Planning an International Trip with Kids, How Do I Make This Happen?

So we've touched upon the mental preparation of choosing to travel internationally with kids, sharing some ways in which travel has a positive impact on young minds, and now we are ready to dive into the nuts and bolts of planning. This is one of my favorite parts!

As an A-type personality, researching and making lists turns me into a giddy child, and that's what this next step in our international travel planning process is all about. Are you ready to figure out where to go, how to find transportation and accommodation, and figure out what you'll do when you get there? Here's step two!

Planning an International Trip with Kids, Three Part Series

Take the Leap!   |   How Do I Make This Happen?   |   Don't Pack the Kitchen Sink

Planning an International Trip with Kids, Take the Leap

For those who have never traveled internationally with their children, the thought alone can be sweat-inducing. Some days, it seems like you can hardly manage a grocery store trip without losing every last shred of dignity and sanity, let alone dragging them across borders and into cultures, languages, and landscapes completely foreign to you.

But as the mama of three kids under the age of four, I'm here to tell you that it can be done. You can not only survive traveling internationally with your kids, but you can thrive! And they will, too.

What follows is part one of three steps on how I encourage others to travel internationally with their kids and walk through our methods for preparing mentally, deciding upon the destination, and packing light but smart.

Planning an International Trip with Kids, Three Part Series

Take the Leap!   |   How Do I Make This Happen?   |   Don't Pack the Kitchen Sink

Europe 101: Saving Money (And Time) While Sightseeing

Once you've developed a budget-friendly itinerary for your Europe trip, you're ready to acquire the tips and tricks to be thrifty while on the streets of Europe!

With popular sites come populous queues, which will waste a lot of your vacation time. Time is money! You can reserve tour times for many places or skip lines by purchasing passes ahead of time.

This is me, skipping the long line at the Colosseum
with my Roma Pass in hand!

In Rome we utilized the Roma Pass for free admission to three sites, including line skipping at places such as the Colosseum; three days of unlimited public transportation; and discounted admission to other sites during the three day activation period of the pass. The lines at the Colosseum were, well, colossal (har, har, har), and we saved so much time bypassing the queue with our Roma Pass!

The Roma Pass also saved us time at the Vatican Museum where we were able to bypass the line for buying tickets and march straight to security. However, there is no way to skip the security lines at the Vatican to enter St. Peter's Basilica, so you'll just have to budget a lot of time for that one!

Conversely, we lost a lot of time in Paris by not reserving a viewing time in advance for the Eiffel Tower. Two months before our May 2015 trip, I looked online to see if reservations were possible. They were... but they were already completely booked for May. So as soon as you book your plane tickets, book your tickets for various attractions!

Please don't travel all the way to Europe just to seek out the nearest McDonald's or KFC for a cheap meal! When in Rome, eat as the Romans do. Grab a slice of pizza. When in Greece, have a delicious döner kebab lunch, and in Germany, enjoy a bratwurst meal. Eat cheaply for breakfast and lunch so you can enjoy a good dinner and your wallet will thank you!

Before you even leave for your trip, determine how many and how much you plan to spend on souvenirs. It's easy to be suckered into buying a lot of cheap trinkets once you arrive, but even cheap trinkets will add up if you keep buying indiscriminately! We purchase magnets at each location we visit, but beyond that we keep a strict budget on how much we spend on keepsakes.

Many sites offer audio guides to enhance the spartan English signs of exhibits. Save yourself money by finding and downloading free podcasts onto your smartphone. Rick Steves offers many free podcasts, and we have utilized many of them on our travels.

What are you waiting for? Start planning your trip to Europe now!

Europe 101: Tips, Tricks & Being Thrifty

It's no secret that travel from the United States to Europe can be expensive. Stupid expensive. While there are some things you can do to help mitigate some costs, others - such as airfare - can't be avoided. However, there are a few tips and tricks that can make your dollars go further when planning a trip to Europe!

While the idea of a grand European tour sounds exciting, hopping from one country to another will put a hard hit on your wallet. Transit and lodging costs are the biggest expenses for any trip, so if you can limit your transit, you can limit your bills. In other words, touring Rome, Milan, Florence, and Venice (Italy) is most likely* going to be a less expensive trip than visiting London, Paris, Berlin, and Athens. So when developing your itinerary, pick a region or country and concentrate on seeing all the highlights rather than trying to see all of Europe in ten days. Always tell yourself that there will be another trip or you'll drive yourself crazy thinking about all the other places you didn't see!

Due to our family connections, all roads lead to Germany for us. So we concentrate on one city or one region for our sightseeing portion of vacation before heading to Bavaria for our family time. 

