Travel on a Budget!
Making traveling less stressful and less expensive
So long story short...
It all started when my good friend got married and we had to travel to Colorado (from South Carolina). You see.. I've always been that small town girl living in the small town of Piedmont where everyone knows everyone. I've been out of state, sure, but mainly when I was younger and couldn't really APPRECIATE everything. Even then, the farthest I had been was an 8 hour drive to Florida. I've seen pictures and always appreciated nature but experiencing what else is out there to offer is amazing!
Next came the trip to Oregon with my boo thang. That opened the flood gates of traveling for Jamie and I! The beauty of nature on the west side of the US, I decided, was so different and so much prettier than anything I've seen at home. We went on different hikes and it literally felt like walking through a magical forest rather than just taking a stroll through the woods like I did as a kid. Everything was so green, so luscious. A few months go by and then BAM.. another trip! Back to Colorado it was! This time, Jamie and I went for a longer period of time and I saw a lot more than the first time I went. Everything was just so breathtaking.
There's a point to that long intro... I promise! All three of those trips were taken within a span of less than four months. All I would get was "how in the world are you doing all of this traveling?" Well.. it does seem like it would be a lot of money BUT if you do it the right way... then it isn't as bad as it may seem. Some of these tips has important side notes to consider to make sure you read!
-Really consider looking at flights through Frontier Airlines. There are a few things to remember when booking with them, though. Flights are cheap because they do not include some extra fees that other airlines do. For example, sometimes you have to pay a little for your seats and you have to pay [usually] around $30 one way for a checked bag.
B U T W A I T ! !
You can work around that! But how?? This brings me to my next tip:
-Less is more! Try to stick with a personal bag if you can. Don't overpack! If you plan on doing a lot of hiking, don't bring a bunch of dressy clothes. Rewear jeans/shorts/pajamas if you don't get too gross in them... who cares! (Some places have a washer/dryer that can be used if that weirds you out) Roll your clothes instead of folding them. Bring the minimal amount of makeup and jewelry. Afterall, you're just trying to go see the world, right?
-Check out Air BnB! You can find so many cheap places to stay and sometimes they come with extra perks. In Colorado, we stayed at multiple places that provided coffee (skip the Starbucks, boo!), snacks (great to take on hikes), and sometimes really good company and tips! Sorry to say it, but here comes another BUT... don't always stick with Air BnB if the prices are looking a little high. Made that mistake and ended up staying down the road from cabins $40 cheaper!
-If you like camping and the weather is appropriate, skip the hotel or Air BnB rooms and check out campsites that could be listed on or outside of Air BnB. Those can be below $20 a lot and if you already have the camping gear... why not?!
-Bring an empty water bottle to fill up after security check. SO much cheaper than drinks at the airport or on the plane.
-Eat prior to leaving! Some food places inside the airport can be a little pricey and their snacks definitely add up. I will say, though, if you HAVE to get something, get cheap snacks at the little "convenient stores" that they have after security. That would be cheaper than ordering on the plane!
-Look into renting a car through websites such as Turo instead of constantly ordering Ubers. Or, if you're down for it, look into renting things such as bikes or mopeds!
* * * * * * * * M O S T I M P O R T A N T L Y * * * * * * * *
PLAN AHEAD!
This is SO important. This will help with figuring out a budget, finding cheap and good places to stay, and finding cheaper flights. 9 times out of 10, we have found cheaper flights when booking months in advance. We have also found really great deals on Air BnB that got booked because we waited too long!
Oh wait, I lied...
* * * * * F I R S T M O S T I M P O R T A N T L Y * * * * *
Even if your trip doesn't go as planned, still remember that YOU JUST GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL SOMEWHERE! Do what you have to do to enjoy it! :)
Happy Traveling!
About the Creator
Katie Luker
hey guys! Im just a girl that loves yoga & traveling! I really hope that sharing my thoughts & discoveries on here will help not only others but also help me to create a budget to become a yoga instructor & travel more often!
Peace & Love🌻
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