What is Budget Travel?
When you hear the term “budget travel,” what do you think of?
Funding your trip with loose change you scrounged from under your couch cushions or money from your piggy bank or a jar marked “Travel Funds”? Staying in cheap fleabag motels and dining at fast food joints? It doesn’t have to be that way.
When I think of budget travel, I think of being able to go somewhere I have dreamed of going while getting the most bang for my buck.
Even though my income has never been huge, I’ve still found a way to travel more and more with each passing year. I started traveling on a very limited income and have been all over the world.
If I can do it, you can, too. Now more than ever, the options for saving money on travel are practically limitless.
My mission is to teach you how you, too, can travel and explore without breaking the bank.
IS MORE TRAVEL IN YOUR FUTURE?
If one of your goals or New Year’s resolutions is to travel more moving forward, awesome! (I assume that’s why you’re reading this blog.)
In my opinion, everyone should travel. There are so many (and often) unexpected benefits of travel.
GETTING STARTED
A simple way to begin is by exploring the area near your home. Taking a staycation is one way to approach it.
If you’re anything like me, there are bound to be places nearby that you’ve overlooked or planned to visit “someday.”
When I meet people who are visiting the DC metro area, I ask them what they plan to do and see (or what they’ve already done and seen if they’ve been in town a few days).
Through these conversations, I’ve discovered that there are quite a few places that I have yet to visit in my very own backyard.
So, I’ve started a list of these places and am checking them off one at a time. I guess I need to look at the DC metro area through the eyes of a visitor.
Since I grew up close to DC and can visit anytime I want, I guess I’ve taken for granted the very points of interest others travel to the area to see. That stops now.
CHOOSING WHERE TO GO
trav·el (ˈtravəl)
verb: make a journey, typically of
some length or abroad
noun: the action of traveling,
typically abroad
Although the definition of “travel” includes the word “abroad,” it doesn’t have to mean packing your bags and hopping on a plane to a destination far, far away.
You can take a day trip, go away overnight, or spend an entire weekend exploring a new place just a few hours from home.
When I start to get antsy, I look for something fun to do or see. There are lots of places in and around Washington, DC.
If I only have an afternoon or day, I stick to a destination within 2 hours from my house; if I’m able to go away overnight, I look for something a little further away (typically within 3-4 hours).
Then, I do a little research. I look online at where I’m going and find out what the area has to offer. Then I make a list of my top picks.
You’d be amazed at how much you can do and see during a short trip!
FIND OUT WHAT’S OUT THERE
Another great way to figure out where you want to go is to attend an industry event such as a Travel & Adventure Show.
They take place across the U.S. in the first quarter of each year and are a great way to get information about every aspect of travel, all under one roof.
Find out if one’s near you, learn more about the shows, and to buy tickets, click here. To learn how to make the most of a travel show, click here.
JUST DO IT!
The main point: when you want to accomplish any goal in life, you have to take action. To quote Nike’s tagline, “Just Do It.”
I’m here to help you as you integrate travel into your life.
If you have questions or comments, please share them below ⇓ or reach out to me directly via email.
Wishing you a future full of awesome travels!
