1) Save For It
People equate travel to luxury and having a lot of money. It doesn’t have to mean that. For us, we skimp on other areas of life and use that money to travel. Find categories that you are able to skimp on in your life and set that money aside to use for a trip you are really wanting to do!
At home, we try to cut back on utilities by not using as much electricity or AC. We also try to really limit our entertainment budget and going out to eat when we are home. This way we can splurge on fun activities and try new foods when we travel. Lastly, we try to not have too many monthly payments and subscriptions. Those can add up to a lot of money each month!
Chip away at other areas of your budget and you will find that you have a lot you can put away for travel!
2) Treat Yourself
In 2011 I lived in London for 4 months. I was so frugal at that time that I often skipped lunch to save money. One night I stayed home alone while all of my friends went to see Wicked. To this day, I totally regret that decision!
I have learned since that time that it makes me happy to splurge in a few areas when I travel! Since I am pretty budget conscious when I’m not traveling, it’s fun to go to fun restaurants, indulge in a spa, buy a hat I love, or splurge on an incredible activity that I will never forget.
Find a travel category that is important to you and pay for something that you normally wouldn’t. It could be trying new foods, nice accommodations, or a few fashion purchases that you cannot get anywhere else. For me, it is activities. When I travel I love trying everything and I never regret any decision to pay a little more for a cool opportunity.
The memories are worth it!
3) Invest in the Right Equipment
I have another blog post about my favorite travel items but for me these include a phone with a good camera (my Google Pixel 3), the right shoes, and a comfortable day pack. We also could not live without our son’s Osprey carrier and a good stroller.
Check out my latest blog post about my favorite things that I almost never travel without!
4) Be Prepared
It is a sick feeling to show up to a flight and find out that you didn’t bring a certain important document or you weren’t aware of a new policy change. Do your homework before you travel so there are no surprises!
This includes knowing what vaccinations you are required to have to enter a country, if you need a specific visa, how many months you have left until your passport expires, the size and weight allowance for baggage, etc.
These things change per airport and per country!
Also speaking of being prepared, always travel with a bag of medicine. This used to seem silly to me but I have had to get into that bag way too many times to travel without it now. Stock it full of any medicine you regularly take, plus others that could be useful like Tums, Ibuprofen, Tylenol, band aids and Imodium.
5) Go Paper Free
Download everything on your phone. Use apps for booking, Google Docs and emails /screenshots for important info. I will have another blog post with all of my favorite apps I use while traveling! It is so nice to not have to dig through a backpack to find that once piece of paper that has your hotel name written on it or lug around a giant folder with all of your printed out reservation numbers and details. Remember, the name of the game is SIMPLIFY!
I download offline maps so I don’t have to worry about having access to data. I also take screenshots of important information in case I am not able to pull it up later. You can always access saved photos!
6) Try New Things
I try to do something new every time I travel. This puts me out of my comfort zone and gives me some fun memories to be proud of when I get home. Traveling for me is such a way to grown and learn that it is important to me to make sure after a trip that there was growth!
Take a dance or cooking class, learn to snorkel/SCUBA, pick up a few words from a new language, try a new food, even take a different route than you originally planned! You will come home feeling more confident in your own skin!
7) Laugh
Laugh at yourself, with others, at the situation. Just laugh it off! Don’t let rain, a delayed tour guide, or a stupid decision ruin your trip! Laugh at yourself when you say something incorrect in another language. Laugh with others when 15 minutes before your boat takes off it starts pouring. Laugh at the situation when you are lost and forgot to bring a map. There are some situations that are just not funny. But if you can laugh at the other ones, you’ll only add more good memories to your list!
Many of my best memories have been when everything went 100% wrong and I was able to turn the experience into an adventure.
Hint: It helps to travel with others who know how to “laugh it off”!
8) Get to Know Other Travelers
OHHHH this one is one of my favorites. I have made life long friends from traveling and heard some of the coolest stories! Take time to get to know other people on your travels.
Meet the locals and ask for local tips. They truly know the best places to go! Make friends with other people in your tour groups. Did you know people from the US are often known for being standoffish and unfriendly? Get to know your tour guide and learn about his/her life. Does it surprise you that he/she is a normal person has a life outside of being your tour guide?
I always love to take pictures with people I meet so I don’t forget their face. I have had some really cool experiences that I would not have had if I just kept to myself while traveling. I have learned about cultures more, been invited fun places, picked up on more Spanish, and had really fun opportunities.
It can be nerve wracking to meet others but just start off a conversation and ask someone about themselves. You never know what best friend you are going to make! 🙂
9) Clock Out of Social Media/Work
Here is an embarrassing story for you. I was in Kauai, Hawaii with my husband on our honeymoon. He had planned an amazing trip that included boating, surfing, lei making, dolphin encounters, etc. Yet I decided to get on Instagram and saw that all of my bridesmaids were at Disneyland together. I immediately felt so sad that I was missing out on a trip with them and ended up crying to my husband that I wished I could go to Disneyland with them, too.
I know. gag. It’s an embarrassing story to share but it often seems to be typical of how the human mind works. Put away everything that is distracting and soak up the fact that you actually get to be out in a cool place and actually BE PRESENT! There will always be other people’s pictures to scroll through later. I promise.
Something that helps me is turning my phone on airplane mode. Download your itinerary and clock out of all of the other distractions. Soak up your trip and every second of being away from work and all of your other distractions at home.
Use travel time as a way to disconnect, reflect and feel grateful for this beautiful Earth.
10) Take Care of Your Body
Nothing is worse than getting fried the first day of vacation, walking around with blisters, or freezing your butt off because you didn’t bring the right clothing. Okay there are actually a LOT of things worse than those things, but it is so important to take care of your body!
Bring plenty of sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses, appropriate footwear, the right layers, etc. Drink plenty of water and get enough sleep. Your body will thank you for taking care of it! And leave the 4 inch heels at home. Dress COMFORTABLY!