10 Tips to Consider High Costs of NOT Traveling Solo

Here are our 10 Tips on the high costs of NOT traveling solo:

• Solo travel costs more.
• Why is that? Tour and hotel prices are based on doubles. They may add a fee or single supplement if you are a solo.

Why go solo if it costs more?

• My first solo travel was by accident. I was a student. I thought it was “time to see America”. Add: no car, no cash! No one else could join me. I bought a bus ticket from DC to LA one way!  It was $99.
• I had not thought about the price to get home!
• I spent 5 weeks on the road with a small overnight bag.
• I slept on the bus and fit my stops to match sunrise.
• My first stop was Chicago and the famous Art Institute.
• I went on to see a calf born on a dairy farm.
• I saw the Colorado Capitol with the cleaning crew before it was open.
• I swam in the Salt Lake.
• I rode San Francisco cable cars.
• I took a local bus to join a friend at her college. The dorm did not see there was a new coed even for meals!

Now:

Fast forward to the 21^st-century.

• I have seen all 50 states and 66 countries. Why do I go solo? Friends have work with different time off.  I like to go to strange places.

• I thought about the true costs of NOT traveling solo.  Here are some of the ways.

10 Tips to Consider High Costs of NOT Traveling Solo: Lifestyle Clashes:

Tip One:  What style do you want? Would you glamp or just camp?

• First, can you plan on one type of lodging? Beyond the plane, this is the big cost of a trip.  If it is a once a year trip, do you want to splurge?

Tip Two:

How do you pack? Do you take a trunk for a beach trip?

• When you get there, do you grab your carry-on and go? Do you wait for 300 bags to arrive from the plane?

Tip Three:

A “marriage” not made in heaven!

• You dream of sounds of waves. You face snores from the next “bunk”.
• You plan to see the sunrise, Your friend wants to pub crawl.

10 Tips to Consider High Costs of NOT Traveling Solo: Finances:

Tip Four:

What if your friend has to cancel?

• One thoughts: What about a joint room? The good news? Many hotels do not charge fees if you cancel.
• Does the trip cost too much for you to go solo?

• Travel insurance can help. Read the fine print. What do they cover? What part of a loss do they pay? It may not be 100%.

Tip Five:

Your card or mine? Be sure you travel buddy has a card that works. I once found I had to pay all bills. Why? My travel mate did not warn the bank of their trip. It was OK after 2 days or so. Try to fix this upfront.

Tip Six:

The bill arrives at dinner. You “split” it. Your share is more each time. I once was stuck for a 33% tip for my friend’s drinks.

• One way to deal with this is to pay cash.
• Once the cards are split you are stuck.
• If that fails, be sure to eat a 5 course meal!

Tip  Seven:

“I’ll pay you back”.  That is like “let’s do lunch”. A nice thought but may not happen. It is hard to dun friends.

• The best way is to talk about this when you plan the trip.
• In any case, make sure to split the charge when you pick up a car or have a new charge.

Tip Eight:

Pull up the welcome mat?  The more the merrier is great, On one trip, my coworker had a guest at dinner. I got stuck with a $100 charge.

10 Tips to Consider High Costs of NOT Traveling Solo: Whose in Charge?

Tip Nine:

On call or on a break? You want to kick back and relax. You find you must drive, make plans and be the team leader.

• The best way to avoid this? Plan ahead who will do what. Don’t get stuck being “in charge” 24/7.

Tip Ten:

One place/two different trips? When you get there,  you want to see historic sites. Your buddy wants to prowl boutiques.

• This can still work if you are each able to take a time-out and meet-up later. Don’t just assume this is the case. It may not be everyone’s idea of a “joint vacation”.

The bottom line?

• Can your friendship take the stress of a trip abroad? Jet lag, new places, lost bags and missed flights can cause a meltdown. If you go it solo, no one will know you had an adult temper tantrum.
• Worst yet? When your card bills come, will you find the “split” costs are all on your card?
• Even well-paid solos must think about costs. However, before you decide on a joint trip, be sure you don’t lose a friend or a dream trip doesn’t become a nightmare!

Give us your feedback on our 10 Tips to Consider High Costs of NOT Traveling Solo. Please go to our Contacts Page today, and send us your own tips as well!

Don’t forget: You are never too young or too old to study abroad for a few weeks or even a year. See these study abroad options for young travelers all the way to seniors.

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