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May 14, 2012
Trim Your Vacation Costs

Plan the summer vacation you want without sacrificing your financial comfort—or paying for it for months to come.

Transcript

To make sure you're still not paying off your summer vacation come winter, create a comprehensive trip budget and try to anticipate every expense. For example:

• When estimating airfare, don't forget taxes, extra baggage fees, transportation to the airport and in-flight meals.
• With car rentals; include taxes, gas and extras like car seats. Check your auto insurance and credit card policies to make sure you're not buying duplicate insurance coverage.
• For lodging, factor in taxes, phone and Internet charges.
• For entertainment, include meals, event admission and babysitters.
• And don't forget about cell phone roaming charges, especially in foreign countries.

Bottom line: Pad your vacation budget by 10 percent for unexpected expenses – then let the fun begin.

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