Last updated on : August 12, 2026
**Photo by Charlotte Noelle on Unsplash
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Travel Planning & Budget
Before our trip to Bali (March 2025), we mostly traveled to the south in all-inclusive vacations. Planning and budgeting for our trips used to be very simple:
- an amount for the package (flight, hotel, and meals);
- a little extra for an excursion or two;
- and an amount for tips.
Between 2019 and 2024, we traveled this way to Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico.
Since Bali, the way I plan our trips and put together our travel budgets has changed quite a bit. There are now many more elements to take into account:
- airfare;
- layovers (if applicable);
- other means of transportation (taxi, bus, ferry, etc.);
- accommodations;
- food;
- activities and excursions.
Planning and budgeting for a trip changes everything! Over the course of our adventures, I’ve developed my own little tips to prepare our trips more mindfully.
✈️ Plane Tickets
I use Skyscanner to compare flights and find the best deals. Then, I double-check the prices directly on the airlines websites.
More recently, I’ve chosen to book my plane tickets through my travel advisor. The price is often similar – sometimes with a small additional fee for her service – but the real advantage becomes clear when something goes wrong: she takes care of the necessary steps and adjustments. On top of that, we are automatically protected at no extra cost by the FICAV. That peace of mind is priceless and allows me to travel with less stress.
🏨 Accommodations
To book our accommodations, I use the Booking app, prioritizing options with “free cancellation” and “no prepayment.”
If I’m having trouble choosing between the available hotels, my technique is pretty simple: I select the accommodations I’m interested in. I book them all. Then, my husband and I choose the one that suits us best. And finally, I cancel the others.
Even after booking, I keep checking to see if prices go down. Sometimes, this can lead to some great savings.
Our criteria: a clean place, a clean and functional bathroom, and often a little something extra when it comes to charm and comfort. Basically, we like to find the right balance between price and quality. And why not a little luxury sometimes? We travel to treat ourselves too…
🎟️ Activities & Excursions
For some of our activities and excursions, I use GetYourGuide. What I like about this app:
- free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity;
- the option to pay only a few days before;
- reviews and ratings, which are very useful when comparing different options.
We also sometimes choose to do activities on our own. Basically, I compare the logistics and the costs. If an activity on GetYourGuide costs about the same but is much easier to organize, I don’t hesitate – I book it.
Also, many excursions include transportation, which can often save us from having to rent a car or figure out transportation for our different activities.
And just like with accommodations, even after booking, I regularly check to see if prices go down. Once again, this often allows me to save quite a bit.
Other Useful Resources
- Planning Motion: a Quebec-based web app that helps organize every aspect of a trip, before, during, and after. I’m so glad I discovered it! It’s much clearer and easier to use than the Excel spreadsheets I used before.
- Travel blogs, vlogs, and Facebook groups: are also an incredible source of information, advice, and inspiration. They’re actually what inspired me to start my own blog. I truly hope the tips I share here will help you plan your future adventures too!
- Google Maps : Google Maps is an essential tool for easily spotting tourist attractions, parks, and interesting viewpoints around my destination. I like to zoom in on the map, look at reviews and photos, and then do further research on the places that inspire me. Many of my favorite stops were actually discovered thanks to Google Maps.
- ChatGPT : This tool helps me plan my trips. Whether it’s to check if my itinerary makes sense, find activity ideas that fit my travel style, or simply ask questions along the way, it’s a really useful and accessible resource that often saves me a lot of time.
Conclusion
I like to say that every journey begins with the planning! Planning and budgeting for new adventures may take more time than booking an all-inclusive trip, but it also allows for a much richer and more personal experience.
And if you’d like to share your own best tips for planning and budgeting, I’d love to read them – feel free to drop them in the comments!