*If your travel dates are flexible and you check airfare prices constantly, you may find good deals to make country hopping affordable!

If your budget is particularly tight, visit Europe in the off season to save money on airfare and lodging. Not fully convinced? Look at the price difference quoted on Kayak.com shown to the left for flights from Richmond, VA, to Paris, France, in April versus July.

Traveling in the shoulder month of April instead of the high season of July represents a $327 cost savings on airfare - no small change when it comes to flights! You may not be able to go swimming in the Aegean in April and may still need to bundle up when touring castles in northern Europe, but traveling in the off season will also afford one other plus: smaller crowds at the popular sites.

When we visited Neuschwanstein Castle in July 2010, it was swarming with tourists compared to my father-in-law's October 2015 visit.

While it may be convenient to fly out of the closest airport to home, consider driving further for better prices. We live within an hour of the Richmond International Airport in central Virginia, but we almost always drive the two hours north to Dulles International Airport outside Washington D.C. for our flights. Using the same travel dates as above, flights out of Dulles are $882 in April and $955 in July. That's a sizable difference! That cost savings is well worth the extra drive, and even the airport parking fees don't eat up that difference. Additionally, consider what airport you'll be arriving at. For example, on our visits to Bavaria, we compare the prices for landing in Munich versus Frankfurt to determine the better deal.

Many people are familiar with London's Heathrow Airport, but did you know there are a total of 5 airports in London? Many of Europe's discount airlines (Ryanair, Easyjet, etc) operate out of these lesser known hubs.

Don't be afraid to shop around on third party websites for airfares and lodging. I regularly use Kayak, Skyscanner, Orbitz, and Priceline in addition to checking the individual websites of specific airlines. For lodging, consider services such as Airbnb, which not only may save you money but provide a more intimate experience as opposed to staying at a hotel. But when using hotels, oftentimes you can receive a better rate by reaching out directly to the hotel, thereby saving the hotel from the fees owed to the third party booking site. And finally, be sure to clear the cookies from your internet browser when shopping around. When sites see that you're consistently looking for information on specific travel dates or locations, they may budge their prices higher, figuring that you're already sold on the site/location and would be willing (or forced) to pay the higher price.

Unless you're planning to spend a week lounging on the French Riviera as opposed to hardcore sightseeing, keep in mind that you won't spend much time in your hotel room beyond sleeping and bathing. As such, there's no need to stay in a four or five star hotel (unless you're loaded, in which case it's doubtful you're reading a blog about being a thrifty gypsy!). Read reviews or take personal recommendations for a clean but cheap hotel in a safe location of the city you're visiting. Avoid the main drag and very popular tourist areas as hotels will be at a premium. Instead find a location a little more off the beaten track with good connections to metro stops or a doable walk from the sites you're interested in seeing.

For a few more specifics on how I find the "perfect" hotel for us, read more here.

While you may think it's counterproductive to your budget to take a longer trip, consider this: is it worth spending nearly a thousand dollars per ticket (or more) for just a week long trip? At least two full days will be spent in transit, leaving only five at your destination(s). In my opinion that doesn't justify the cost of getting yourself there into the first place. When it comes to Europe, I recommend a minimum of 10 days unless you're visiting the United Kingdom or if you've snagged an incredibly good deal on airfare.

With these tips in mind, planning a budget-friendly trip to Europe is more than possible! Stay tuned for a follow-up post on how to save money once your feet are on the ground in Europe!

Do you have any other tips or tricks you use when planning an European vacation?

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Turning Pennies Into Memories ~ Sticking to the Plan

This is the third post in a series on how to finance your travel dreams (please see "Changing Priorities" and "Establishing a Budget"). Whether you're working a minimum-wage job, have a comfortable income, are burdened with heavy debt, or just have a few small loans to pay, the principles in this series can be applied to almost every category. As someone who has been able to finance trips to Europe in cash while working minimum wage jobs or while a spouse was unemployed, believe me, this is something you can achieve if you make it a priority. It's just a matter of time.

Changing Your Priorities | Establishing a Budget | Sticking to the Plan

***

Let's start with a brief recap:

You've changed your priorities and mindset about spending, choosing to take control of your finances and to dictate where your money goes instead of floundering between pay periods wondering where in the world your income went and how you'll survive until the next paycheck.

You've established a budget prioritizing your "needs" above your "wants" and have committed to a savings plan (no matter how small!) in order to create a habit of planning for the future, anticipating rainy day situations, and establishing responsible spending habits.

So, now what?

Roll your spare change & start a separate savings with it.

