How to Plan + Budget for Big Trips

Well, it's that time again. Everyone's thinking about planning a big trip for the year, whether that's for this summer, next summer or a bucket list destination 5 years from now. I think about leaving home when winter drags on and I am sick and tired of the cold rainy weather. Of course, now the weather's turning and it's time to turn those dreams into a reality by making a travel plan and budget for saving for it.

Where do you want to go?

I know not everyone has a 5 or 10 year plan for vacations like I do. I already know I'll be doing the UK this year, Walt Disney World next year, and Iceland the year after that. We've even decided that in 10 years we want to do Japan. We don't have plans for the years in between, but I think we might try to get to Boston, Toronto and Vermont during some of those. 

If you have a travel list of places you want to go, this is a great place to start. Choose a place and make it a plan. If you don't, then ask friends about their favorite vacations, ask your family where they want to go, get inspiration online or in travel magazines or shows. 

What do you want to do there?

Now that you know where you want to go, choose the things you absolutely have to do there. I keep a running list of things that are on my must list and what Eric has on his list. These are the things I add, including their prices. Then I look to see if I can get a discount on any of those things online, as a bundle with other things, or with a city pass. If so, this enables me to have a little wiggle room. 

Now, choose things that you want to do if you can , but aren't crucial to your trip. These are things that are nice to have in a trip, but you won't be that disappointed if you can't do them.

How much money do you need?

Look at airfare rates for the time you want to travel, as well as hotel or vacation rental rates. I find that Airbnb rates are as affordable as hotels, but include things that would cost me extra, like laundry, a kitchen and WiFi, so I save over a hotel room. If this isn't important to you, then look for hotels with things that help with your bottom line, like free breakfast. 

Now, add those two things to your attractions budget, figure out if you need a car or how much transportation will cost, and then do a bit of research on what restaurants charge to come up with a food budget. 

How can you stretch your budget?

There are lots of ways to stretch your budget when you travel. These are my favorites:

• Make breakfasts instead of eating out.
• Make lunch your big meal of the day. If you are dying to eat at a fancy restaurant, lunch is almost always much cheaper. 
• Look for food carts or local favorites, as these will charge less than places that are trying to attract tourists.
• Hit up happy hours.
• Bring snacks, so you don't have to spend money in between meals when you get peckish.
• Take along a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated and keep from buying beverages wherever you go.
• Pack light and do laundry, so you aren't paying baggage fees. 
• Look for free activities, like museums, cool parks, and landmarks. 
• Use daily deal sites like Groupon to do things at a deep discount. 
• Walk wherever you can to save money on transportation.

Easy ways to save

I hate saving money, but I love going on vacation, so I try hard to do it without complaining. Instead of making excuses for spending money, think about all the awesome things you can do with that money if you spend it on travel. You'll have lifelong memories, enjoy a mental health break, and spend more quality time with your family/significant other/friend(s). Here are some of my favorite ways to save money that are also super easy:

• Pay yourself first. You know how when you invest in something like a 401-K and it gets taken out of your paycheck before you even see it? And you never miss it? Do this with your vacation fund. You know when you get paid, so set up an automatic deposit, either through work or on your own online, to go to that separate account. Even just $50 per paycheck can quickly add up and it's not so much that you'll notice it's gone. If you can afford more, change the dollar amount that goes, even if this is a one-time occurrence or permanent. A few dollars more is better than no dollars more.
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  Open a high-yield checking or savings account. Just like I say above, make sure it's separate from your everyday account. While your money is just sitting there, you could be earning more each month for doing nothing more but keeping it in the bank. Free money is good! 
• Use a money-saving app like Qapital. It's free to sign up, you link your bank accounts to it and set up your goals. Next you'll add rules, such as the round-up rule. Rules can include anything you do on and offline and when those rules are employed, your Qapital account grows. It all works on a phone app and can easily be ignored if you don't want to see your money too much (because, like me, you'll want to immediately spend it). And if you sign up with my link right now, you'll get $20 free in your account!
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  Make a list and stick to it. When I go grocery shopping, I make a list. I try to plan my meals around the same ingredients with some variety. Chicken, noodles, potatoes, carrots, beef and beans are all great staples, because you can make a ton of things with them. Buy enough to make twice as much as you plan to eat and freeze so you have dinners for future nights and can save money in the coming weeks, or have easy food to make when you return from vacation. 
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  Keep the change. If you're like everyone, you have a ton of change just sitting in your car or the bottom of your purse. Make a jar or container at home to throw all that change in at the end of each day. You wouldn't know it, but all those cents can add up over the months and you might find you have a spare $100 or so that you can use as spending money!
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  Get cash back. You're going to buy stuff. You just are. Ebates lets you save money on your online purchases by offering you a set amount of cash back on participating retailers, including a lot of travel sites. If you're going to spend money, you might as well save as much as possible. Ebates sends you cash back payments four times a year, either by check or deposited to your Paypal account. It's super easy, and those payments can be used as spending money on your trips.
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  Ask for gift cards. When the holidays and your birthday rolls around, ask for gift cards that can be used towards your trip. This could include cards for theme parks, airfare on your chosen airline, restaurants or grocery stores where you can shop for snacks and meal staples (you know how I like to buy breakfast stuff and eat before I head out into the world). Now you've gotten free money you can use on vacation and have to save even less than you thought. 

