Travelling with your friends can be an experience of a lifetime. From the minute you get to the airport, the fun begins – but unfortunately, so does the spending.
Going on holiday can be pretty expensive and when you’re travelling with other people, you have to factor in their budgets, too.
If you’re one of the high earners in your group, you’re probably not thinking about what other people can and can’t afford. But if you’re the low earner of the group, you might find yourself saying ‘yes’ to a holiday you can’t actually afford.
No one wants to disappoint their friends but you don’t want to find yourself in debt because of a five-night stay in a fancy resort. You don’t have to go above your means to have a memorable holiday.
If your friends are pressuring you to go on an expensive holiday, travel experts at Go2Africa share how you can negotiate and compromise with your mates.
1. Get comfortable speaking about money with your friends
Conversations about money are awkward, especially with friends. But, avoiding those conversations can make things even more awkward.
You can find yourself making up excuses for not doing things, rather than being upfront and explaining that it’s out of your budget.
It’s easier said than done, but try to not compare yourself and your financial situation to your friends. They might be suggesting expensive destinations but they might be putting it all on a credit card because they can’t afford it either.
Talking about money might help them realise they don’t want to spend either.
2. Negotiate and compromise
If your friends are suggesting pricey destinations that are out of your budget, try to come up with alternatives rather than declining the holiday altogether.
Lesser-known islands or towns just outside of main cities are often a lot less expensive and usually have fewer tourists.
Look at other accommodations like renting an apartment or an Airbnb instead of staying in a pricey hotel, and staying somewhere with a kitchen means you can save money by cooking instead of eating out every night.
Remember to compromise though, so that everyone is happy. You could suggest a cheaper hotel that has options for your friends to have luxury upgrades, or you could stay in a cheap apartment which means you can budget for more extravagant activities and nights out.
If you can, propose changing the dates they’re looking at, and travel out of season to save money on destinations you couldn’t afford in the height of summer.
3. Set boundaries before you travel, not when you’re there
Let’s be honest, we usually go over our holiday budget so you should try to negotiate the big expenses like hotels and flights.
Do some research on the local area and suggest some restaurants and bars you’d all be happy with going to, so you don’t get stuck paying more than you budgeted for because you couldn’t find anywhere cheaper to eat.
Before you set off, speak about how bills will be spilt to avoid having awkward discussions when the bill comes.
4. Remember: it’s up to you to stick to your budget
Decide how much you’ll need for each day, plus a little extra for emergencies, and stick to it. If you find it difficult to stick to a budget when you’re away, leave the cards at home and only take cash, so you can’t spend any more than you can afford.
It can be easy to get carried away on holiday and end up spending more than you intended, especially when you’re with people who are able to spend more than you. But remember, their budget is not your budget, and it’s up to you to stick to the funds you have.
5. Remember it’s okay to say ‘no’
If you can’t afford the holiday, don’t feel guilty for saying no. Be honest with your friends and tell them why you can’t attend, rather than making up an excuse. If they’re your true friends they’ll understand.
If their heart is really set on the plans they’ve come up with and they don’t want to change them, perhaps you can plan a trip next time that you can afford.