Thread: Do you budget your cruise money

don't budget, but like others, start saving spending $ for next trip soon as get home from last one. but the ships don't make $ off us in the bars,casinos, or spa etc. we do like to buy from local shops & the local crafts rather than touristy glitchy things from tourist centers in the ports. got some pretty paintings on last cruise done by local painters on the islands and of course have to get teddy bears (if possible) from where-ever we go. up to 75 of them now.

Originally Posted by boyconny

If you spend the money with the locals, then you are welcome back at any time.(lol).

But on a more serious note. I heard a person make a statement like this .... with all the money that the tourist spend's on the Island, they should fix the roads a little better or fix the dock or have better transportation, some thing relating to that.
But if some body who is not spending money on the Islands when visiting should'nt make statements like that...what do you think?
Because most of the Islands economy is tourism based. Budgeting your spendings on an Island would make sence...dont you think? You can then look back after 5 or 10 years and say I did my part with helping the economy or I put x amount of money into the Islands economy...Don't you think.

Hear what you're saying and agree. most of the islands use the tourist money to live and survive, so road work and a better transportation system is not a priority. plus it's very nice to fix the roads all pretty so that the next hurricane can come and destroy it.

No, every year we put the tax return in the bank and I spend it on the cruise

Yep, I budget for everything. Even the tip for the lady with the toilet paper who sits outside the public toilet in Valletta. My obsession with budgets is probably the reason we have money to cruise in the first place.

We budget all year long except for when we're on vacation, then we let loose & act like we have all the money in the world. It's kind of fun for one week to be able to spend what we want & not feel bad about. Of course we wouldn't just spend $ on whatever but we buy what we want.

I don't actually budget EXCEPT for the amount of money I am willing to lose i the casino. I take my gambling money in a separate envelope and if it is gone, that's the end of my gambling. I used to put aside an amount for the spa, but I find that they are so much more expensive than the spas I use at home, and don't do that great of a job, so now there is no more spa budget.

You better believe I budget...
I even have catagories...
Transportation to and from pier
OBCharges
Casino
Specialty Dining
Room Service Tips
Standard Tips
Extra Tips if warrented
Specialty Dining
Dinner Wines
Shore Excursions...
Laundry
Misc $100

Thats my budget

We generally budget on a cruise before we leave so we have an idea of what the cruise will actually cost. Our budget is generally a travel budget for the year. We don't stick to it precisly but use it as a general guideline.