Mark Twain once said, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor.” Metaphorically, he is urging us to take risks at work, in our art, and even in love. But Twain’s encouragement is also literal; he wants us to leave home and see the world. This is a common desire, and we feed it daily via technology; Pinterest lets us window shop for foreign landscapes and travel blogs let us hear about adventures in the words of ordinary people. But when you’re trying to finish school and/or jump-start a career, it’s easy to get caught behind your desk with nothing but daydreams to show for it.
As a world traveler, and as an expat, I encourage you not to put your travel dreams on hold. Even when you’re short on time and short on money, there are ways to do it. Here are a few tips to get you started:
Control your calendar.
Most American employers provide their workers with only 10 days of paid time off annually, not counting sick days. That may not seem like enough to allow any serious traveling, but don’t forget, you also receive about 10 paid holidays each year. Plan your travels around these long weekends. For example: Thanksgiving falls on a Thursday, and most employers give you Black Friday off, too. By using only three of your paid vacation days, you can secure a full nine days of possible travel time, Sunday to Sunday, that week. Independence Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Presidents Day… options all year round. Bonus: When Christmas and New Year’s Day both fall on a Tuesday or Thursday, you may get the corresponding Mondays or Fridays off, too. This is one of those years!
Love the last second.
It pays to be spontaneous. Know when you want to go, but don’t plan the trip until you’re within a few days of the departure date. Airlines and travel booking websites often have full categories of deals for last second travel. This alleviates the stress of travel planning, but requires that you not be choosy.
Put the fun in funding.
It’s tough to budget for travel, especially when you’re just starting out. Rent, food, and student loans come first. But if you do it right, the good old fashioned Travel Jar can be your best friend. Put a $20 bill into the jar at the beginning of each week. At the end of the year, you’ll have more than $1,000 to go towards a trip. Hop online and find a last second deal that fits your budget and takes you away!
Get a little help from your friends.
What do you want for Christmas? The answer is money for travel. If you feel weird about asking for cash, go with gift certificates from airlines or hotel chain gift cards. Friends and family want to give you something that will make you smile. Tell them where you want to go and let them help you get there. (And if you receive two copies of “Bridesmaids” on Blu-ray, return one, and put that $15 in the Travel Jar. It all adds up!)
Free flights and free nights.
Before your trip, make sure you’ve signed up for the airline’s frequent flier program and/or any reward programs offered by the hotel chains. Not only will you earn miles and points toward free flights and free nights, but you’ll also receive email alerts about special deals in the future. We booked our first trip to Hawaii after receiving a joint offer from United and Marriott; while the cost of the flight and hotel were only so-so, the deal included 25,000 bonus miles, enough (at that time) for an additional free domestic ticket. Worth it!
Bump it up!
When airlines overbook, they often ask travelers to volunteer to be bumped to the next flight. Do this! But only if they give you a great perk in return. Flying home from London, we took the bump and got an upgrade to First Class (can you say lie-flat seats?), and flying home from Vegas, we took the bump and received two roundtrip tickets to the domestic destination of our choice. We used them to get to Jackson Hole, Wyoming that summer, a notoriously expensive flight, for free!
These are just a handful of tips. There are many, many more! But it all boils down to a few simple rules: prioritize travel, be frugal, be flexible, and ask for what you want. Then, as Mark Twain went on to say, “Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
By:
Nikki
Excellent advice, Aud. The only thing I would add to your list is to not be afraid to use hostels (just be thorough in your research to avoid dives). In my early 20s, I cared very little about where I slept at night as long as it was safe. I was too interested in seeing all the sights, never wanted to spend any time at the hostel or hotel. Now? I want the hotel.