Hello friends! Today we will share a few tips for all of you who want to travel more. It is not uncommon that people ask us how we find the time and money to do all the traveling that we do. A word or two of comfort, it is not as difficult as it might seem. Going on trips, hitting the road, getting away. A dear child has many names, there are also multiple ways to travel more. Here are our best tips on how to increase your traveling.
You don’t have to travel far in order to travel more
I think (but I might also be incorrect) that a common misconception is that the traveling that counts is the kind that takes you far away. Nope. Think again. What is it that is the essence of travel? For me, the main reason to even go outside in the morning is the promise that there will be new adventures to explore and new worlds to discover.
You can go to China, or you can visit an unfamiliar neighborhood in your own city. You will most certainly make new discoveries and widen your horizons in both places. While being observant to what’s happening in your own world, in your reality, you will grasp a better understanding of the people around you. Sometimes you do not need to go far in order to travel. The best, in my opinion, is to find a balance between the two extremes – a balance between home and away.
Involve your family and friends
We live in such a mobile society that it would almost be surprising to hear that all your friends and family live in the same town as you. Guess what that means? You get to travel more. It’s a real win-win situation if you embark on a trip to visit family and friends. You spend time with loved ones and you get to engage in an activity that you love – traveling. Also, people who live in another city or country might be able to help you with a lot of useful things, such as accommodation or recommendations. Just make sure to return the favor.
Make it your hobby
OK. What is this? Make traveling a hobby? Isn’t that the point with this whole thing about traveling more. You do it more, it becomes a hobby. Not necessarily, In case you are really passionate about this, you will find it in all places. If you are curious enough, you will find adventures behind the corner. When you really enjoy doing something, you will seek it out. My belief is that by adding the things we love into our life, they became a part of us. Think travel, breathe travel, grasp the opportunities!
Be time-efficient
Most of us “normal” people with day jobs, families, and all other commitments have limited time to spend on traveling and exploring the world. At some point we also need to decide what kind of travel it is that we want. Beaches, cities, adventures? No matter your preferences, you need to be time-efficient. Go on day trips and weekend getaways. Be smart about combining your days off with public holidays. Don’t sleep too much, be flexible with the times. Planning can be done in the evenings, not everything needs to be planned.
Live frugally
There’s the question of time, and then there’s the issue that relates to money. Traveling does not need to be expensive, but it does require money. Unless you have won on the lottery or have endless funding, you might want to save some money for your travels.
I could probably write an entire novel on the art of living frugally. However, I think that it is a very personal issue and it really comes down to your way of living. There are so many ways to save money and to live on a tighter budget. An important question is whether you want to splash out or stick to a tight budget during your travels as well, Your destination is very much dependent upon your budget.
Here are the five things we try to focus on in our daily lives in order to save money for traveling.
Cook your own meals
Eating out is often quíte expensive, so cooking your own meals will save money and it will also help you stick to a healthy lifestyle. That’s a win-win right there!
Find alternatives to going out
A glass of wine in Stockholm costs about 10 €. One night out takes it tall on your bank account. We like to save our money for dinners and drinks abroad. Now, of course we go out sometimes. However, in general we like to invite friends to our home instead of going to a restaurant or bar.
Check out the sales or shop online
There are times when one needs to shop. These days it’s very easy to find good deals on almost anything. Just make sure that you do not get carried away and empty the whole stories, I personally look for bargains on high-quality items instead of bying a lot of cheap stuff.
I read somewhere (cannot recall where it was) about a person who asked herself a question everytime she was about to purchase something. The question, that originally comes from Marie Kondo, is simple: do I enjoy this? This woman would only buy (and do) things she expected to give her joy. I like this rule because it makes me reflect over my own behavior and my wishes, especially in terms of my spending and eating habits.
Save money on activities
There are so many great and fun things to do out there. They are often expensive, though. Do you want to get fit? Instead of expensive gym membership, you can take long walks, go running, or work out at home (with your body weight). A lot of cultural events are free. In Stockholm for instance, the libraries organize a lot of interesting activities. This is also a simple way to meet new people. Having fun doesn’t need to cost much, sometimes it doesn’t cost anything at all.
Be smart when you are planning your trip
If you search for “when is it cheapest to book flights” on Google, you get a lot of results. Some of the tips include the following: search for flights midweek, book early, buy one-way tickets. Read more tips from Skyscanner here >>
Smart planning also includes having an idea about your destination. For instance, the best destinations are not always the most expensive or the more obvious ones. What is it that you want to do during your trip? In case you are looking for sunshine and beaches, you might want to think about other places than Spain or Thailand. Italy is famous for its history and delicious food, but so is Georgia. Do your research and be open-minded, there are a lot of places to discover – even though they might not be the most obvious choice.
Such a great post! Really enjoyed reading what you have to say!
That’s great to hear! Have a nice weekend ☺
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Excellent tips! Living by those tips is how my husband and I have been able to travel the way we do. For us, it’s not about acquiring things; life is about experiences we will always remember. Cheers! Elaine
I totally agree with your philosophy! Have a nice weekend ☺
Excellent post and thanks for sharing.
I especially like the first one: why is it that we often don’t explore all the cool stuff close by? Marrying a foreigner and moving to my home country,where he obviously wanted to explore totally opened my eyes!
Nicely done. Great tips. Thank you for sharing!
Helpful tips. And thanks for stopping by lorinotes.wordpress.com!
Great tips. I save a lot of money for travel by living frugally as well. Since my husband and I don’t own a car, our expenses are low. We also enjoy cooking at home (I make him do the dishes!)
We don’t own a car either. But we did buy a dishwasher as neither one of us wanted to do the dishes☺
Totally agree! Great tips!
Good read. Thanks
Thank you. Wise words
Great tips! I’ve begun to downsize in order to be able to travel more next year. These additional tips will help!
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Great list… words (and life) to live by.
I would say …do it your way. Thanks for liking my post
Very smart.
Great tips. Thank you for sharing.