Now you have a great foundation for planning and budgeting for your next big trip (and your small ones!). Get started saving and get excited about all the places you're going to go in the world. If you need more ideas on where to go and what to do there, sign up for my bi-monthly newsletter for extra tips. 

What are your favoritie ways to save for or on your trips?

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, and I appreciate any purchases made through them.

A Few Tips for Saving Money for Your Next Trip

Travelling can be one of the great joys of life – an opportunity to get away from your everyday environment, and to have a real adventure. Out on the open road, you can experience the world in a whole different way, and can create the kind of memories that will stand the test of time.

Image via Pixabay

Of course, it’s an unfortunate fact that travelling costs money, and not everyone is set up like an Instagram influencer, to be on the road all the time, without worrying about the budget.

People might take out a short term payday loan to try and fund their vacation trips. Or they might sell some of their old belongings on eBay, or borrow money from a friend or relative.

Before you turn to those options, here are a few straightforward tips for saving money for your next trip.

Get very specific on what it is you want to do, and start itemizing the experience

If you turn up in an exciting new location, with no real plans or idea of how things work, and a credit card that is just dying to be used, you’re very likely to spend a lot more money than you probably should.

In order to properly budget for the trip, and to do it in the most cost-effective manner possible, you need to get very specific with what it is you want to do, and then start itemizing the experience.

Do some meticulous research. What hotels are on offer? How much does transport cost to those historical sites that you’re interested in? What is a reasonable amount of money to put aside for food?

Understand that you have to make certain sacrifices in your everyday life to fund your travels

As the old saying goes, “you can’t have your cake and eat it too.” Even extremely wealthy celebrities managed to bankrupt themselves on a pretty regular basis, because they try to have it all, all the time.

If you want to have plenty of great travels, you’ve got to realize that this will entail certain sacrifices in other areas of your everyday life.

So, identify what it is you’re willing and able to sacrifice, and then begin saving up. Maybe you will need to start preparing sandwiches and coffee at home, instead of going to cafes. Maybe you need to stop visiting the cinema so often.

Distill things down their essences and avoid being too extravagant

Try and figure out what it is about the trip that really excites you the most, and that has the most potential to improve and uplift your life as a whole.

Maybe it’s the simple fact of being there, and exploring the place. Or, maybe being in pretty luxurious accommodation is a major factor for you.

Either way, distill things down their essences, and focus on funding the stuff that makes the trip meaningful for you. Avoid being any more extravagant than you need to be.

Mother's Day Travel Gift List 2019

2019 is just trucking along and next month we're coming up on Mother's Day, which means appreciating those lovely women who do so much and mean so much for us. You may have a friend, aunt, daughter (who's also a mother), mom, grandma, or wife that falls into these categories, and if they also love traveling, then my Mother's Day Travel Gift List is definitely for you.  

Photo by Sai De Silva on Unsplash

I like to add some of the same things to my gift lists, because they are tried and true and well-loved by me, but I've freshened up this list to include brand new things, many of which I saw at the Travel Goods Show and most that will be reviewed or already have. As always, I've broken it down into price points.

