6 Tips to Start Traveling More

Some of the most common things I hear are: "I don't have time to travel," or "I can't get time off from work," or "flights are too expensive," or "I don't have anyone to travel with." These are just excuses! Now, I am not going to lie, this was once me. It can be challenging to take the leap into traveling more, but once you do you will never look back! Here are a few tips that have helped me get out and travel more.

1. Take advantage of long weekends - start off with small trips. This could be taking a trip to a nearby state, somewhere you can drive to. It could also be to a place that is a quick flight away! I recommend a nonstop flight that is less than 3 hours if you are going for a long weekend.

2. Plan your trip backwards - instead of looking at the calendar and picking specific dates for your vacation, let the flights decide! Google flights has a great "explore" feature that I love to use. You can filter the month as well as a price range.

3. Create a separate travel fund - just like saving up for a car or a house or something you've been wanting for awhile, having a savings fund can be a huge help. Determine an amount you are comfortable with and each week deposit it into your new travel fund. This could be as simple as a jar, an envelope or a real savings account. Once you have a new destination in mind you will already have money saved up, which can help reduce some stress around traveling. 4. Extend your trip - Book a flight home that has a long layover and get the chance to explore an additional, new place. We recently did this flying home from Montana. Most of the flights from Montana back to Boston had a layover. We found a flight with a layover in a place we have been wanting to explore for awhile. We were going to book one of those flights with the longest layover, but it ended up being cheaper to book 2 direct flights - 1. Montana to Seattle 2. Seattle to Boston. This way was cheaper for us, but it isn't always cheaper. This also gave us more time (24 hours total) to explore Seattle instead of about 12 hours.

5. Get paid to travel - Work can be a great way to travel more. This could be searching for a new job that involves frequent travel. In my case, I am very fortunate my partner travels for work very frequently. It is hard at times, but I try to plan my vacation time around those trips so we can explore new places together. If you aren't in search of a new job, you could ask about training opportunities or conferences for professional development which often involve traveling. Another option could be working on the road if you have the ability to work remotely.

6. Sign up for a group trip - If you don't feel comfortable traveling alone and can't find someone to travel with a great opportunity to travel is signing up for a group trip. Personally, I have never participated in a group trip but hope to one day! One company that I’ve heard great things about is EF Ultimate Break. They have many different trips to chose from - different countries, length of time and even activity level. I love going on their website for travel inspiration! Their trips are definitely pricey, but they do have payment plans available and the occasional sale, as well as a group rate. There is no perfect time to travel. You have to make the time. Start with small local trips and then expand from there!