How to plan a trip budget that does not fall apart

Most trip budgets fail in the same places: fuel, tips and the unplanned extra night.

Split your budget into transport, stays, food and activities, then add 15 percent for everything you have not thought of.

The 15 percent rule

Track spending in a shared note each evening. It takes two minutes and stops the last-day surprise.

A simple budget split (sample)

1. Transport: 35%
2. Stays: 30%
3. Food: 20%
4. Activities and tickets: 15%
5. Plus 15% buffer on top

Sample article on a made-up website. The writer, details and story are for demonstration only.