Now it's time for the nitty-gritty. Making a plan is one thing; implementing it is another. You can't save money on paper - it plays out in the grocery store when you make decisions about what to buy; it surfaces when you decide you're "too tired" to pack tomorrow's lunch; and it manifests when you decide that going out for drinks with friends is easier (and less "embarrassing") than telling them you need less costly social plans. Living out your budget is the real battle.

Lazy people can't save money. You have to be organized in order to stick to your financial battle-plan. Here are a few tips to help with the follow through to your priorities and budget:

• Don't go grocery shopping unarmed. Make a meal plan, develop a list of ingredients, and buy only the items you need. Going to the grocery store hungry will make you more likely to deviate from your list! Limiting the frequency you go grocery shopping will also limit the number of times you're tempted to buy that box of Double Stuffed Oreos that your wallet (and waistline!) really don't need. (Remember: Putting "needs" before "wants" will get you that much closer to your financial goals!) 
• Bring a lunch to work. These days even fast food options are becoming less and less affordable, and if you're looking for healthier options, you'll spend roughly $8-15 on a lunch depending on the eatery. By comparison, packing last night's leftovers, making some hearty sandwiches, or even bringing a can of soup and toast will put you back anywhere from $1-5, especially if you made large meals that can be distributed into several packed lunches. (Bonus: Packing your own meals is generally more healthy than eating out, too!)
• When at all possible, buy used. This applies to clothing (although maybe not your underclothes!), cars, furniture, you name it. If you really want to make some drastic financial changes, you have to throw your pride out the window. Thrift stores and hand-me-down clothes will be your best friend. To be honest, although I can afford brand new clothes now, I still shop at TJ Maxx, Ross, and the clearance racks of any store I find myself in! I can't bring myself to pay full price on an item if I can buy a gently used (or never been used) item for a tenth of the price. I've received more compliments on my clothing since budgeting my spending than I ever did when I shopped the mall for name brand clothing. (Sidenote on buying cars: A brand new car loses between 15-20% of its value in the first year alone! Get yourself a deal by buying models just a few years old for the best value.)
• Enlist the moral support of your closest family and friends. Focus on your end goals - freeing up the money currently going towards student loans for putting towards future travels, future house, future fill-in-the-blank - and then briefly touch on the concrete ways you'll be accomplishing these goals, such as preferring BYOB house parties over bar hopping, etc. Ask them to encourage you along the way and to be mindful of your changed priorities. Putting all this out into the open will help alleviate future pressure to spend money you'd rather be saving. (Note: I understand that you might not want to dish out all your financial dirty laundry, but finding a way to at least briefly touch upon your plan with friends will help you in the long run.) 
• Keep your eye on the prize. Saving money is not for the faint of heart or those who want the easy way out. If it were easy, you would've gone down that path years ago, right? So do your best to stay motivated about your end goals and/or incorporating little rewards for yourself along the way. You paid off the credit card with a $1,000 balance? Treat yourself to some Cold Stone ice cream. You eliminated your $5,000 auto loan after only 12 months of intense sacrifice and budgeting? Go out for a nice meal to celebrate! Just make sure your one night out of celebrating doesn't undo the months of self-control! (Tip: Change your phone or laptop's background picture to a place, thing, or event that reminds you of what you will do with your money once you've freed yourself from debt. I stared at a picture of Santorini for quite a long time before I actually booked the trip, but it was all the sweeter seeing it in person on a trip paid in cash than it would've been if I had to come home and work my butt off to pay Mr. Visa back for the experience!)

Yes, this is going to be hard. Yes, there are going to be times you'll want to give up. And yes, there may be times where you say screw it and let some binge shopping blow your budget out of the water. When you fall off the financial wagon, don't be overly discouraged. Just refocus on your end goal and get right back on track. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither was your mountain of debt. In most cases it'll take you longer to pay back your debt than it did to accumulate it in the first place! But the longer you wait to work on righting your financial house, the longer and harder the road to being debt-free will be.

But like I will continue to iterate with each of these posts, it will all be MORE than worth it in the end! Go turn those pennies into memories!

What are some of your money-saving tips?

Turning Pennies into Memories ~ Establishing a Budget

This is the second post in a series on how to finance your travel dreams (you can read the first post, "Changing Priorities," here). Whether you're working a minimum-wage job, have a comfortable income, are burdened with heavy debt, or just have a few small loans to pay, the principles in this series can be applied to almost every category. As someone who has been able to finance trips to Europe in cash while working minimum wage jobs or while a spouse was unemployed, believe me, this is something you can achieve if you make it a priority. It's just a matter of time.

