Hey guys!  I'm really excited to share this post with you!  A new growing passion of mine is showing you how to travel more!  

This post is for those who think:  "I'd love to travel more, but I just don't have enough: time, money, vacation etc." Or say, "Someday, maybe, I'll take that trip I've always talked about." I wrote this with you in mind!  If you're tired of living vicariously through someone else's Instagram feed, read on!

1. View Travel as an Investment

Think of Travel as an investment in yourself and your relationships. If you start to view travel this way (just like you would investing money) you'll realize the immense value travel can have.   The truth is you won't travel if you don't actively make it a priority in your life.  Maybe you don't want to see 50 countries, but if there are a few places you've always dreamt of visiting. It's time to go!  

2.  Be realistic

Just because you can't hop on a plane to the Maldives or Bora Bora, doesn't mean you can't travel!  Just be realistic with where you can afford to go in your stage of life and appreciate every opportunity!  

3. Set an Annual Travel Budget 

Some people cringe at the term "budget" (I used to be one of them) because it sounds restrictive.  Think of your travel budget as a part of your travel goal setting.  My husband and I have a travel budget and it allows us to plan accordingly for each trip.  Every trip doesn't have to break the bank!  You don't have to stay in a 4 or 5 star hotel to have an amazing trip, I promise! It's ok to splurge too if that's what your heart desires! 

4. Plan/Organize your time off

Plan your time off with the number of vacation days you have per year and decide how to allot your vacation time throughout the year (use spreadsheets or other ways to organize).  Can you use certain holidays to overlap with your trip to save vacation days? Decide on the best time based on your work schedule, how many days you can take off and what destinations would be practical during those times.  I start thinking about our "tentative" travel schedule at the beginning of each year.  It's tentative, but I have an idea of the places we are trying to visit that year so we start preparing by requesting days off, looking into flights etc.  Booking hotels and flights early, often helps save you money!  So planning ahead really helps stay within your budget!

5.  Make a List of Places You Want To Go

It helps to have a clear idea of places you want to visit.  Just like any goal, put it in writing.  I have so many places on my "list", but it helps me plan trips because I know where we want to go.  

6. Find a Credit Card That Offer Travel Rewards

There are many experts on this subject, so I will refer you to The Points Guy!  If you are spending money on everyday things, you might as well get points that you can convert to travel rewards!  I always ask myself if the card is practical for me.  If you're not interested in serious travel hacking, Next Vacay might be a good option.  I don't know a ton about it yet, but here's an article (from Hippie In Heels Blog) with more information!

7. Take Advantage of friends or family living abroad

Do you have a friend who lives abroad or may be living abroad soon?  I was so lucky to visit one of my best girlfriends 4 years ago, when her and her husband moved to Paris for 9 months!  It was such an amazing opportunity I couldn't pass it up!  I was so lucky to have them host me for the week, guiding me through the city.  They knew the language, the metro system and all the great restaurants and local spots!  It was one of my most memorable trips!

There's an illusion floating around on social media that people who travel have endless amounts of money or time!   It may be true for some, but my friends who travel frequently spend a lot of time planning and budgeting for these trips. They don't just magically happen. Plan ahead and the rewards will be invaluable!  

And here's a surprise! My first video from our trip to Kauai last November!  For the best quality, set the player to 1080 HD.

Have I convinced you to start traveling yet? Or better yet, making a plan to travel?!  I hope so!

I'd love your feedback on this post!  Leave a comment and I'll reply!

Until next time, Happy Traveling!

~Savannah

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