Budget: >$50

1. Anti-Theft Bottle Tote

Summer is coming, and with it will be tons of outdoor activities (if you're lucky). Maybe you'll be headed to the beach, or to sports games, or theme parks, or all those summer festivals in town. Wherever the summer takes you, you're probably going to bring a water bottle, but not want to carry it around. Mom's always get relegated to drink holder, so this awesome holder with an adjustable strap and an anti-theft pocket in the front that holds credit cards, money, and even your phone! $31.50 on Travelon (get 20% off if you use code SHEREENTRAVELS20%)

2. Multi-Passport wallet

That mom on your list who likes to travel, probably goes with her family, so not only is she carrying her own, she's also carrying everyone else's, because otherwise there's chaos and freaking out (or half of their family does this). Get them an RFID-blocking passport wallet that holds boarding passes, 4 passports, a pen and money, so everything is in one spot. (If they have a larger family, there's also a 6 passport wallet. If they are empty nesters, you can get a 2 passport wallet.) $26.25 on Travelon (get 20% off if you use code SHEREENTRAVELS20%)

3. Hydaway bottle

It's always important to stay hydrated (or bring along your favorite wine to the picnic). Get your mom something she can really use that also won't weigh her down. This amazing bottle is collapsible when empty, and can slip right in your bag or pocket. Not only is this bottle cool, but it's also BPA-free, can go in the dishwasher, is leak-proof, can go in the freezer, and can hold alcohol. It fits in your car cupholders, too! If your mom drinks a lot of water, there is an optional charcoal filter lid. $25 from Hydaway

4. Memory Foam Armrest

Now there will be no question as to who's got the armrest, though there might be an even bigger fight for it. The airplane armrests are always uncomfortable, even when they are padded. Make long flights a little more comfortable with one of these awesome memory foam armrests. They don't take up much room in a bag and can make a big difference towards getting her there a little happier. $15 from Walter+Ray

5. Compression Socks

All types of people use compression socks, and now they are even more fun to wear with bright colors and patterns. Compression socks are good for long flights, long days of walking, or even running and jogging. I always keep a pair or two in my travel bag and they are lifesavers. Your mom might think so, too, especially since she doesn't have to sport boring ones that make her feel like a grandma, even if she is one. $26.99 from Sockwell. You can see my review here.

6. Sphynx

Every woman needs a good razor, and if it's fun, that's a bonus. Do you ever shave your legs and then realize you missed a spot as soon as you're somewhere where you can't fix it? Yeah, we've all been there. This fun looking razor spins to reveal two disposable razors, a refillable spray bottle and a moisturizer bar that doesn't melt. Use it anywhere. Keep it in your travel bag. Keep it in your gym bag. Keep it in the glovebox. It comes in awesome colors and I'll be reviewing it and giving one away soon. $15 on Sphynx. Also available at Target, Ulta, and Sephora.

7. GoTubb

In my travels, I've had a lot of tubes and containers, but none have been as awesome as GoTubb. I use these for anything I can't find a smaller version of, so I can pack light. They don't leak and they hold a lot more than you expect, but in a small size. These come in small, medium and large, so they can be used for practically anything, from snacks, moisturizer. From $6 on Amazon

Moderate: $50-100 

1. Benjilock

Regular TSA-accepted locks usually suck, and are easy to forget the combination to, especially if you only travel a few times a year. If that's a problem your mom has too, so she just doesn't use a lock on her luggage, a Benjilock might just be what she needs. Instead of a combination or a key, it opens with a fingerprint. And if she's traveling with several people who are using the same carry-on/suitcase, it can hold up to 10 fingerprints. I'll be reviewing this soon. $70 on Amazon, but can also be found at The Home Depot and QVC and Ace Hardware.

2. Lewis N Clark Anti-Theft Clutch

Lewis N Clark has some awesomely innovative bags and this is one that I saw at the Travel Goods Show and knew it would be perfect for Mother's Day. This anti-theft bag from the Secura line is both a crossbody and a clutch. It's sleek looking and even has an RFID-blocking pouch, so mom can go from airport, to sightseeing, to swanky dinner without ever having to switch bags. I mean, I can't wait to get one myself. I will hopefully be reviewing one of these soon. $59.99 on Amazon

3. Barrier Method Winged Mask

Okay, I feel like travel is one of those things that can be simultaneously awesome and awful. You get to go to cool new places and you can also get some disgusting sicknesses from all the germs everywhere, especially on the plane. This anti-bacterial mask is both healthy and pretty and can be used to stay well, reduce your allergens, keep your neck warm, among other things. Gift your mom the gift of health and wellness with one of these. $60 from The Barrier Method (you can read my review here.)

