When people ask me why I travel so often, and the simple answer is because I love it. Traveling is a way of investing in myself and my happiness. I’ve worked hard to create a lifestyle where I can work anywhere in the world as long as I’m connected to WiFi. But how do I manage/afford to travel so frequently? This post will answer those questions and hopefully inspire someone to plan the trip they’ve always dreamed of, but haven’t yet made a reality. As I write this, I am sitting in a train headed from Paris to Annecy, France. I thought I would use this trip to Europe as an example of the questions.
Before I get into the post, I want to say that I know traveling is a privilege. Not everyone has a flexible schedule or money to spare, but I encourage you to hold onto your dream and save up to make it possible (even if you start with a change jar as I did.) YOU are responsible for your future, and YOU can make it happen!
How do I start traveling more?
Start small. Travel somewhere in your state! Plan a solo road trip to a nearby city. Not only will it be easier to plan, but it will also be a good test to see if you like solo traveling. My first solo trip was to Savannah, GA.
Chiang Mai, Thailand: October 2018
Who should I travel with?
Solo travel is a great option! But if you’re like me and know that you like companionship or don’t feel comfortable with the idea of solo travel, there are other options.
Family: My sisters are some of my favorite travel buddies! We’re planning a road trip to D.C. this summer. So let me know if you have any suggestions.
Significant Other: I love traveling with my boyfriend, Noah. So much so that a week after we first started dating we made a road trip to Atlanta.
Friends: Finding a friend that also is a good travel companion can be tricky. There are only a handful of friends that budget, interests, and timelines match up with mine. Timothy is my forever travel companion, we have traveled to Europe (Germany, France, Denmark) did a month-long internship in Ecuador, and I recently visited him in Thailand.
Estes Park, Colorado: August 2016
How can I travel inexpensively?
First, I’ll start by saying that traveling doesn’t have to be expensive. Especially if you’re smart about it and plan ahead. Two of the most costly things about traveling are food and transportation. When I go on road trips and sometimes even on flights I pack snacks and prepared meals. You’ll be surprised at how much you save by choosing to eat out for one to two meals a day instead of three. I’ll share a bit more about booking flights and traveling in offseason in the next question.
When/how to book a cheap flight?
Skyscanner and Google Flights are your best friends. Start looking at dates between two-five months in advance for international flights and two-three weeks in advance for domestic. Use budget airlines like Norwegian and Frontier if you plan to fly simple (no checked baggage or in-flight meals.)
On Google Flights you can set an alert to notify you of price changes. Also, timing is everything. Do the research and figure out when peak season is. For Europe, it’s May-August, so I would visit during April or September. Don’t forget to pay attention to holidays that will also affect how pricey tickets are. After doing some research, personal trial and error, and reading this article by Skyscanner “Best Time to book Flights From the United States in 2019.” here are some important flight tips.
- Try to book domestic flights at least 2-3 weeks in advance.
- For international flights book 2-5 months in advance, though you can sometimes find last-minute steals!
- Overall January and February have the most affordable domestics and international flight prices.
- For international flights, I prefer to travel in April/August/September to miss the typical tourist season.
- International budget airlines: Norweigan Air, JetBlue, AirAsia X, Spirit Airlines, Scoot
- Domestic budget airlines: Virgin America, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, and Frontier Airlines.
Example:
We (my boyfriend and I) booked our flight two months before departure (in early February) for April 17 – May 1. It was $360 round trip from Orlando to Paris on Norwegian Air. The best thing about this flight was that it was ONLY 8hrs, and it was overnight! We slept the whole time and didn’t have to worry about Jet-lag.
My sister, Shelby, booked a last-minute flight (2 weeks before departure) and only paid $530 for a round trip from Orlando to London on Norwegian Air.
Arches National Park, Utah: March 2018
How to pack minimalistic? (aka traveling with only a carry-on)
I plan to write a post specifically on minimalistic travel & packing a carryon. But until then I’ll highlight some of the major points.
Invest in a good carry-on: The best carry-on is one that is comfortable for YOU! I’ve found that as long as a trip is under 15 days, I can pack all of my belongings into a carry-on. It’s a lot easier and more affordable than checking a bag. Most carry-on’s are required to be under 9 inches x 14 inches x 22 inches, and 26 lbs.
I prefer a backpack over wheeled carry-on. I alternate between my trusty Patagonia 45L duffel and Osprey Sirrus 36L. Whereas my boyfriend recently purchased the WANDRD HEXAD Access 45L duffel/backpack to fit all of his camera gear. Some people think it’s crazy that I can fit everything I need into a 36L backpack, but trust me it’s possible!
Of course, you can’t forget packing cubes, travel size bottles, and classic pieces of clothing that you mix-n-match to create new outfits.
Bonus Question: All about the money?
Let’s talk about money. How do I afford to travel? How do I budget while traveling? Those are some of my most frequently asked questions I receive. And honestly, they’re difficult questions to answer. Primarily because I do what works for me, but that might not be what works best for you.
So instead of trying to share “the right way” to handle finances, I encourage you to reach out to me over Instagram with your specific money-related questions! I would love to give my insight and share what has and hasn’t worked for me over the past few years.
Fontainebleau, France: April 2019
I hope you enjoyed this post! Feel free to leave me a comment or shoot me a message on Instagram if you have any other travel-related questions.
The Comments
Zachary
This was so helpful! Thank you, Sienna!
sienaneal
ZacharyOf course! Glad you enjoyed the post.