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
