Whether you’re visiting one city or going on a multi-centre holiday, trips to the USA can have varying prices depending on location, time of year, and how far away you are from the action.
Yes, the United States is expensive, but it doesn’t have to be!
Research is your biggest friend when booking a trip to the US on a budget. The main factors to consider are: 1) the time of year you’re visiting – shoulder/winter season is typically cheaper, and 2) the location of your hotel – will you need to taxi/uber everywhere or can you get around on foot? and 3) what hidden costs are there – resort fees, parking fees etc.
This is why research is vital, as you can save money but simply choosing a different hotel, changing the day you fly, or snagging a great hotel/flight bundle.
Don’t forget to take enough spending money!
You’ll want more than enough spending money when visiting the US to cover any gifts and products you want to buy, excursions, and attraction tickets, as well as money to cover Ubers, eating out, and anything else.
It’s important to remember that in the US, the $ tax amount on products purchased in a shop is added to the price of the item at the till. In the UK, VAT’s automatically included on the shelf price but in the US the shelf price is without the added tax – so be prepared to pay more at checkout!
Tipping is almost mandatory!
In the US, tipping is pretty much expected wherever you go in which a service is offered. Hotels, casinos, taxi drivers, spas, and restaurants, are just a few places where you will be expected to leave a tip.
Some establishments include the tip within the bill’s price, so always check your receipt to avoid overtipping! The range of tipping can be $1 – $2 for valets or concierges, but 10-20% within restaurants, so it’s worth carrying a card and cash to cover the payments.
Remember travel insurance!
It might be one of the boring parts about traveling, but ensuring you have travel insurance before visiting the US is crucial if you want to avoid huge medical bills in case of an emergency. Hopefully, you won’t need to visit a hospital, but even if you visit a medical practice for minor injuries or issues, you could be faced with a large bill at the end of treatment.
Healthcare in the USA is privatized, and everything costs money. Having travel insurance in place to cover yourself should you need it, will help towards paying any hospital or treatment costs you might incur – better to be safe than sorry!
