Georgia, South Carolina, Travel, United States

2019 Charleston Road Trip Planning: Budget Reflection

2019 Charleston Road Trip Planning: Budget Reflection

I meticulously keep financial records, I love it actually. I don’t necessarily plan to “beat” my budget or always choose the cheapest option, although that certainly plays a part in my planning and trip decisions! Below is our estimated budget/itinerary for our 2019 Charleston road trip along with our actual budget, comments, and adjustments.

Read more: Travel Tips: Keeping Track of Expenses While Traveling

*Note: many times my itinerary changes slightly as our trip unfolds, I indicated all changes in uppercase & italics so you can follow along.

EVENT TIMES/ADDRESS/NOTES ESTIMATED COST USD ACTUAL COST USD
Friday, November 22, 2019
Oviedo, FL to St. Marys, GA
Drive from Oviedo, FL to St. Mary’s, GA ~2.5 hours $0.00 $0.00
St. Marys Accommodations: Riverview Hotel (2 nights) check in 2:00 pm & check out 11:30 am $300.00 $220.18
Dinner: JaxSpice, Jacksonville $40.00 $83.00
Snacks $15.00 $0.00
Miscellaneous $10.00 $0.00
SUBTOTAL $365.00 $303.18
Saturday, November 23, 2019
DAY TRIP: Cumberland Island
Breakfast hotel breakfast $20.00 $0.00
Ferry from St. Marys to Cumberland Island check in 8:00 am – ferry at 9:00 am ; 45 min ride (price for there & return) $70.00 $67.80
Bike Rental on Cumberland Island DID NOT END UP RENTING BIKES $32.00 $0.00
Picnic Lunch (packed by Hotel) APPARENTLY THE HOTEL NO LONGER DOES A PACKED LUNCH SO WILL RUSHED OFF TO WINN DIXIE TO BUY STUFF $35.00 $16.00
Ferry from Cumberland Island to St. Marys check in 3:45 pm – ferry at 4:45pm (price included in previous) $0.00 $0.00
Walk around St. Marys $0.00 $0.00
Dinner: Fullford’s Fish House $40.00 $56.00
Snacks $15.00 $0.00
Miscellaneous: CUMBERLAND ISLAND ENTRANCE I’M AN IDIOT AND FORGOT TO ESTIMATE  OUR ENTRANCE INTO THE PARK $10.00 $20.00
SUBTOTAL $222.00 $159.80
Sunday, November 24, 2019
St. Marys, GA to Beaufort, SC
Breakfast hotel breakfast $20.00 $0.00
Mass: Our Lady Star of the Sea 11:00 am (walk from hotel) $5.00 $2.00
Drive from St. Marys, GA to Sunbury Crab Company ~1 hr 25 min $0.00 $0.00
Lunch: Sunbury Crab Company  541 Brigantine-Dunmore Road; Sunday hours 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm $40.00 $75.00
Drive from Sunbury Crab Company to Beaufort, SC ~1.5 hours $0.00 $0.00
Afternoon/evening in Beaufort, SC WE DIDN’T DO ANYTHING BESIDES HANGING IN THE AIRBNB $0.00 $0.00
Dinner WE ATE A LATE LUNCH & SKIPPED DINNER $40.00 $0.00
Beaufort Accommodations: AirBnb (1 night) check in 4pm; check out 10am (the reason for the big price difference is that I was originally going to get us a fancy B&B) $250.00 $45.48
Snacks: Sentient Bean, Savannah, GA $15.00 $6.60
Miscellaneous $10.00 $0.00
SUBTOTAL $380.00 $129.08
Monday, November 25, 2019
Beaufort, SC to Charleston, SC
Breakfast: Blackstone’s Cafe, Beaufort, SC $20.00 $37.00
