How Much Money I Spent in Iceland as a Solo Traveler

Here's why I spent so much in Iceland "Woah!!! Aren't you usually chasing deals? Wtf happened?" ? Thought I'd save you the trouble of making that comment. ? The answer is usually a resounding YES, but on my Iceland trip - not so much! ??‍♀️ Here's why ? 1) It was a gift to myself ? This was the FIRST trip I took solo internationally, and it was right after leaving my 9-5 to pursue my dream of being a full-time content creator! I decided from the get-go that if I was going to do something *so* out of my ordinary, I was going to go all out! 2) I paid my trip over time ⏰ It's actually unheard of for me to book a trip 8 months in advance, but this one was! ?? The nice thing about having so much time is paying little amounts of $$$ booking things over a span of months, instead of all at once. It added up, but it was less painful because I paid for the trip over time - "payment plan" style. ?? 3) Iceland is expensive ? Part of it is actually unavoidable! Iceland is one of the top 10 most expensive countries in the world. ? It isn't a budget traveler's destination by nature (although with some finessing, it could be). I did, however, find a $400 flight deal & paid with points! 4) I avoided hostels The cheapest way to stay here is in a hostel (followed by camping)! ? Personally, I wanted my own space not knowing how a solo int'l trip would feel. Since the single rooms were all sold out in hostels, I booked hotels. If I went with someone, that cost would be split in 1/2! ? Which brings me to my next point... 5) I went alone ? Solo travel doesn't have to be expensive❗️But in Iceland, it can be. I couldn't have imagined visiting without a car rental (which means gasoline $$ too). ⛽️ I paid over $1,000+ for my hotels and airbnbs! ? I checked other solo traveler's cost breakdowns & some were even higher. ? 6) I sat down for meals ? Sky's the limit when it comes to restaurant prices. ? Brekky could be between $20-30, lunch $20-35, & dinner $35-50. Two sit down meals in one day could easily be $90-100. Some days I just had gas station food! Transparency is ? here, & honestly I'd do it again.