Changing Your Priorities | Establishing a Budget | Sticking to the Plan

***

Turning Pennies Into Memories 

Step 2: Establishing a Budget

There are many free online tools available for establishing a budget, but I'm a big fan of the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace plan. Dave Ramsey is a big proponent for living within your means, cutting out any and all debts, and doing so by living frugally (sometimes painfully so) until you're debt-free. I developed the unofficial Thrifty Gypsy motto of "Live within your means so you can travel beyond your dreams" from principles learned in the Dave Ramsey program.

First, identify your monthly income amounts. That should be pretty easy. Then, recognize the difference between "needs" and "wants." I want to buy a tall double chocolate chip frappuccino from Starbucks every day, but it is certainly not a need. So when creating a budget, I begin by listing the bare necessities along with the amount due each month:

• Rent/Mortgage
• Utilities (electricity, water, etc)
• Insurance (health, car, life, etc)
• Groceries
• Outstanding debts (car payment, credit card, etc)
• Tithing
• Savings

Yes, your list of necessities should include savings. I advocate budgeting for savings from the get-go instead of using the "just put whatever's left over into savings" method. Even if it's just a modest amount, put yourself in the habit of saving a certain percentage or dollar figure at the beginning of the month.

The list of necessities will vary from person to person. Create your itemized list and indicate the monthly amount owed beside each. From my experience, the grocery item is where we hemorrhage the most money, and where we have the greatest opportunity to manage how much we spend. If you have no idea how much you spend on groceries in a given month, make an educated guess based off your bank account transactions and plan to fine-tune and control this amount in future months once you have more data on your spending.

Your budget* should now look something like this:

This budget is not reflective, indicative, or in any way a representation of my own personal monthly income. Please see further clarification at the end of this post.

Now that you've identified the basic needs, there are a few other things you should budget for that aren't quite in the "wants" category but aren't expenses that appear as regularly as the others. These things can include:

• Personal property tax (car, house, etc)
• Christmas/birthday gifts
• Mechanic bills
• Clothing
• Vet bills

There is nothing more financially frustrating (or even devastating) than receiving an unexpected set-back like a car repair bill or realizing on a rainy day that the soles of your shoes are rather hole-y these days. That's why every month you should be setting money aside for categories like clothing, personal property tax, and yes, Christmas and birthday gifts. Even if you're only able to set aside $10 per paycheck for each category, that squirreled-away money will accumulate and help take the edge off an unexpected bill's bite down the road, making you less likely to dip into savings or run into the red. This money can either be set aside in a bank account or in the form of cash put into separate envelopes and stashed somewhere safe (both from break-ins or from you dipping into it for other reasons!).

It's time to take a closer look at your debts, specifically items such as a credit card payment or a car payment. You need to get rid of them. If you were to read the fine print and actually calculate how much you're paying in interest, you would find that the $5 Starbucks drink you put on the credit card and didn't pay off before interest accrued could cost you as much as $5.90 (at 18% interest). While that may not seem like a lot, what about that bedroom set you "just had to have" and you put on your card for $500? After one month of not paying it off, that bedroom set cost you $590. If you didn't pay anything beyond the minimum payment for one year (even without putting anything else on the card!), that amount will cost you more and more until you've spent double or triple the list price. Suddenly that bed isn't as comfy as it used to be...

Plan to pay off your debts as quickly as possible, starting with the lowest balance. While it might seem "smarter" to tackle the debt with the highest interest rate first, you'll find that paying off a debt gives a well-needed emotional boost to continue tackling the higher balance accounts.

Now that you've identified income, regular expenses, irregular expenses, and made a plan to eliminate your debt, what does that leave you? Well if you have anything left over, you could budget for your "wants" or you could put more money into savings.

If there's nothing left, good job! You've told your money where you want it to go, and your income matches your expenses to the penny (including the "expense" of saving)! If you have funds left over, that's even better! Put all "left-over funds" into savings. You've now made savings a priority both at the beginning and end of the month.

If, however, your expenses outweigh your income, you'll have to make adjustments. No, you should not cover the deficit with a credit card. While the Federal Government likes to borrow money from Peter to pay Paul and hike taxes on John to pay Peter, that doesn't mean you can or should follow the same policy! Evaluate your expenses - are there any "needs" that are really "wants?" If not, lower your expectations on your irregular expense categories and/or your savings by a small margin, until the net between income and expenses equals zero.

And that, my friends, is how you take another step towards debt-free living and (ultimately) more travel experiences. Let's summarize:

1. Recognize the difference between "needs" and "wants."
2. Create a budget where "needs" come first and savings are included in your "needs."
3. Identify irregular expenses and set aside funds in the budget to be prepared for these expenses when they occur.
4. Place left-over funds into savings in the event of a surplus, or adjust your savings expectations in the event of a deficit.
5. Practice self-control; put your budget plan into motion.

