How to Create Your Retreat Budget

Wondering what you should charge for your retreat? ⁣⁣

Or maybe you’ve started to work on your retreat budget and get overwhelmed trying to think about what all goes into a retreat budget. 

⁣⁣REAL TALK: It’s time to make a living doing what you love...DO NOT FORGET TO PAY YOURSELF!

⁣⁣⁣Listen, I get it. When you’re working in the wellness industry it’s hard to charge for your services for multiple reasons:⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣1️⃣You believe deeply in the work that you’re offering and want to help everyone.⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣2️⃣You’re afraid if you charge more than what other practitioners in your area are charging you won’t be able to sell your services.⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣3️⃣You’re struggling with some imposter syndrome and it’s diluting your self-worth⁣⁣⁣.

⁣⁣⁣LET ME REMIND YOU WHY ALL OF THAT IS TOTAL BS:⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣1️⃣Your work is valuable and you should be compensated for it. ⁣⁣⁣

If you keep operating your business for free, I promise you that you’re going to get burnt out. Remind yourself daily that you’re worth it!⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣2️⃣Operating from a lack mindset has never benefited anyone. ⁣⁣⁣

You have a choice. You can believe you’re capable of operating a profitable business or continue to participate in an expensive hobby. Choose wisely!⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣⁣3️⃣You are the only one that is uniquely qualified to offer all of the incredible gifts that you have to share with the world, own it, friend!⁣⁣⁣

So without further ado, here is a Step By Step Guide to creating your retreat budget 👇⁣⁣

1️⃣Create a line item for every expense that you will have for your retreat⁣⁣

2️⃣Don’t forget to pay yourself! That means you are a line item in your budget.⁣⁣

3️⃣Add 10% padding to your total. This will help you cover any unexpected or overlooked expenses.⁣⁣

4️⃣Take the total of your expenses and divide that by the number of guests you will have.⁣⁣ This will give you the base of your guest ticket price.

5️⃣Tier your prices slightly for different room types. A room with a king bed and a private en-suite bathroom should sell for (much) more than a shared room with a twin bed.⁣⁣

⁣⁣Here is a list of fixed costs to consider while creating your budget:

1. Venue

2. Flights

3. Travel

4. Transportation

5. Rentals 

6. Hosts

7. Credit Card Fees

8. Liability Coverage

Here is a list of variable costs to consider while creating your budget:

1. Food

2. Excursions

3. Paid Advertising

4. Gift Bag Items

5. Transportation - sometimes rentals are hard to nail down with the charges after you return it

Last but not least, a final pro tip: if you, personally, feel the ticket price is too high, then you need to course-correct somewhere. Find a different venue or cut down on other expenses but do NOT launch a retreat your values aren’t aligned with. Trust me, it won’t end well.

So what do you say? Are you ready to finally pull the trigger and host the retreat of your dreams?

My name is Anna VanAgtmael, and I am retreat host, travel designer, and a certified yoga instructor with a passion for yoga, travel, and connecting with others.

I believe in trying everything once. My values lie in collecting memories over things.

My ambition is to inspire and encourage you to unmask your fears and jump into the unknown.

Anna VanAgtmael | Retreat Host | Travel Designer