Do you want to travel to the Caribbean, but are you worried about the costs? The poor economy has forced many Americans to rethink their spending habits. Do you really need a Caribbean vacation? Not likely, but you definitely deserve one. For that reason, don't forego your dream trip. Instead, make careful planning choices. Luckily, it is easy to have a great trip the Caribbean all the while on a budget. How?

Make sure your Caribbean all-inclusive vacation is really all-inclusive. Some online travel websites like to disguise their travel packages as more. If you just get a hotel, airline tickets, and a car rental, you are not getting an all-inclusive trip. Traditional hotels rarely offer inclusive packages. You need to target all-inclusive resorts. They not only include the cost of your airfare and room, but your food, drinks, tips, qualifying airport transfers, and onsite entertainment. As for the car rental, it is not needed. Many guests rarely leave their resort, but affordable public transportation is available for those who do.

Choose your all-inclusive Caribbean resort wisely. As previously stated, you buy an inclusive travel package from an all-inclusive resort. You have many choices. Which resort is the best? Honestly, they all come highly rated and recommended. You want more than a well-known and high rated resort though, you want the perfect for your needs. Compare Jamaica resorts and resorts in the Bahamas. Find your perfect match. Look for good restaurants and onsite activities. These should be included in the cost of your stay. The more you have, the less likely you are to venture offsite and pay more elsewhere.

Familiarize yourself with extra restaurant fees, should they exist. Some resorts prohibit tipping, as you already paid for it with your stay. Do not pay extra unless you need to, like when you receive outstanding service from an employee who went the extra mile. Take the same approach with restaurant surcharges. Some upscale restaurants may charge them. Your food is included, but not the surcharge. All-inclusive resorts that impose surcharges outline these fees for you ahead of time. Read them. Then, carefully plan your meals. Opt for casual restaurants or cafes with no surcharges. You pay nothing extra, limiting the cost of your Caribbean vacation.

Pack wisely. Many airlines serving the United States and Jamaica have imposed extra luggage fees. It may seem impossible to pack seven days worth of clothes into one suitcase, but try. Limit what you bring. Review the weather forecast and pack only needed clothes, review the resort's laundry service, and so forth. At the very least, use space saving travel bags to reduce the space taken by clothes. This seems like a lot of effort to avoid an extra $50 fee, but think of what you could do with that $50, especially when at your destination. You can enjoy a nice meal offsite; buy souvenirs for friends and family back home, and much more.

Order your passport in advance. Whether you travel to Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, or the Bahamas, a passport is required for United States citizens. The actual passport fee itself is usually $60. Reduce the cost of a photo by taking your own qualifying picture and printing at a local photo store. Then, order your passport in advance. Do not wait until the last minute. Rush fees are quoted by phone, as they change often, but their cost are unnecessary and a waste of money. Avoid them with a small amount of planning.

Watch the money you spend off your resort property. As previously stated, a car rental is not needed because there is so much to do right at your Caribbean all-inclusive resort. However, you may want to get out and explore the island you are on. You can do so, but here is where the cost of your Caribbean vacation increases. Spend your money wisely. Price compare tours, look for a quality but cheap offsite restaurant, and look for free or discounted attraction admission fees. Most importantly, don't pay for something you already paid for back at your resort.