7 Tips for Surviving and Paying for Group Travel

Group trips are fun, in theory. But they can quickly devolve into Venmo chaos if not orchestrated properly.

Getting a group to agree on basics like venue and dates is one thing, but getting them to agree on budgets and preferences is even trickier. We share our secrets for navigating these tricky, friendship-threatening waters.

That's right, we wrote this article as a group. It's possible. Here's how to plan a trip with friends when your budgets may differ.

If you're a savvy traveler planning a trip with friends who (probably) aren't savvy themselves, you have two options:

Option 1: Take charge and earn rewards

The band wants to have a big house? Great, you can book it yourself, charge it to a card that allows you to earn points on vacation rentalsand split the bill. Assuming everyone pays you back (pro tip: collect the money before the trip), you'll earn a lot of free points. You'll also have control over where you stay and won't get stuck in crappy accommodations because your friends are too lazy to read reviews.

The downside to this option is that you actually have to coordinate and communicate. Depending on your friends, no amount of extra points may be worth it. Which brings us to…

Option 2: Stay away and maximize your autonomy

Some battles aren’t worth winning. If acting as your friends’ travel agent seems like torture, don’t subject yourself to it. Stay out of the decision-making process as much as possible, and plan for backup plans if necessary. If someone suggests flying together, you can say, “No thanks, I’ll book my own ticket.” Otherwise, you may end up with the plane ticket. horrible basic economy they invariably choose.

This option has risks and benefits. You save yourself the headache of managing cats, but you expose yourself to bad choices from others. Go with the flow, but retain your veto power if you spot red flags. — Sam Kemmis

Venmo is a simple way for one person to pay a bill (so you don’t have to put down six cards at dinner for the server to process) and get reimbursed by others. Venmo usage is growing: The mobile payment service processed about $60.6 billion in total payment volume in the fourth quarter of 2021, up 29% from the previous year, according to PayPal’s 2021 results released in February 2022.

But you may prefer to calculate all costs at the end of the trip rather than calculating them per transaction. For example, if one person paid for a rental car, another booked a vacation rental, and a third put the entire dinner bill on their card, it can be a headache to figure out all the transactions. In this case, the Splitwise app can simplify the calculations. Simply invite the group, and each person can enter the shared expenses they paid for.

The app will do the math, so at the end of the trip, you'll know exactly how much you owe each person. You can even send payments electronically. I've used this app for many group trips, and it's always a hit because everyone loves the transparency. Your travel companions will be more confident that if they pay something, they'll be reimbursed. Plus, everyone can earn points if they use rewards credit cards or loyalty program memberships. —Meghan Coyle

I like to use my miles when I fly, but most of my friends aren't as savvy. They usually shop around for the cheapest flight, while I prefer to fly business class with my miles, even if it means leaving a day or two early. There's nothing wrong with flying alone, so don't feel bad about it. Let others know. — Elina Geller

Depending on the size of your group, dining out can involve long waits for large tables and a lot of work to settle the bill. If you're staying in a vacation rental, you might consider cooking a few meals instead.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that the cost of feeding a family of four in December 2021 was about $200 to $300 per week, assuming all meals were eaten at home. Paying about $60 per person to eat in for a week is likely more affordable than what you'd pay to dine out for a week (depending on location).

My friends and I typically assign each meal to a few people, and those people decide what goes on the menu, add ingredients to the group's shopping list, and serve as chefs on their assigned day. Some crowd-pleasing meals include make-your-own pizza, tacos, pasta, and anything grilled. —Meghan Coyle

One frustrating aspect of group travel is trying to convince everyone to do the same activity. If you're in a large group and people disagree on options, suggest splitting up for the afternoon so everyone can do something they enjoy. Half the group might prefer to go hiking, while the other half would prefer to lounge on the beach.

Even though it's a group trip, everyone has their own idea of ​​what a vacation looks like. Try to offer different options to keep the mood positive during the trip. — Elina Geller

How to avoid things you don't want to pay for: I'm not a big drinker (I prefer to eat my calories), which can be problematic at times. hen parties and other heavily boozy events. At a restaurant where everyone shares bottles of wine, you may be able to avoid splitting the bill by asking the server for a separate bill for your entrée and glass of water. It’s less likely that you’ll be able to avoid paying for the poolside cabana with unlimited mimosas if you also partake of the refreshing towels and eucalyptus misters that came with them.

My advice: Be clear about your budget. Whether it’s alcohol or any other expense you don’t want to cover, let the other people who will be making decisions about your trip know in advance so you can plan accordingly. You may be able to split the base bill, but the person who adds the mai tais will pay the tip.

And if it's really too awkward to split the bill this way, you can split up for the day. If everyone is going to a wine tasting, maybe you can do a different activity and then swap experiences later.

Getting others to agree to your desired spending: I have also been on the opposite side of wanting to fund something that others didn't want. I was once in South America with some old college friends who still had a budget for their studies and they offered me a two-hour bus ride to the beach when a taxi would have taken less than 30 minutes. I didn't fly to Brazil to sit on a bus for two hours!

Whether it's a $15 cab ride instead of a 50-cent bus ride, or a unique and memorable meal at the top of the Eiffel Tower instead of a croissant at the cafe across the street, you might be able to reason with your friends that the splurge is worth it.

And if you can't, maybe you can buy your friends a gift and pay the full cost yourself. Rather than wondering whether to share a $15 cab, save yourself the headache and pay for it. If it's an expensive entrée, tell your friends it's a gift – and you won't have to pay full price come the holidays. — Sally French

If budget is a burden for some members of your group, find ways to make activities cheaper and more inclusive so no one has to pretend they had a great day inside the vacation rental. You don’t always have to have a very large group to get group discounts.

Even if you're traveling with just six or ten people, it can be worth asking if you can get a discount on some of your activities. I've gotten huge discounts on kayaking and taken advantage of Groupon deals on snow tubing. —Meghan Coyle

One friend wants a house with an infinity pool and another wants to save for retirement? One friend wants to fly together and another prefers to take the bus? Coordinating a group trip is like herding cats—if the cats insisted on splitting the bill even though they order all the cocktails.

But there are ways to survive this madness and maybe even save money or earn points. Setting a reasonable budget, communicating clearly, and agreeing on expenses in advance are key. Plus, finding creative ways to save money while having fun is a win-win situation.