Let's Get Lost-Traveling 101

Happy Saturday lovelies! Today has been a DAY. If you take anything away from this post, I hope you take away the amazing experiences you’ll gain from traveling. I am the biggest advocator of never staying in one place for too long. While I have my home in Minneapolis to always come back to, I never want to become stuck to the ground there. In 2019 alone I’ll be traveling to 4 countries, 5 different states, and countless cities within my home state. Traveling will never get old for me and is my biggest blessing, and today I hope to share that blessing with you.

Scrub Island-British Virgin Islands

So where am I off to on all of these adventures you may ask? I’ll give you the short version for now, but you’ll have to stick with me to get all the juicy details throughout the year. Make sure to subscribe to my blog so you don't miss the updates! Back in January I went to Hawaii with Stephen’s family and had the most amazing time there (stay tuned for a blog to come.) I’m currently sitting ocean side, sipping a cocktail in the beautiful British Virgin Islands while writing to you all. Up next I’ll be taking a girls trip to the Windy City to celebrate changing my last name. Not long after that, the boo and I are taking our honeymoon in Europe. Barcelona, Rome, and Florence are just a couple stops we’re making on our extravaganza.

I get sooooo many questions about how I have the time to travel or how Stephen and I can afford it being as young as we are. I’m here to share my tips and tricks for affording a dream trip while not breaking the bank. I managed to study abroad for three months while in college and live off of the money I made in the last year, while still coming home with a comfortable amount left.

View from my home while studying abroad in Ortigia, Italy.

Tip #1

It is SO important to have a good understanding of what you are willing to spend. This is the first step you have to do before anything else! It doesn’t matter how much something costs if you’re not willing to spend that much. Once you’ve decided on a comfortable amount, stick to it—no going back now. Start doing some research right away on where you’ve decided to go with the budget you’re allowing yourself.

Tip #2

Start saving RIGHT away. Don’t tell yourself okay I’ll start next week, because in all honesty most people won’t. Let’s draw out a scenario here: Today is February 9th and you’ve planned your vacation for December 8th, 2019. That gives you 11 months to save for your trip. If your flight costs $300 round-trip, your hotel $400 for the entire stay, and your spending cash you want to have on hand is $300. That’s a total of $1,110 My best tip is to save the same amount each month to keep things simple. That means you need to save $100/month in order to make your trip savings goal. My best advise is to do this right when you get your paycheck or have it directly deposited into a savings account so you’re not tempted to not save.

Tip #3

Shop like a local. I say this because so many people go on vacation and just spend, spend, spend. You can go on an AMAZING trip and not break your bank. Before you embark always do your research. Find out what’s close by, where the best free activities are around your area, and look for any online coupons that may be available. Here are a few examples: Most resorts have free, or discounted paddle boards and canoes. Most museums have discounted tickets if you purchase ahead of time. There are also tons and tons of free trails and hikes all around most locations, too. There’s nothing wrong with spending some money, but if you can find free activities for part of your trip, you don’t feel as bad treating yourself to another activity that maybe is more expensive.

All in all, traveling is one of the most amazing experiences, and each time you travel, whether to a new or old place, you’ll make the most amazing memories. I hope my tips and tricks help you to plan and save for your next trip in a stress free way! Now, time for me to logoff and go enjoy the first day in my paradise!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Huber