How to Travel like a Bo$$

Hey everyone! It’s your girl Jane again. Hopefully, you like seeing me on here because I’m actually not ever going to go away… just kidding lol! But, I really do enjoy writing these pieces for you so I hope you like them too! If you’re not familiar with who I am, I’m the Editorial Director here at TCF and you can catch the other posts I wrote here and here. To find out what kind of trouble I’m getting into on any given day, you can HMU on the ‘gram here.

So today, I wanted to talk about something that I absolutely love doing and will happily spend all of my money on…travel! We all do it. Some love it, some hate it and some are better at planning for it than others.

Every year, I like to plan a trip to travel somewhere I’ve never been before. Planning a future trip helps me:

1. Stay focused (eyes on the travel prize)
2. Keeps me working hard throughout the year knowing that I’m going to spend my hard earned money exploring something new.
3. Actually motivates me to work out (we all try to look our best when there’s a foreseeable photo opportunity, AMIRITE?)

This year, I’m headed to Italy for the very first time in September and want to do it RIGHT! So, as many of you will be traveling this spring and/or summer as well, the CINCteam and I decided to put our travel tips together to bring you our top recommendations on how to actually travel and feel like a bo$$!

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You Gotta Budget
I know, but how?! If you have loose cash/coins, save it in a mason jar like Hannah does and don’t touch it, or put away a certain amount from each paycheck. When saving for a trip or event, we like using these apps to help us reach our goal:

+ Acrons
+ Qapital
+ Mint

Saving $5 – $20 bucks here and there over a few months really adds up and you’ll be so happy you did it.
Cut out unnecessary expenses that actually add up to a lot. For me, it was cutting out buying my usual $5 iced coffee with almond milk every day. $5 x 7 Days a week = $35. $35 x 52 weeks = $1,820! I’ll buy a bag of beans from Philz instead and make coffee in my cute French Press (like this one).

Get a credit card that has NO international transaction fees

Having one with no international transaction fees and cash back is a win-win.  Everyone here swears by their Chase Sapphire credit card.

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Create a Google Doc

This may sound nerdy but having a spreadsheet of where you’re staying, the address, neighboring restaurants, and activities to do around you will help you streamline your trip. I like adding 1 place to visit and 1 place to eat each day but if I wake up and decide I’d rather walk somewhere instead of driving, I’ll just do that. The key is to be prepared but flexible on your trip. To a larger point, make sure your travel group is chill and has good vibes. One bad seed can ruin the whole trip for everyone.

Do your research. Use Google, Yelp, and Instagram to find places you want to check out, see, shop or just chill at!

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Invest in a Travel-Friendly Carry-On

Make sure to invest in a good carry-on travel care set like this one or this one. It leaves you with more room in your suitcase and I don’t know about you, but having my quality go-to products makes me feel more comfortable when I travel. Plus, we can’t really afford a bad hair day when we’re only traveling for a week or so now can we. 😉

And if you think ahead and do some really good planning, you can pack for your whole trip in a carryon like Hannah did when she traveled to Spain last year! Check out her post about it here!

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Buy pocket Wi-Fi at the airport

This is a lifesaver when you’re on vacation but actually still have to work, if you can’t live without Wi-Fi, or if you’re using Google Maps to travel in your rental car. Making sure you have strong and reliable Wi-Fi is super important and worth the money (unless you’re trying to 100% unplug, you feel me).

Buy Your Plane Ticket and Book the Hotel/Airbnb First

Contrary to popular belief, Tuesdays are not always the best days to buy flights (though things vary week to week). The best time to buy flights according to Hopper is Thursday, and avoid booking on Sunday if possible. While we can’t verify this one for sure, clear your cache when searching because word on the street is that airlines use cookies on your browsers to see where and when you’re planning to go, then upcharge those ticket prices. Superstitious? Maybe, but why take chances! We like using apps like Skyscanner, Kayak and aforementioned Hopper when looking for cheaper flights. Making sure you book the costly items first help you save and budget for your trip.

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Be Flexible

Depending on where you are, don’t be afraid to just go for a walk and freely immerse yourself in the city. The best days are actually the days that are unplanned and impromptu – trust me!

Pack Healthy Snacks

This one is actually really important to me. No one likes a hangry b^*** and a lot of places have different hours of operation. It’s always best to be prepared so you don’t end up irritable and hungry.

Be Present

I cannot stress this enough but how many times do you get completely stressed packing for a vacation or stressed because things don’t go as planned? I, myself am extremely guilty of this but have learned from my mistakes! Once you’re at your destination, enjoy it. Things aren’t always going to go as planned and that’s ok. That’s what traveling is all about. Enjoy the moments (good and maybe not so good). You deserve this trip so soak it all up.

So what do you think of our travel tips? @ me in the comments below and let me know! While you’re at it, send me a list of all of your fave places to eat, shop and chill in Italy! Thank you!

Xx
Jane

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