* For the sake of my own personal financial privacy and that of my husband, all example budgets shown in this post are completely fake. The only resemblance it bears to my personal budget lies in the naming of individual line items and (in some cases) the percentage ratio of a particular expense category to the faux income amounts.

Linking up for #WeekendWanderlust!

Turning Pennies Into Memories ~ Changing Your Priorities

This is the first post in a series on how to finance your travel dreams. Whether you're working a minimum-wage job, have a comfortable income, are burdened with heavy debt, or just have a few small loans to pay, the principles in this series can be applied to almost every category. As someone who has been able to finance trips to Europe in cash while working minimum wage jobs or while a spouse was unemployed, believe me, this is something you can achieve if you make it a priority. It's just a matter of time.

Changing Your Priorities | Establishing a Budget | Sticking to the Plan

***

So... you want to travel! But at the end of every month, you don't seem to have a red cent left to put into the "Travel Savings" account that has been gathering more dust than dollars since you opened it. Unexpected expenses and unanticipated bills seem to pile up at every turn, making your ability to pay your rent as unrealistic as your dream of visiting the Greek isles.

If this is your situation, you need to get your finances under control -  but not for travel's sake. Your finances are controlling your life. It's time for you to tell your money where to go, and not the other way around. Most Americans have a debt problem, but you don't have to be one of them if you make it a priority.

Turning Pennies Into Memories 

Step 1: Changing Your Priorities

"You know that we are living in a material world, And I am a material girl."

~ Madonna

"Instant gratification takes too long."

~ Carrie Fisher

Source.

Western societies revolve around consumerism and instant gratification. We want our things, we want the fanciest things of all, and we want them ten minutes ago. From commercials that tout keeping up and surpassing the Joneses to companies offering same-day shipping and delivery for items purchased online, we have been conditioned and accustomed to not having to wait for anything. In many ways, this is great! But in a world where having multiple credit cards is as American as apple pie, it's also very dangerous. 

As stated previously, most Americans have a debt problem. According to a CNN Money article published in July 2014, 1 in 3 Americans have debt that is in collections. That's roughly 77 million Americans. How does this happen?

While there are instances where a job loss all but necessitates living on a credit card (been there, done that), I would venture a guess that the biggest reason Americans have such a heavy debt load is lack of self-control. If we want something but can't afford it now, do we wait and save up incrementally until it's within our reach? No, of course not! We pull out good ol' Mr. Visa and take our items home that very same day. Problem solved, right? 

The problem with putting ourselves into debt is that we become a slave to it. We've handicapped our future selves with a burden to pay off past items, plus interest. It may have seemed like a good idea at the time to buy that discounted bedroom furniture set on your credit card, but did you take into account the interest you'd be paying on top of it every month? Most credit cards average at 15% APR; just in one month, that $1,000 bedroom set has cost you an additional $150, and if you only make the minimum monthly payment, it'll take years to pay it off.

It's time to cash out of the mindset that having credit card debt is normal or okay. It's not. You need to get rid of debt, and you start by changing your mindset and your priorities.

If you want something, pay cash for it.

If you don't have the cash for it, save for it.

If you already have debt, prioritize paying off your debt before you buy any "wants."

Don't buy things you can't afford. Don't put yourself into the slavery of debt. It's as simple as that!

When you want a fancy dinner to celebrate an anniversary, buy steaks and wine for a candlelit dinner.
When you really want to see a new movie, rent a Redbox "new to you" movie instead.
When you're feeling the need for a cocktail, make and enjoy it at home.
When you're bored with your clothing and want to revamp your wardrobe, focus on your end goal. You don't need half as much as you own.

When I came back from a mission trip to Uganda in 2007, I felt the need to get rid of all my excess items. Why? Because I saw how people can live on a little and be twice as happy as Americans glutted with too much. If you need a little dose of reality, watch a YouTube clip of what life is like in a third-world country, and all of a sudden your "outdated" wardrobe will make you feel like you're wearing Queen Elizabeth's duds in comparison!

Get your drink on with a view like this on a rooftop bar!

This is not an easy mindset to maintain. Like I said, we live in a society where eating out, having coffee with a friend, and buying a new top just to keep your wardrobe fresh is the norm. Deviating from this will make you stand out, and even the most loving of friends and family will sometimes put pressure on you to "come out for drinks just this one time" when you really should be putting that money towards financial freedom. Believe me, I've been there. But this is a choice you've made. You want more money available to spend on your travel dreams, right? Missing out on drinks and appetizers with friends may be disappointing at first, but remember that money gets you one step closer to cashing in on drinks and appetizers at a roof-top bar with views of the Acropolis in Athens. How's that for a trade-off?!

So what makes me such an "expert" on this topic? Well, first of all, I am no expert or financial adviser. I'm just a girl who put herself into deep credit card debt during college so I could keep up appearances with the endless rounds of socializing in my circle of friends. It took years to pull myself out of debt and salvage my damaged credit score, but I did it - even when working just minimum wage jobs. And I did it by changing my priorities.

And you know what? I can say with absolute conviction that "missing out" on eating out was more than worth all the memories I've made on various domestic and international trips I've been able to afford over the last few years. And now that Danny and I are expecting Baby Gypsy in December, I am happy with the solid financial foundation we've laid. Our savings account is not yet where we want it to be, but with the exception of a very small car loan*, we're well on our way to being debt-free and able to keep making our travel dreams a reality!

*If and when we do purchase a house, we will inevitably go into debt for a mortgage. While many financial peace planners (including Dave Ramsey, whose Financial Peace University is my personal favorite and the one whose principals are more or less outlined in this series) advocate not even buying a house until you can pay in cash, I don't think we will follow this route. Houses acquire equity, so I consider that "good" or at least "safe" debt. Credit card debt and cars do not increase in value; your car will never be worth more than it is now (unless you're a lucky duck with a sweet antique car!), so carrying debt for it is unwise.

Linking up for #WeekendWanderlust!

WOW Air Wants to Wow Transatlantic Travelers with Cheap Airfare

Ever dreamed of flying from the United States to Europe without having to sell an arm and a leg?  Iceland-based airline WOW Air wants to make it happen.

According to an article published four days ago on the Washington Post, Wow Air plans to fly between Boston and Baltimore to Reykjavik for as little as $99 each way, starting March 2015.

Am I the only one jumping for joy at the mere thought of such low prices?!

Click here to read the Washington Post article in its entirety...
 

Linking up with Bonnie Rose, Camila & other travel bloggers for #TravelTuesday!

3 Reasons Why Funding Your Travels with Debt is a Bad Idea

(c) TheGuardian.com

Swiping a credit card is the easiest thing in the world.  No fumbling with cash, no wondering if there's enough in your checking account to cover the purchase, no hunting down a pen to write a check (although I haven't seen an individual pay by check in ages!) - it's quick, effortless, and all too often, done without exerting any thought into the actual cost of the purchase.  After all, it feels like Mr. Visa is paying for it, not you!

I have a healthy apprehension and respect for credit cards, thanks to that time in college where I maxed out my credit card for the sake of a spring break trip and spent four years paying it down to a zero balance.  I think it's good to have credit cards on hand for emergencies, but paying for your travels with debt is never a good idea.  Here are three reasons why:

(c) blogs.dallasobserver.com

1.  You're hurting your future self.  The cost of your trip increases exponentially, thanks to interest.  Instead of that round-trip plane ticket to Europe costing only $1,000, it will cost you anywhere from $1658 to $2,329 - and it would take you 6 to 15 years to pay off!!!  (Calculated based on 16% APR with a monthly payment of $10 to $20.)  This jeopardizes your future financial security and your future travels.

2.  You're bringing stress along for the ride.  If you're like me, it can be hard to shut off your brain and just focus on the present joys - even under the best of circumstances!  Instead of relaxing on your trip, you will be thinking about how much you owe Mr. Visa for the plane tickets, hotel bills, train fare, etc.  Instead of your head being full of the sights and sounds of the day, it will be full of dollar signs and red-inked balances.  And when you return home, instead of being able to start saving up for your next trip, you'll be paying off your past trip.  Do yourself a favor - make sure all your big travel purchases are already paid for before you even leave home.

(c) aspanational.wordpress.com

3.  Debt is a slave master.  It snowballs out of control before you know it.  Like I said before, it's just too easy to swipe that card!  Just keep in mind, though, that even with money-saving tips and travel hacks, traveling is and always will be a luxury.  Putting yourself in debt for a luxury is foolish.

With that being said, I do think booking your travels with a credit card is a good deal... IF you pay it off immediately!  Many credit card companies offer special traveling perks, such as extra frequent flier miles, possible seat upgrades, etc.  Plus you have the added transaction security with a credit card versus a debit/bank card.  So long as you have the cash savings to back it up, go ahead and let Mr. Visa take the hit for a few minutes until you put the balance back to zero!

