Travel doesn’t have to be expensive or unrealistic. Here’s some tips to get you traveling well and more for the year ahead.

1.4 billion international travelers toured varying parts of the world last year in 2018, according to the World Tourism Organization. 

We travel for a multitude of purposes, including medical, family, business, therapy (travel is my therapy, by the way), and personal discovery.

Something I’ve always believed, is living well and traveling are privileges — they’re a right. Maybe better put, a choice. When we can explore and be in touch with more of the world around us, in turn, we become better humans. We’re kinder, more understanding, care the Earth in ways we didn’t see in our own home towns, and can learn flexibility and adaptability on the go adjusting to new cultures and surroundings.

Sharing the following tips that I use to save money and travel more, taking that leap to hit “Book!” and confirm your next adventure.

𖤥 @civanaresort ⚘ @livefreewarrior

1. BOOK DURING THE OFF-SEASONS

When I lived in New England, come the heart of winter in February, the only thing I wanted was a warm beach to thaw out on in the middle of the Caribbean. Of course, so did every other New Englander and cold-weathered snow bird who was seeking winter respite.

Where there’s a demand, there’s a price increase. So, reverse engineer the process, and book in the off-season to explore your bucket list destinations. Less crowds, lower prices, and often better service when it’s just you and a small group in any given stop on the map. Do you research as you’re planning and think “what’s the opposite of what everyone else wants right now?” 

2. BUY YOUR TICKET AT THE BEST TIME

Flight prices go up and down faster than the stock market. However, with historic data and algorithms, they can be slightly predictable.

Whenever I’m researching a flight, I check the app Hopper or Google Travel. All you need to know is your origin, destination, and a round-about date you want to go to start tracking when the best times to book and fly are for the cheapest flight. Hopper, you can set to receive alerts for, and I’m pretty sure you can do the same with Google Travel as well.

3. BRING YOUR OWN FOOD (BYOF)

Food is such a big expense, you’d be surprised at how much of our budget we allocate just to beverages and eating. One of the greatest mark-ups on prices for food are in the airport, airlines, and at hotels.

Trick the system, eat what you want (that has the potential to be much healthier and fresher), and bring your own food when you fly.

 

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A post shared by SARA | Travel Wellness Expert (@livefreewarrior) on Aug 31, 2019 at 7:01am PDT

4. BOOK A SPOT WITH A KITCHEN AND FRIDGE

This goes back to Tip #3, where one of the biggest expenses you really can’t avoid is food. Instead of having to eat out every breakfast, lunch and dinner, book a spot that has a mini fridge (at least) and a kitchenette you can prep basic foods in. Airbnb’s can be great for this aspect; however, many hotels are catching on with the request, and it’s fairly common to ask for a mini fridge when you book.

5. PRIORITIZE YOUR TRAVEL GOALS AND NEEDS

This tip is a two-part process. One starts at home, the other, when you arrive.

If your goal is to travel more, when you’re at home, stop spending your hard-earned money on dumb things that you really don’t need. Track your expenses, and start figuring out where you can cut back on the non-necessities.

What do you really need to survive? And, what’s worth more, that new purse or iPhone, or the dream trip to Indonesia?

Part two of this statement is once you’ve arrived. If your purpose of the adventure is to taste local foods, then save on the transportation costs and budget in some extra cash for exploring street markets, vendors and tantalizing restaurants. If your purpose is to get out in nature, then quit the restaurants and spend the money on kayaking, snorkeling or hiking adventures.

𖤥 @civanaresort ⚘ @livefreewarrior

6. ENSURE WIFI IS INCLUDED

I got hit up for this fee when I was traveling through Denver, and Marriott tacked on a kind wifi charge to have access in my room. Whaaaaaat!?

I got the fee waived, by signing up (again) for their rewards program. But, even easier would have been to select a hotel that already has the wifi included. $10 a day can add up for high-speed!

7. MOBILE JOBS AND BLEISURE

The traveling nomad, mobile lifestyle is hot right now, and I don’t see it stopping any time soon. I’m one of them!

When you can do your work from anywhere, or your work involves a bit of travel mixed in, it can be easier to overlap the two passions. If you’re purely traveling for business, try to book an extra day (even if you need to pay for it) for a bit of “bleisure” to balance your work/explorer needs.

𖤥 Somewhere over the Gulf of Mexico ⚘ @livefreewarrior

8. USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Private cars, limos and even rideshare options for transportation can start to add up. Many major cities offer excellent options for public transportation that can be safe, and much more affordable. Trains, buses, subways, and street cars are just a few options to inquire about before you arrive.

9. STAY LONGER #SLOWTRAVEL

The most you fly, the more it will cost you. Two of the greatest expenses for traveling are airfare and accommodations.  When you stay longer in one place, you cut down on both of those, incredibly.

Airfare is an obvious as to why. For accommodations, especially if you’re using a service like Airbnb, will offer a discount for a longer duration. Plus, slow travel cuts down on environmental impact tremendously, making travel more sustainable for minimizing carbon emissions.

10. DO YOGA AND WALK AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE

You know I had to throw a fitness and movement component in this piece somewhere!

Yoga and walking can cost you absolutely nothing, and you need very little (if anything, at all) to do them. Exercise and movement is crucial to keeping our bodies healthy, mobile and feeling our most creative and best. That doesn’t stop just because we’re away from home.

Make it a point to move daily. and the positive mindset benefits that come with movement will increase your ability to make smarter, wiser decisions on the above tips when you travel.

Now it’s time to get booking and travel, Warriors! There are 10 tips to help you travel more on a budget, while living well.

Were these tips helpful? Comment in below. And, share where you’re off to next?