How I’m budgeting this epic two-week run of holiday fun
This year I’m doing a two week Christmas Market run across Europe. I’ll be solo for at least the first week. My sister might drop in for the second. That means for at least seven days every bill, tip, and souvenir is on only me. So grab your Excel Spreadsheet knowledge or your Google Sheet know how and learn how I’m budgeting it so I can have a calm trip and still say yes to joy.
Step 1: Own the solo days
The first thing I do is name what I’m really paying for. A full week solo means single rooms, single tickets, and no splitting rideshares. That changes how I think about hotels and food. I plan the simpler, yes the means cheaper hotel nights when I know I’ll be alone and the go more luxury for those same nights when my sister might join. I also build my food plan around how I actually eat when I’m solo. I graze more at markets and do fewer long dinners. I add a little cushion for days when I get cold and tired and just need an Uber to get home. I mean last year I had multiple days where I easily walked 15 to 20 thousand steps; that for 14 days is beyond my 47 year old knees and back right now.
Step 2: Hunt flights like you mean it
After dates are set, I open the flight tabs. I check Google Flights, Expedia, Priceline, and a couple others. I look at flexible days, nearby airports, and one way or open-jaw options. I also check low cost and alt carriers. For me, SAS was about 300 dollars cheaper than Delta or United for the same window. That is real money. This is about 2 days of spending money on food, souvenirs and Markets and money to get sound the city. I also look at carriers like PLAY and French bee when they fit my route. Sometimes it is cheaper to fly into a gateway city, grab a cheap hop to my first stop, then train the rest. I do not assume the big three are the best price. I build a short list, then I wait a day and check again. When the number makes sense, I book. Also this means being a little bit flexible. For this trip it meant returning on Saturday (which I will say I need before returning to work on Monday); but it was more budget acceptable to do that.
Pro tip from a tired traveler. If an overnight into Europe is cheapest but lands very early, I add a small hotel buffer near the train or metro, or I pick a flight that lands close to check in time. Being cheap and then suffering for six hours in the cold is not the move.
Step 3: Price a package to spread the cost
I also run my exact dates through a vacation package engine. Sometimes the package price for hotel plus flight is better than booking separate. The big win for me is the deposit. Many sites let you lock a package with around 200 dollars down, then pay over time until about 45 days before you leave. That spreads the pain and keeps your cash flow smooth. Packages also let you search by address. If I want to be near a specific market, I drop that address and see what hotels are in a five to ten minute walk. If I want points, I can filter for Hilton or Marriott and still keep the location tight. I compare the package total to my mix of separate bookings, then I pick the better deal. Also if you dont know what vacation booking engines allow for a deposit and the ability to make a few payments; ask a travel agent!
Step 4: Build a daily spend plan that is real
Nothing hurts more than making it to day ten of fourteen and realizing you blew the budget. I prevent that with a day by day sheet. I keep it simple.
- Transit: list the expected rides each day. Airport to hotel. Metro to markets. Any Uber or taxi if I know a day will run late or I need to cross town at night.
- Food: morning snack or breakfast, market food, one sit down meal now and then. I use real menu photos when I can. If I do not know, I pick reasonable numbers and then add ten percent.
- Tickets: note any special events that day. Hyde Park rides. A theme park day. A Christmas Light Show. Shore Excursion for your cruise.
- Souvenirs: I set a cap per city so I do not lose my mind on day one. However I never leave a mug behind.
My sample Daily Budget
Here is a loose example I use on solo days. Adjust for your city and taste.
- Transit: 20 to 40 dollars based on metro passes or a rideshare at night
- Food: 45 to 65 dollars if I am grazing, 75 to 90 dollars if I plan one sit down
- Souvenirs: the only thing I wont budget by day but by City; I dont know when I am going to see that amazing souvenir or that perfect gift (Beatles Record Clock for a Stan last year) so setting up an amount per CITY means I have the ability to buy when I see as long as I keep that Google Sheet updated!
I check my sheet each morning. If I came in under the day before, I roll a little forward. If I went over, I cut a small thing today. The goal is to stay steady, not to punish myself.
A word to my queer folks
For me one thing that I will not skimp on is my comfort when it comes to this it is not just cost. I pick hotels near transit and near at least one market. I star LGBTQ friendly cafés and use them as warm-up spots. I give myself money for a taxi if a street feels off late at night. I always have enough on my card for an extra night if a hotel messes up. That is safety.
Wrap up
Two weeks sounds big. It is big. With dates set, flights hunted, a package option priced, a daily sheet in place, and tickets prioritized, the money side gets simple. You can say yes to the moments that matter and still feel good when you check your account. If you want, I can turn my sheet into a copy you can use and prefill it with my numbers for Berlin, Cologne, Frankfurt, Strasbourg, Paris, Disneyland Paris, and London. Then you can swap your dates and make this trip your own.
Also here is a link to a Google Sheet I use to budget on my own. Anything Red should not be updated; and anything green can be updated with your Tours, Tickets, Hotels and anything else you need to budget for.
