Barbara
Veteran Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Since 2000 French and Spanish, bikes and walking
Good morning
This isn't about How much or how to calculate how much. It's a method I use so as not to end up in a hole with no way of paying for the next day's needs, and I was just wondering what other people do.
I have a method that involves two pockets and a hiding place for a usually frozen debit card (or two, depending on how long a trip and the perceived chance of loss)
If you are interested, read on. If not then find a more interesting post.
Once I have worked out my likely needs for the total trip, including all lodging, entry fees, food, wine, intermediate transport and a small buffer then I divide by the number of days that I expect to be away. I then pour a stiff drink and recalculate. If it comes out to a similar total then I either re-think the minimum comfort level or decide to do something else or go somewhere else. This works for all trips, not only CS.
Day one I allow double the average budget because there will always be something I have forgotten to bring, however many spreadsheets I have made. In fact, I have rather given up on complex calculations and tend to round off everything to an easy number. Same with packing. Replace anything completely wrecked or lost in the bag I brought back, washed, and replaced in bag from last time.
Using some made-up numbers here, don't want you to know how cheap I am.
Let's say I reckon on sixty euros or local equivalent per day then for day one that's 120 euros. Day two and subsequent days that will be sixty euros per day. I put 120 euros in my right pocket and zip it shut. Small notes, equal to ten euros per note if possible. Another five to ten days worth (or enough days to get me to the next border with a change of currency if this is a smaller number of days) goes in my left pocket, or more likely money belt really well tucked away depending on my perceived safety levels and likely ease of finding an ATM. Frozen preloaded debit card and an emergency cash reserve really well hidden, and an expired or otherwise cancelled card with the ready use cash in right pocket.
Day one I can spend what I find in my right pocket. I probably will have a fair bit left at the end of the day. In the morning I transfer sixty (average calculated spend) from left to right. After five days of doing this, spending from the right, topping up the same amount every day I count what I have in my right pocket. If before doing the left to right move I have sixty euros I congratulate myself on extreme cleverness and continue until I need to get some more cash to top up the left pocket via the debit card. If I have more than sixty euros I have a treat or become a bit more generous with the donativo that day. If less I shrug my shoulders and carry on.
Once the left pocket is nearly empty it's time to raid an ATM. This might happen a day or two early if they are a bit thin on the ground. So far it has always worked. If for any reason I have an empty pocket on the right then there should be some on the left. If I simply used a card for convenience then next day I transfer less from left to right.
Simple, flexible.
Now I would like to hear what others do, as all systems can be improved. I haven't done a poll, but if you think that could be fun then feel free.
This isn't about How much or how to calculate how much. It's a method I use so as not to end up in a hole with no way of paying for the next day's needs, and I was just wondering what other people do.
I have a method that involves two pockets and a hiding place for a usually frozen debit card (or two, depending on how long a trip and the perceived chance of loss)
If you are interested, read on. If not then find a more interesting post.
Once I have worked out my likely needs for the total trip, including all lodging, entry fees, food, wine, intermediate transport and a small buffer then I divide by the number of days that I expect to be away. I then pour a stiff drink and recalculate. If it comes out to a similar total then I either re-think the minimum comfort level or decide to do something else or go somewhere else. This works for all trips, not only CS.
Day one I allow double the average budget because there will always be something I have forgotten to bring, however many spreadsheets I have made. In fact, I have rather given up on complex calculations and tend to round off everything to an easy number. Same with packing. Replace anything completely wrecked or lost in the bag I brought back, washed, and replaced in bag from last time.
Using some made-up numbers here, don't want you to know how cheap I am.
Let's say I reckon on sixty euros or local equivalent per day then for day one that's 120 euros. Day two and subsequent days that will be sixty euros per day. I put 120 euros in my right pocket and zip it shut. Small notes, equal to ten euros per note if possible. Another five to ten days worth (or enough days to get me to the next border with a change of currency if this is a smaller number of days) goes in my left pocket, or more likely money belt really well tucked away depending on my perceived safety levels and likely ease of finding an ATM. Frozen preloaded debit card and an emergency cash reserve really well hidden, and an expired or otherwise cancelled card with the ready use cash in right pocket.
Day one I can spend what I find in my right pocket. I probably will have a fair bit left at the end of the day. In the morning I transfer sixty (average calculated spend) from left to right. After five days of doing this, spending from the right, topping up the same amount every day I count what I have in my right pocket. If before doing the left to right move I have sixty euros I congratulate myself on extreme cleverness and continue until I need to get some more cash to top up the left pocket via the debit card. If I have more than sixty euros I have a treat or become a bit more generous with the donativo that day. If less I shrug my shoulders and carry on.
Once the left pocket is nearly empty it's time to raid an ATM. This might happen a day or two early if they are a bit thin on the ground. So far it has always worked. If for any reason I have an empty pocket on the right then there should be some on the left. If I simply used a card for convenience then next day I transfer less from left to right.
Simple, flexible.
Now I would like to hear what others do, as all systems can be improved. I haven't done a poll, but if you think that could be fun then feel free.