every day. It didn’t matter where she was, she always made time to study her history even when she was on vacation. She told me stories about both subjects as if she lived during that time. Since it meant so much to her, we took many vacations dedicated to both subjects.

For one of our earlier vacations while my mother was in her wheelchair, I planned a Wild West tour so we could share her love of the West. The plan was to go to Yellowstone National park, Denver Colorado to pay proper respects to Doc Holiday's grave, through the West to Tombstone Arizona, the Grand Canyon and various other places on our way back home.

We did that. Despite a few hiccups along the way, we made it through and really enjoyed the trip. Now that my mother is gone, that vacation is one of my most fondest memories with her. Though we had a great trip, there was one caveat that could have saved us a lot of stress. Planning the budget. I made the plan to take 11 days off work and leave with enough money to last us for about a week. Wherever we ended up when we ran out of cash, I could go to a bank branch where my paycheck would be deposited.Then simply withdraw the money and continue with our vacation.

Let me give you a little background before I finish. This was in 1997 (yes I'm old), before maps, hotels, money and everything else in the world was digitized. I don't even remember if I had a cell phone, but during that time cell phones were nowhere near like they are now. We literally had to use a paper map!

Mom and I were having a sensational trip, but by the time we left Las Vegas we had rapidly ran out of cash. We drove to Hawthorne, Nevada and we needed to find a hotel for the night. Armed with only a paper map, my mother and I decided to eat and stay in Hawthorne then get up early to drive to Sacramento, California where my bank's closest branch was. I'm not sure why we didn't drive closer to Sacramento, but mistakes are how you learn.

We drove around trying to find a hotel we could afford and that was wheelchair accessible. I mean we drove around everywhere that night. Nothing. So in desperation and serious sleepiness, we ended up at the Rocket Motel, and it was as bad as it sounds.

Out of curiosity. I recently looked up the Rocket Motel and it's since been renovated. I didn’t recognize it as being the same place.The motel currently looks like a nice place to stop on a road trip. However, when we went in 1997, it was subpar.

The motel room was dank, the linen was dingy, all with a unique musty smell. I remember the huge spider webs occupied with what my mother and I hoped were daddy long-legs. Most of all, I remember the room had a weird smell–maybe from the air conditioner that barely worked. The room was so small my mom couldn't get her wheelchair into the bathroom and because she could only stand and pivot, she couldn't walk to the bathroom. I literally thank God my mother brought her female urinal.

Mom was able to urinate and I just emptied it into the toilet, gave my mom a soapy washcloth to clean off with. Most importantly, she was comfortable enough to lay down and rest. Our plan was to get up in the morning, drive to the bank, get our money, and then find a proper hotel to stay in.

I truly recommend a portable urinal for folks confined to a wheelchair when taking a road trip. If you or the person you’re caring for can’t stand up, this thing makes a road trip so much easier to manage. I can't tell you how many times it saved us. Female and male urinals are easy to purchase on Amazon. Get yours depending on your needs. It can save you time and embarrassment. These urinals can help a person keep their dignity. A person can quickly drive to a private place on the side of the road, go, empty the urinal, sanitize hands and drive away.

The drive from Hawthorne, Nevada to Sacramento, California is a little over 4 hours. Of course the drive was longer for us. Nevada keeps their roads very well maintained and we got trapped in road work and traffic which slowed us down. We soon became pressed for time.

We were rushing to get to Sacramento because the banks in California closed at 4:00 back then. We literally pulled into the bank parking lot at 3:45. I dashed to the bank door. Imagining my mother sleeping in a car for the night, I was relieved when I opened the door and walked into the bank. However, the teller refused to give me my money.

The teller explained that their banking system functioned much like the US government. She then proceeded to explain how the federal government worked. I had no patience left to be polite. I had been driving as fast as possible for over four hours. For the entire drive I was worried we’d be late getting to the bank. In my frustration, I shouted, “I know how the government works. I want my money!” With that shout, a bank manager quickly came over and promptly withdrew my money. Problem fixed, but barely.

Things are so much different now. Virtually all banks offer debit cards and it's easy to transfer money from one bank to another. Regardless, I should have planned the finances for that trip better. Fortunately, it all worked out, so it was a lesson I didn't have to learn the hard way. Let me give you some examples of how you can plan your vacation without getting into a financial bind.

Airfare

This cost is fixed. You find the best flight for you. Soon, I will have an article on ways you can book your flight for less and with better amenities.

Road trip

If you're driving, you might consider a different way to plan your cost. For example, let's say you have an EV that gets 50 miles per gallon at 10 gallons per tank. That's approximately 500 miles per tank. If you plan to drive a thousand miles to your destination it's about two fill ups each way right?

Not exactly. Even if you maintain the speed limit for the entire trip, miles per gallon vary because it takes more fuel to drive on various terrains. In addition, if you plan to drive once you get there, you have to factor in those gas costs as well.

Once you get an estimate on gas cost, double it if you can. If you spend the rest of your fuel funds on driving around various towns, you might need someone to bail you out to get home. Not fun. In addition, don't forget to have some type of roadside assistance that covers a good amount of mileage just in case.

Hotels

Once you decide where you want to stay, research and book your hotel. These costs are now fixed. I will have an article on booking hotels soon.

Food

Part of a great trip is the food, but of course it cost money. I try to book my hotel to include a good breakfast. Breakfast costs are covered. Although I don't always eat lunch on vacation, I budget lunch costs so I can have the freedom to eat if I choose. Plan the average cost of dinner each day of your trip. You can Google the average cost of restaurants for your destination. Next, multiply these costs by the days of your vacation to get a base budget. Pad that with a little extra cash for more options in case you want something a bit fancier for dinner for a night or two.

Activities

Whether you go on a walking tour, an amusement park or a museum, plan for these costs.

Souvenirs and Mad Money

Trinkets, t-shirts and other souvenirs you want to bring home should be taken into consideration.

Once all these costs have been calculated, add some extra or emergency cash on hand for unexpected costs just to be safe. Never plan your trip to the penny. Instead, always have a little extra cash for later. You don't want to be on vacation only to have to call someone to bail you out. It's counterproductive to the purpose of your vacation.

It takes a bit of practice to plan the finances for any vacation, especially if you don't have a lot of money. But if you have a dream in mind, plan on the costs first. That way you can budget, save and work to make that dream vacation a reality!

Take away

1. Although times and technology are much different and the banking system is much more convenient, the lesson is to get your money right.

2. Plan the cost of your trip and estimate your daily expenses it for example–souvenirs, gas, meals, hotels

3. You may need to call your credit card company to inform them of your travel plans, especially if you are traveling overseas

4. Plan how you will use your funds debit, credit and when appropriate, have some cash on hand

5. If you use credit cards, how will you pay it back?

6. Have a stash of cash on hand for emergencies or side expenses especially when you are overseas.

7. Buy the local currency from your bank to avoid being overcharged for ATM withdrawals