Some research, carrying a good guidebook, and setting a budget for your trip can help keep your vacation expenses in check.

A travel guide is worth its weight in gold. You??ll pay $20-$30 for a good one, but ultimately the book will save you money. Travel guides feature information on tourist attractions, local customs, and cheap places to eat and sleep. They can give you the inside scoop on the best days to visit museums, or tell you how to find seldom-visited free events.

I also like the idea of setting up a set budget for a given trip. So often we budget out how much we’re going to spend on tickets or lodging, but so often don’t give food, clothes, or entrance fees detailed thought. The rest of Get Rich Slowly’s 10 tips include common ones such as staying at hostels, packing light, eating cheap. I’d also recommend 5 quick ways to save, like bringing a water filter and combining multiple trips.

[photo by: rivos]