The 5 Vacation Costs That Stress People Out the Most -- and How to Cut Them

A vacation should be a relaxing experience. Unfortunately, it often doesn't work out that way. Lots of travelers experience financial stress while they're on vacation. You expect to get away from it all and enjoy yourself, only to find that you're constantly thinking about how much you're spending and how it's going to affect your finances back home.

Recently, Empower conducted a survey where it identified travel-related sources of financial stress. Here are the top five, the percentage of Americans who have experienced each one, and what you can do about them.

1. Dining out for every meal (51%)

If you've ever worried about your food spending on a vacation, you're definitely not alone. Over half of Americans have felt the same way.

Restaurant spending can sneak up on you while traveling. Many travelers budget for airfare and a hotel, but don't spend much time planning for meals. When you're going out for two or three meals per day, that could easily add $1,000 or $2,000 to your travel expenses.

What to do: I've done my fair share of stressing about food costs, too. Here's what has helped me:

• Make dining a part of your travel budget. I normally plan for food to cost anywhere from $100 to $300 per day, and by preparing for this ahead of time, I'm not unpleasantly surprised in the middle of a trip.
• Book accommodations that include breakfast. Some hotel credit cards get you free breakfast, which is a good way to save.
• Look for alternatives to dining at restaurants. You could grab cheaper street food from time to time or get sandwiches and snacks at a grocery store.

2. Future credit card bills (29%)

About 3 in 10 Americans stress about future credit card bills in the middle of a vacation. It's hard to completely relax on a trip when you know you'll have debt waiting for you at home -- especially with the average credit card interest rate being above 20%.

What to do: Set up a savings account to use as a travel fund. Figure out how much money you'll need, and start transferring money to your travel fund every month. It may take a little longer to save up enough money for the trip you want, but you'll be able to pay your credit cards in full after your trip.

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3. Experience costs (27%)

Along with dining, experiences and activities are the other big travel expenses people have while on vacation. Not everything costs an arm and a leg. But if you want to do any expensive activities, such as fine dining or chartering a boat, those can put a dent in your travel budget. And even more affordable activities can add up over the course of a vacation.

What to do: Find a balance between low-cost and higher-priced activities. I like to start by figuring out which expensive activities are a must-do and which ones aren't as big a deal if they don't fit the budget.

After I've decided on those activities, I add in some cheaper, but still fun options for the rest of the trip. Art galleries, walking tours, and a day at the beach are all good choices that don't cost much.

4. Local transportation costs (24%)

Airfare may be the main transportation cost, but getting around once you're on the ground can be costly, too. In many cities, Uber and Lyft rides normally cost at least $15 to $20. If you take a couple of those per day, that could be $75 to $100.

What to do: The best way to get around varies from city to city. So before your trip, search online to see what other travelers recommend for the destination you'll be visiting.

Some places, including much of western Europe, are walkable and have excellent public transportation. If you're going to an area like this, it may be a waste of money to rent a car or pay for ride-hailing services every day. By learning about your options before you go, you can avoid overpaying for transportation.

5. Gift/souvenir costs (22%)

The last financial stressor in the top five is gift and souvenir costs. It's not always easy to find something for every friend and family member. It's not cheap, either. As anyone who has visited a museum gift shop knows, cool trinkets can be surprisingly expensive.

What to do: Don't breathe a word of your upcoming trip to friends or family. They can't expect a gift if they don't know you went anywhere. If they ask where you were, just tell them you were doing a digital fast.

If you'd rather not lie to some of the most important people in your life, just set a reasonable souvenir budget. You can find fun gifts at every price point. Most people aren't expecting you to bring back anything that breaks the bank. They'll be happy you thought about them on your trip and decided to bring them something, regardless of what it costs.

Don't let financial worries ruin your vacation

Planning ahead goes a long way toward having a stress-free vacation. If you don't have a travel fund already, set one up so you can make saving for vacations part of your routine. You may also want to check out travel rewards credit cards -- these are my favorite way to travel for less.

Once you're ready to go on vacation, decide how much you can spend on everything based on your travel savings. By doing a little more work before your trip, you can ensure that it's truly a relaxing getaway.