10 vacation costs that can add up quickly without you noticing
David McNew/Getty Images
We all love going away on vacation, but we don't love the costs associated with it.
Usually, the big costs are taken into account before leaving the house — the hotel, the flight, the attractions, even the rental car.
But what we often forget about are the little costs that can eat into the budget before your plane even takes off.
Here are 10 of the biggest offenders, with a little advice on cutting down these last-minute expenses.
1. Check-in fees
Most of us check-in way ahead of time to avoid lines at the airport. However, more airlines are starting to charge for different aspects of this service, knowing that you would rather pay a fee than leave it to the last minute. In some instances, you will be charged for the convenience of checking-in online.
Amazingly, there may even be a cost for printing a boarding pass (currently Spirit charges $10 if you have one printed at the check-in counter), so look for options that are free (like printing yours at home, or using an app).
Related: 5 Airline Miles Secrets Only Frequent Flyers Know
2. Checked or carry-on luggage fees
If you've flown anywhere in the last few years, you probably noticed how insanely full the overhead luggage compartments were. That's because people got wise to the checked baggage fees, and started bringing even more carry-on luggage instead.
In fact, you'd often see flight attendants asking for carry-on bags to be checked free, due to space issues. However, recent carry-on fees (which are usually more than checked baggage fees) have reversed that trend.
Now, there's plenty of room in the cabin, because once again, people are looking for the cheapest option. So, even if you have a bag that's carry-on-sized, look at the prices. It may be cheaper to check it.
3. Overweight luggage charges
This one can really bite you at the last minute. If your bag weighs more than 50 pounds, you will pay a penalty, and this can vary depending on the airline. For instance, Frontier will charge you $75, whereas American Airlines tacks on a whopping $200!
Sometimes, you can do some quick swapping between bags to get them all under 50 pounds, but if that's not an option, you may find it cheaper to leave some items at the airport (give them away, trash them) rather than pay the hefty fee.
A good way to avoid this is to buy a luggage scale and weigh your luggage before you ever get to the airport. Bring it with you, too. You may also want to pack a light extra bag that you can use in an emergency. Usually, the additional bag fee is cheaper than the overweight bag charge. Or, try Luggage Forward, which ships your bags to and from your destination.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider