This is the most common question I get every time I’m at a family party or gathering. Well friends, I’m here to tell you that it’s actually not that hard! My husband and I both work full time jobs but are fortunate enough to have a little flexibility (unlimited PTO FTW!) But even then, since last September I’ve gone to 4 countries & 2 states and only took a total of about 8 days off, so you just have to be smart! I’ve listed some tips below on how you can add more adventure into your life!

1. Travel During the Weekend & Holidays

This may sound like a no brainer but if you include the weekend, that’s already 2 days that you don’t have to take off of work. We always try to plan vacations around weekends so that we only end up having to take a couple days off. We find that Thursdays to Mondays are usually a great time frame especially if you’re traveling someplace where you may lose a day due to the time difference.  Sometimes, the best deals are during the weekdays but if you’re always on the lookout, you can still find awesome flights that include weekends & even holidays, which brings me to my next point…

2. Check Flight Deals Constantly

Maybe it’s just me, but once you’re hit by the travel bug, you just can’t stop.  I am constantly on the lookout for deals (or more so the hubs lol) so if something pops up, we are always ready to book. Google flights is an awesome tool where it shows the prices month to month & tracks your trip to find the best deal.  I also highly recommend following some travel deal sites like Scott’s Cheap Flights – Seriously, we’ve been able to score some awesome deals through them! They track cheap flights and send email alerts (especially when there’s a mistake price!). Travel Pirates & Groupon can also be great places to find deals especially if you are looking for packages that include hotel & transportation.

3. Prioritize What is Important on Your Trip To Save

Traveling is expensive! Even if you find a cheap flight, there’s hotels, transportation, sightseeing, food, and so much more that you have to take account of. I know a lot of people that shy away from traveling due to the costs but if you prioritize right, there are so many ways to save. Some cities & countries are known for different things so know what is most important to you on that trip – the sightseeing? the food? the hotel view? It can definitely vary depending on where you go. For example, when we were in Madrid, we knew we wanted to sight see and EAT so we got an Airbnb in an awesome location walkable to restaurants & the main sites where hotel & transportation would’ve been a little too expensive and out of the way. But when in Iceland, we were only focused on being on the road & paying more for excursions, so we didn’t spend a lot on food (we actually ate in 2 out of 4 days!). So, if you budget what is most important to you, you can actually save a lot! And while we’re on the topic of budget, please put travel AFTER you have your daily expenses covered. We make sure we have everything taken care of (bills, savings, etc) before we book a trip ’cause nobody wanna go broke!

4. Be Spontaneous!

Sometimes you just have to be ready to get up & go!  A lot of the best deals are those that come up within the few weeks or month where you may not have enough time to prepare but YOLO. Now, I’m not saying to book a week long vacation for next week (trust me, there have been a couple of times where I’ve had to yell at my husband for booking random flights last minute & have made him cancel) but definitely be open to traveling sooner than expected because you’ve found a great deal. Or even traveling to a place you wouldn’t think of traveling to! Weekend trips are always the best because you can explore a new city or one that you already love without much of a time commitment. And you know what they say, some of the best trips are those unplanned!

I hope you enjoyed these few tips and take them into account the next time you’re thinking of traveling! Honestly, it’s very doable if you’re smart about your time & are just open to spontaneity. And it’s so good for the soul! Definitely let me know if you have any tips to share as well!