Travel Can Be Affordable

There is never enough time or money to travel as much as we would like, right?

Time is something we can’t do anything about, but money is something we can control! We can save and plan and make our dreams happen.

Travel Is affordable with a plan.

With a plan we are…..

Plan by getting ready. Plan by saving money. Plan by doing research on destinations. Plan by talking with the family.

Plan and daydream.

Daydreaming about the trip is so much part of the fun. You can get started daydreaming and planning while you save. I plan and daydream about my trips a year in advance sometimes.

Read for daydreaming.

Read books on your future destination to start the planning process. Get the kids involved. They’ll learn about the new destination, practice important reading skills, and become invested in your vacation, and practice delayed gratification. That skill is something the upcoming generation doesn’t get much practice on!

I”ll get you started with ready-made lists! I’ve already done the research choosing great books on topics to get your kids interested and learning about your vacation.

Click on your destination to find book reading lists for kids.  Hawaii, Canada, Italy, New York, London, Paris

 

Movies are for daydreaming.

Watch movies that are set in your dream spot. Get those daydream juices flowing!

Eat food from that country for daydreaming.

Learn about the food from that country.

Think about the culture from that destination for daydreaming.

Learn traditions from that destination. Holidays are great fun! We try to use a tradition from a country we have visited in our holiday fun.

Exercise to get strong while you daydream.

Start a walking program to get in shape. This is especially important for kids! Get them ready so you aren’t held back by cries of “I’m tired.” and “My feet hurt.” Use these tips to have the kids ready for lots of walking on a trip!

And save….get the kids on board! Let them contribute found pennies and watch the savings grow! Read about how travel can teach kids about math and money.

 

Travel is affordable when you save for it.

So many ways to save, but this one recently caught my eye. I’m all about the gold stars on a chart, myself. I like this 52-week challenge chart from Fresh and Organized. Click here for the FREE download of this chart.

Create a plan for saving money for your trip.

Make a plan for saving – there are many to pick from – one will work for you!

 

Try to save money on food.

We spend a LOT of money on food. Premade dinners help us save time. Premade snacks help us save time. Precut veggies help us save time. There is a theme here!

Can you eat out less? Cook more? I hate cooking – really, I do, but if it means saving money for a trip, then I’m game! Try these food saving tips here.

Can you make coffee at home and skip the Starbucks once a week? Worried it won’t taste as good? Try this tip here!

 

Try to save money on entertainment.

Can you watch movies at home instead of going to the theatre? Get movies at the library instead of Redbox? How about a family game night? How about reading a novel or chapter book aloud?

Try to save money on beauty.

There are lots of ways you can save money on beauty items. Plan a spa night and get your glam on!

 

Color your own hair.

This is surprisingly easy and you could save $100 a month, or more! Take that $100 and put it in the travel fund.  Not that I would know anything about coloring hair or covering grays – not at my tender age of …..Uh, hum…..29. 😉

 

Paint your own nails.

Try DIY!

 

Groom your own dog.

Depending upon the size of your dog and their love or lack thereof for soap and water this can be an easy or difficult job.

I have an 8-pound dog that is easy to groom. She hates it but is small enough to wrangle. I put her in the sink for a bath.  It costs $12 to have her nails trimmed so I bought a nail trimmer and I enlist the help of my kids to hold onto the little wiggler.

We also cut the bunny’s nails but the German Shepherd is a different story! LOL! You just cut expenses where you can and pay for help when you need it.

Mow your own lawn.

If you move your own lawn you’ll get some exercise, too.

 

….and put the money you WOULD have spent in the travel fund!

Don’t know how to DIY? Learn!! There is literally a youtube video for ‘how to’ do anything you can imagine. I used youtube videos to help me learn how to fix the trash compactor and paint the wrought iron fence.

 

Be brave – try something new!

 

How hard could it be? How bad could it be if you mess up? Just try again next time. The dog, your nails, and your lawn will forgive you if it isn’t perfect the first time.

Try to save money on the kids.

Save money on babysitting.

Trade babysitting with the neighbors? I know babysitting costs can really add up!

Or be the babysitter! Organizations like Seeking Sitters are always on the lookout for great babysitters!

Save money on kids’ clothes.

Kids grow SO fast they often don’t have time to wear them out. Consider resale shops and eBay for gently used clothing. This is especially great for things like snow skiing gear that only gets used briefly.

Google saving money and you’ll get a gazillion sites to choose from!

Trust Google to give you lots of ideas that you can incorporate into your life. Save money where you can for the trips of your dreams.

I love the Frugal Girl and you might, too! I love her ‘can do’ attitude!

Go! See the world. You CAN! Don’t forget to leave a little sparkle.

 

 

 

All the tips and information you need to plan the trip of your dreams is right here on this website! If you still need more help – drop me a line! I love to help travelers!

Happy daydreams!

Natalie, The Educational Tourist