Morning in Beaufort, SC & surrounding Gullah areas PENN CENTER, 2 tickets + map $0.00 $17.00
Lunch: Charleston Deli & Bakery, Charleston, SC $35.00 $20.91
Drive from Beaufort, SC to Middleton Place ~1.5 hours $0.00 $0.00
Middleton Place General Admission $29 (9:00 am – 5:00 pm) + House Museum Tour $15 (12:00 pm – 4:00 pm) $88.00 $58.00
Drive from Middleton Place to Charleston, SC ~30 min $0.00 $0.00
Dinner: Boxcar Betty’s, Charleston, SC WE PAID FOR OUR FRIEND HOST’S MEAL $40.00 $44.82
Charleston Accommodations: staying with friends (5 nights) FREE $0.00 $0.00
Snacks $15.00 $0.00
Miscellaneous: souvenirs GULLAH COOKBOOK & BUTTER BELL $10.00 $50.00
SUBTOTAL $208.00 $227.73
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Charleston, SC
Breakfast: Black Magic, Charleston, SC $20.00 $45.00
OLD SLAVE MART & EXCHANGE teacher discount $15.00 $16.00
Lunch: Harris Teeters Grocery picnic light “lunch” $35.00 $8.84
FRENCH HUGUENOT CHURCH & ST. PHILIPS CHURCH $15.00 $1.00
Dinner: Mex 1 $5 off because we won trivia $40.00 $60.00
Snacks: Bitty & Beau’s Coffee $15.00 $9.81
Miscellaneous: leather wallet for Will $10.00 $13.08
SUBTOTAL $150.00 $153.73
Wednesday, November 27,2019
Charleston, SC
Breakfast ATE BREAKFAST AT OUR FRIEND’S HOUSE $20.00 $0.00
HYLO YOGA CLASS (JESS)  & MORNING RUN (WILL) $15.00 $15.00
Lunch: Lewis BBQ $35.00 $41.71
DRAYTON HALL (JESS) AAA $1 discount $0.00 $31.00
Dinner: Frothy Beard, Charleston SC WOOPS, I DON’T HAVE THE COST OF THIS MEAL $40.00 $0.00
Snacks: Charleston Coffee Exchange, Charleston, SC $15.00 $9.32
Miscellaneous $10.00 $0.00
SUBTOTAL $150.00 $97.03
Thursday, November 28, 2019
Charleston: THANKSGIVING DAY
Miscellaneous: Gobble Wobble 5k (Will) & Magnolia Plantation Light Show (Will & Jess) FRIEND PAID FOR OUR TICKETS FOR THE MAGNOLIA LIGHT SHOW, WE “PAID” HER BACK BY COVERING A MEAL $10.00 $44.00
SUBTOTAL $10.00 $44.00
Friday, November 29, 2019
Charleston, SC
Breakfast $20.00 $0.00
Morning in Charleston $15.00 $0.00
Lunch: One Broad paid for our friends/hosts $35.00 $52.00
Afternoon/evening in Charleston NO IDEA WHAT $48 IS FOR $15.00 $48.00
Dinner: Blind Tiger paid for our friends/hosts $40.00 $235.00
Snacks: Harry’s Bar & Stars Bar pad for our friends/hosts $15.00 $53.00
Miscellaneous $10.00 $0.00
SUBTOTAL $150.00 $388.00
Saturday, November 30, 2019
Drive from Charleston, SC to Oviedo, FL
Breakfast $20.00 $0.00
Drive from Charleston to Magnolia Plantation & Gardens ~30mins $0.00 $0.00
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens DID NOT DO BECAUSE WE DID THE NIGHT LIGHT SHOW INSTEAD $40.00 $0.00
Lunch: McDonald’s $35.00 $6.29
Drive from Charleston, SC to Oviedo, FL ~5hrs $0.00 $0.00
Dinner $40.00 $0.00
Snacks: Broom Wagon/Miscellaneous: cooler & waters $15.00 $23.99
Average Gas, Parking, Air for Tires Cost for the Whole Trip $200.00 $51.71
SUBTOTAL $360.00 $81.99
TOTAL $1,985.00 $1,540.54

JMF

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *