Thinking of taking a trip to the Himalayas? Or do you simply want to get around the States with your family? Whatever your purpose for travel, the one thing that you will end up doing is create a budget. It's not to go traveling on a budget. In fact, that is probably the wisest thing that you should be doing, especially through these tough economic times. So when preparing your budget, there are things that you should keep in mind so that you don't end up overspending. Here are some tips to making your own budget when you are traveling. • Transportation – This is the first thing that you should list down. Will you be driving? And if you will, how much gas do you think you will use? Also, if you will be taking public transportation, you should keep track of the rates for trains, planes, buses and all other modes of transport that require some kind of payment. • Accommodation – If you are traveling cross country, you should first make a list of the places that you will visit. From there, you can then research further to check what hotels, motels and hostels are available in those areas. It's best that you have at least two choices so that you can transfer from one place to another in case you find something that is not to your liking. If you are thinking of just visiting one place, like a big city, you will have more choices to choose from so don't sell yourself short by doing less research on places where you can stay. • Food – This actually is one of the easiest things you can plan for. There are so many places where you can eat and just at the right price as well. Of course, on a budget you can't expect to go fine dining for about every meal that you have. You shouldn't also sacrifice your health by eating at a fast-food restaurant the whole time that you are on your vacation. If you are planning to be adventurous, make sure that you know exactly what you are allergic to so that you don't end up spending all your money on medicines for allergies that you could have easily avoided. • Entertainment – One of the reasons why you take a vacation is to try out new forms of entertainment that may not be available where you are from. Remember to take a look into the kinds of entertainment areas you plan to visit. The Internet is a great tool that you can use to check out prices for some of these places. It is best that you are prepared when it comes to money instead of surprising yourself with just how much you will spend in just one place. • Emergency Fund – Yes, you will be spending money even when you are on a budget. But it doesn't mean that you shouldn't set aside some emergency money that you might need in certain situations. You never know what may happen in your travels and it's good to have something to fall back on so that you don't end up suffering from the consequences. | 