What do you think about debt?  Is it a good idea to go into debt for traveling?

~ Just a Thrifty Gypsy

Flying Isn't Just for the Birds

Aerial view of western Egypt
Taken August 2007 en route from Amsterdam to Uganda
(c) Thrifty Gypsy

Airfare.  It's the one aspect of traveling that can wreak havoc on any planner's budget, particularly transatlantic or transpacific flights.  But instead of dreading the search and purchase of a plane ticket, turn it into a competition with yourself to find the best price possible.  The time you spend researching will be well-worth the money you save on the ticket.

When To Buy

There are a lot of articles floating around the web regarding the best time to buy your plane ticket.  Even BuzzFeed has a fun infographic about the best time to book your vacation based on what region you'll be visiting.  According to a study by CheapAir released in March 2014 which was then reported by everyone from the Huffington Post, FOX News, and the Daily Mail, 54 is the "magic number" of days before your departure for when you should book your flight.  That is, on average, booking your flight exactly 54 days before take-off resulted in the cheapest flight.  While this may be true in general, actual results may hinge on the time of year you're traveling and how popular your destination happens to be.  In my opinion, the sooner you book, the better.  It's better to have your tickets bought and confirmed than to wait, especially if you're going to a popular destination.  My personal experience has been that prices only go up the closer you get to departure, not down, and unless you have the luxury of being able to shell out money for a ticket no matter what the price, then it's better to buy it as soon as you have the money. 

How to Find the Best Deals

Just like with hotel hunting, I use a number of different websites to compare prices and flight times, and I also check the airline's website against the discount sites to ensure that I'm really getting the best deal.  Orbitz is my go-to for all my travel plans, although I don't always end up booking through them.  Currently I'm looking to travel to Boston from Richmond for a family member's wedding the first weekend in May, but with my upcoming trip to Europe this summer (and various mechanical problems on all my vehicles right now!), saving money is my top priority.

A quick search on Orbitz shows the cheapest round-trip flight priced at $160, but a closer observation reveals the departure times to be 6:30 on Friday and 8:45 on Sunday both on JetBlue.  This is problematic for me as I need to work a full day before flying out and getting to the airport by 8:45 on the day after an evening wedding sounds painful!  After changing the parameters of the search, I'm now looking at a 18:50 departure on Friday, but the price has jumped to $174 per ticket.*  Now before I settle for paying that price, here's where I roll up my sleeves and see if I can find a better deal on another website.

So I turn to my next favorite flight deal website: SkyScanner.  SkyScanner is similar to sites like Kayak in that they search all airline's websites and other search sites to compile the best possible options for your search parameters.  SkyScanner also offers an app for all phone operating systems - iPhone, Android, Blackberry, and yes, even Windows.  (This may be why I'm such a fan of SkyScanner as there aren't nearly as many app options for Windows phones!)  Once I enter my flight dates and times, my extra effort to shop more than one website pays off: $160 for the 18:50 flight out on Friday on JetBlue and a 20:18 touchdown in Richmond on that Sunday with Delta.  Sold!!!

You cannot book directly on SkyScanner, so once I select my flight plan, I am directed to another website to complete the purchase (in this case, it was AirFastTickets.com, but you could be directed to any number of third-party booking sites).  As with any purchase, triple-check the details to make sure you're purchasing exactly what you want, and make sure you understand any fine print (such as additional fees for carry-on or checked luggage, etc).  Once you're fully satisfied, buy with confidence! 

Discounts for Students

For those of you who are currently full-time or even part-time university students, you should also use StudentUniverse as a reference for cheap flights.  StudentUniverse showcases deals offered exclusively to students; they even require that you upload a photocopy of your student identification card and one other proof of current enrollment such as a class schedule from your university.  Their prices generally tend to be only a few bucks cheaper than other sites, but they proved to be a pot of gold when I bought a last-minute ticket to London.  All other sites were showing $1600 for a next-day departure from Dulles International Airport to Heathrow; however, I bought it for $880 on StudentUniverse.  Now that is what I call being thrifty and knowing where to shop!

Cheap Transatlantic Flights

Last week I learned that Norwegian Air Shuttle is joining the market for cheap transatlantic flights, offering service to various European hubs and destinations from JFK in New York City, Ft Lauderdale, Florida, and Los Angeles and Oakland-San Francisco in California.  Their "Long Haul" routes boasts a price of $1066.50 for a New York to London flight in the middle of high-season tourism for July 2014.  Flights listed on Orbitz, Expedia, and Priceline for the same dates of travel were listed at $1166 and higher.  Their prices for the shoulder months of tourist season offered even higher savings with one-way November flights to London priced at only $244!  What a steal!

