Hello 2023! New Year, new me… or at least that’s how the saying goes. I don’t know about you, but right around the new year, I like to muse on what my 2023 will be like. I’m very much Type A so I like to begin planning some of my goals for the next year. These goals can be financial, career, personal, and of course… travel!!!
What are your travel goals for this year? Are you planning a once-in-a-lifetime journey? Or maybe is a fun family reunion to celebrate grandpa’s birthday? Or simply a fun girls weekend? Or perhaps this is the year you decided to do your first solo trip?
Whatever your travel goals, I wish you reach them this 2023. if you are like me, you are already browsing destinations and budgeting your airline miles. However, I sometimes get asked how I get to travel so much. The simple answer is planning. Just like you manage your finances, you also need to manage your travel plans so you can make your goals a reality. That’s why I’ve put together a simple list that will help make your next travel adventure a reality.
- Start Assembling the Crew Early
Time and again, many of the best travel intentions never make it past the planning stage simply because there is no one to go with. You’ve probably experienced it before. You try to get your girlfriends together, but no one has vacation time left or money, etc, etc. My advice, get your feelers out early. Talk to your friends or relatives about finally taking that girls weekend vacation to Mexico or family vacation to Disney. Or speak to your partner about finally visiting Iceland. The earlier the better. Then follow up so you can start getting solid commitments.
2. Set up a Travel Budget… a realistic one!
I worked 5.5 years as a financial adviser, and I can tell you, that nothing is more useful to achieve financial success than creating a budget and sticking to it. The same is true for travel budgets. Creating and managing a travel budget will make your more aware and intentional on how and where your money is spent and allocated. A budget will also minimize the risk of not having enough money left to pursue your travel ambitions.
If you don’t currently have a travel budget, creating one is easy. Take a realistic look at how much you can afford to spend on vacation this year. Build a spreadsheet and take the time to approximate how much you are willing to spend on tickets, hotels, transportation, meals, etc. As you begin booking trips, keep track of your expenses in your spreadsheet. Compare your actual expenses to your budgeted ones. This approach will take discipline, but it will keep you on track and will greatly reduce stress. Believe me.
If possible, create a separate Travel savings account. Create a plan to fund it. Maybe it is all at one time. I like to use my bonus to fund my travel account. Maybe you prefer to build it little by little. I have a friend that adds money to her account monthly. To me, this separation of funds is key. It gives me a clean view on what I can and cannot afford.
3. Begin setting up those Google Flight Alerts
Now that you have a travel budget and know how much you can afford to spend on travel this year, begin setting up Google Flight Alerts for the destinations you are interested in. That way, you will be ready to book once the tickets become affordable.
You can also set up alerts in other flight booking apps, such as Hopper. With Hopper, you can select the destination you want and the dates you are looking to travel. The app will show you if the current prices are above or below average ticket prices for that destination. You can also receive alerts that advice you when is the optimal time to buy.
4. Review your airline miles, hotel rewards, and credit card points
Sometimes, the means to get you on your next journey are literally before your eyes. A few years ago, my Greek friend invited me to the baptism of her son in Athens. It was short notice and flights were very, very expensive. But I really wanted to go! Then I remembered that I had plenty if airline miles! I also had a free hotel night through a hotel rewards program. Make sure you review all the possible awards from your credit cards, reward programs, favorite airline, etc. In fact, I was just taking a look at my United miles and discovered I have an unused travel credit worth $98 from a time where I changed a flight for a cheaper fare. I had completely forgotten about it. Make sure you are not leaving any money or rewards on the table.
5. Take the Lead
The squeaky wheel gets the grease, as they say. So if you are serious about reaching your travel goals, don’t simply talk to your friends and hope the trip will just happen on good intentions alone. Chances are they have travel goals of their own. In my experience, if you take the lead, things will happen. Invite your friends to coffee and discuss the possibility of a trip. Schedule a zoom with your family to begin setting dates on that family vacation. Prepare some research and show it to your partner. If possible, get them to commit early. If you are planning on traveling on your own, then taking the lead means action. Begin booking dates. Block your calendar. I’ve been meaning to organize a girls weekend with my friends in Texas. So I’m taking my own advice, and just created a WhatsApp group so we can start communicating on possible dates.
I hope these simple tips will help you make your 2023 travel dreams into a reality. And if you have any to add or if you practice any of these yourself, let me know in the comments. Bon voyage!
