Managing your budget on Aruba

I was just going over my budget from my last trip to Aruba - I find this helps me see where I spend and how much to take next time. One thing I sometimes get caught out on is extra charges. Be sure to check your hotel's policy before you book. Some will add an 'energy fee' or an extra service charge to your final bill.

I always take more money than I plan to spend for those extra fees. Some hotels are terrible about charging for what they consider extras. Sometimes in a foreign country even restaurants charge extra for certain things. These fees are never advertised ahead of time.

It's a really good idea to have an emergency fund tucked away for surprise expenses. I tend to plan out the cost of a hotel, local transport and the emergency money. Then I divide whatever is left into the number of days I am there. It helps me to have a guide for daily spending on food, drinks and leisure.