I just made a $500 mistake here in Sweden. Can you guess what it is?
Iโve traveled to all 7 continents (including Antarctica!) at just 15 years old.
During these travels, Iโve had lots of great experiences, but also made quite a few mistakes that have cost me a lot of money.
But donโt worry, Iโm here to shed light on these pitfalls so you can learn from my mistakes and avoid wasting thousands of dollars in your travels.
So what was my $500 mistake?
Not Buying Travel Insurance
During my expensive trip to Sweden, I didnโt buy any travel insurance – I hadnโt ever needed it in the past, and I was happy to save a few hundred dollars on my already expensive trip.
It seemed like a good idea at the time, but I bet you know where this is headed.
I had booked a tour in Abisko to go dog sledding, but I couldnโt make it because excessive snow and avalanche risk delayed my train by 4 hours.
Normally, this would be an inconvenience for sure – but it wouldnโt really affect my trip. But this particular excursion turned out to be non-refundable, even though missing it was completely out of my control.
Having travel insurance on this trip would have allowed me to get over $500 back for missing the tour – far more than the cost of the insurance.
This is one of many travel mistakes Iโve learned to avoid: Now I always buy travel insurance, especially for international trips.
Make sure you also buy travel insurance for expensive vacations – you never know what might happen and it will give you a lot of peace of mind if something doesnโt go according to plan.
Overpaying for Souvenirs / Not Bargaining
My trip to Egypt was almost over, and it was even better than I had expected. I saw the Pyramids of Giza, the Valley of the Kings, and many ancient Egyptian temples.
I was at a market to buy some souvenirs and saw a painting on papyrus I really liked.
I was a little shocked to find out that it cost over $100! But since I thought it was very unique, I ended up buying it anyway.
But this wasnโt what I should have done. When talking to other travelers at my hotel, I learned that youโre always supposed to bargain in Egypt, and that I paid more than double.
After that experience, I learned my lesson – now I always research whether bargaining is common in the countries I visit and try to check prices in a couple of stores before buying anything.
Currency Exchange at Airports
When visiting Zurich, Switzerland, I had less than 24 hours but wanted to explore the city as much as I could. So to save time, I did something many other travelers also do, without realizing how bad it actually was.
I exchanged US dollars for Swiss Francs at the airport even though I was getting a terrible rate!
I thought it was worth it since I wouldnโt have to go through the hassle of exchanging money in the city and wasting precious time.
But later, I realized that I had lost over $50 in fees for nothing because every single place I went to accepted credit cards.
Now, I always research whether cash is needed in the countries I travel to and make sure to stay away from airport currency exchanges as much as possible.
I use a credit card with no foreign transaction fee or exchange currency in the city for a much better deal. This way you can spend more on great experiences that make traveling so fun and memorable.
Falling for cruise line excursions
During my very first cruise, which was in Alaska, I went on a $100 cruise line excursion to the Mendenhall glacier from Juneau.
I enjoyed the trip, but that happiness vanished once I got back and talked to another passenger. I realized there were inexpensive shuttles available for just $45 from the cruise port to the glacier viewpoint.
If I hadnโt been so focused on just the cruise lineโs excursions, I would have probably figured this out before the trip.
So remember to always look for 3rd party excursions or explore a city on your own, instead of only relying on cruise lineโs excursions. This way, you can get the most bang for your buck when traveling.
If you like this post, also check out Avoid My Most Expensive Travel Mistakes From Visiting All 7 Continents.