4. Tropicfeel shoes

I backed these as a kickstarter, because they sounded amazing. They are pretty much Spring and Summer shoes (though if the fall isn't cold, you could wear them then too). We travel to Vegas a lot and do a ton of theme parks, which have plenty of water activities. These shoes are like your best sneakers and water shoes in one. I backed them hoping they would be as good as they sounded, and they were. We both have a pair and they are super lightweight, can be worn with or without socks, and look fantastic. They are perfect for all the walking your mom will do on her travels. $78 on TropicFeel (available for preorder.)

5. Bracketron Roadtripper

Here's another thing I'll be reviewing. The Roadtripper is a multifunctional travel tool. It is a phone stand, but you can unfold it to also hold your tablet and your phone for viewing videos on the tray table latch, so it's at eye level. If you're on the road and need to use your phone as a GPS, this also works for that...and it's certainly not flimsy like a lot of those other phone holders you buy elsewhere. The roadtripper folds up small and unfolds in different ways for what you need to use it for. $50 on Bracketron, but it is on sale now for $34.99. You can also find it at Best Buy and other stores.

6. Travelon Anti-Theft Parkview Hobo Crossbody 

The new Parkview collection from Travelon is classy and comes in classic colors. Not only is it anti-theft, but it has an RFID-blocking pocket and tons of room. It will never make you stick out as a tourist, and can hold all your things and probably some of your purchases. Mom's have to carry all the things, and this bag can do it, while looking great. $89.25 from Travelon (get 20% off if you use code SHEREENTRAVELS20%)

7. FaceCradle

There are so many travel pillows to choose from, but one of the best I've tried is the FaceCradle. Not only is it perfect for the ever-diminishing airplane space, but it's great for tall people, and for using on trains and in cars as well. It has a bunch of different ways to use it. We have the regular version and the lite version, and we sleep like babies on the plane. You can see my review here. $49.99 on Amazon

Splurge: <$100

1. Anti-theft Tailored Wheeled Underseat Carry-on

This new carry-on with spinner wheels from Travelon is fantastic and has a great wipe-down bottom half that can be cleaned easily after tromping through the airport, the subway, and down the street. It has a ton of room and is easy to stash in the overhead. You mom will love this new chic bag, and she'll be able to pack everything she needs in it. $141 on Travelon (get 20% off if you use code SHEREENTRAVELS20%)

2. Priority Pass

Hanging out in the airport can be fun, but after a while, you wish it could be better. Buy your mom access to all the airport lounges, so she can get some peace and quiet, free snacks and maybe get some work done or catch a shower. You can purchase her the standard pass for $99/year, or upgrade her to the plus for $299, which includes 10 free visits (generally member visits are $32). Right now you can get 15% off memberships on PriorityPass

3. InTransit Carry-On

This is the ultimate carry-on bag, because it fits your large laptop, all your clothes, electronics, snacks, toiletries and more, plus you can carry it 3 different ways. I packed everything for a 5-day trip to Disney in this and it made traveling easy, and also looked great. $119 on Walter + Ray's website.

4. Airline gift cards

Buy a gift card that can be used for their favorite airline or hotel chain (or Airbnb) or rental car company. It's nice because you can customize it and make it a bit more personal than a normal gift card. $1-infinity: whatever you want to spend.

5. CityPASS

I'm sure your mom already has her next trip planned. Why not help her make it more affordable by giving her most or all of her activities for free? You'll be able to find a lot of participating cities. $50+ on CityPASS website.

6. GlobeIn monthly travel box

If your mom doesn't quite have the funds to travel, but loves cool stuff from other countries anyway. Give her the gift of stuff from around the world with the GlobeIn box. Each box contains at least 4 goodies from other countries and they all center around a story. $144 for a 3-month subscription. The price per box goes down with longer subscriptions.

There you have it. My picks for your the mom who does it all and deserves it all. If you want to take a look at other lists, in case you don't see something your mom would like, or you want to purchase several things for a gift, type "mother's day" in the search bar on the right.

What are you doing for your mom this year?

Disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links, which help me run this blog, and I am always super happy to help you find something cool, and eternally grateful when you use my links as well.