These prices make me want to leave right now!!!

Now keep in mind that these long-haul flights come with a few caveats - you have to pay additional money for in-flight meals and entertainment; there may be extra fees for checked luggage, and unless you're paying with a debit card, there may be a credit card processing fee.  However, because I rarely even eat half of the in-flight meals, I'd rather save money on the ticket and bring my own snacks and entertainment!  I haven't yet used Norwegian Air Shuttle, but will definitely keep them on my radar for future bookings.

Frequent Flyer Programs

Don't pass up the opportunity to make your miles count!  Even if you use a different airline on each trip, sign up for their frequent flyer miles programs.  It's usually free to do, and you never know - one day you may rack up enough miles on one airline to get yourself a free or discounted ticket!

~ Just a Thrifty Gypsy



*As Americans, we are spoiled by relying on a twelve hour clock representation of time.  However, most of the world uses the 24 hour clock (a.k.a. "military time" as we Americans say), which eliminates any confusion should the author forget to specify whether it's "a.m." or "p.m."  When referring to transportation, I will almost always use the 24 hour clock.  To figure out the corresponding 12 hour clock time, simply subtract 12 from any number higher than 12 (e.g., 16:30 is 4:30 pm).

Now if only there were an easy way to convert from the English to metric system or Fahrenheit to Centigrade!

Groupon

Every savvy trip planner should have Groupon added as a favorite in their internet browser.  If you haven't already, you must sign up so you can receive their deals in your e-mail inbox! 

Screenshot of 03/19/14 deal to Ireland.

Sometimes instead of creating and planning your own trip, you might want to consider a package deal that includes airfare, lodging, some (or all) meals, and entertainment -- but do so without it being grossly expensive.  Groupon's Getaway deals cover all parts of the globe at pretty affordable prices!  Did St. Paddy's day put you in the mood to visit Ireland?  Check out their $999 deal to stay in Ireland for eight days!  But hurry fast, because this deal is only offered through the end of the day.  Or maybe you're in the mood for a warmer clime?  A four night stay for two in the Dominican Republic at an all-inclusive resort could be managed at deeply discounted prices if booked through Groupon.

As with any purchase, be sure to read the fine print and understand exactly what you're purchasing.  There may be restrictions as to what times of the year you may visit or an expiration date on the deal itself.

Happy traveling!

~ Just a Thrifty Gypsy

Creating Travel Magic

So you've got a great idea for a weekend getaway just a few hours drive away... your bags are half-packed, you can't wait to get there, but you haven't worked out any of the logistics yet.  Where does one start?!

Before you start panicking, take a deep breath, pour yourself a glass of wine and use the tips below to create some travel magic:

 1.  Establish a base-line budget.  How much do you have available for your weekend trip?  Instead of going on the first weekend in May, should you wait a few more weeks to have a little bit more cash on hand?  Once you know how much you can comfortably spend, start opening those internet browser tabs!

This photo of Candlewood Suites Harrisonburg (VA)
is courtesy of TripAdvisor. Photo taken by SvenskaSvea1987
in February 2014.

2.  Book your hotel.  Other than airfare, lodging will most likely be your biggest expense whether it's a domestic or international trip.  Finding the perfect balance between the cost of a hotel and its quality is truly an art form.  Typically, I use Orbitz to scope out the options for my destination and then compile a "Top Five" list of lodging preferences, or simply search for hotels on Google Maps for that location.  Depending on where you're going, a hotel, motel, campground, hostel, or even a bed and breakfast may be your most cost effective choice of accommodations.  Take your Top Five list and check out the guest reviews on a site like TripAdvisor to gain a unique look into  other travelers' experience with those particular businesses (*see note at bottom of post regarding guest review sites).  For a more unconventional approach, but potentially cheaper, check out Airbnb.  You could rent a room in someone's house or flat, stay in a guest house on an estate, or a cabin out in the woods for an one-of-a-kind experience.  I've had many friends and relatives book rooms through this site for trips at home and abroad.  Once you've settled on a hotel, check out their website to see if you can get a deal by booking directly.  Otherwise, I've had great experiences booking through third-party sites.

3.  Arrange the events and entertainment for your trip.  If you're going to a popular attraction, see if you can make entrance reservations in advance so that you can skip long queues.  Research fees and other costs for your planned activities.  If there are any dress codes or banned items, take note of it so that you won't be turned away when you arrive.  Be sure to budget enough time for each activity so that you don't end up feeling rushed.  Again, you can glean a wealth of information from sites like TripAdvisor regarding other travelers' recommendations for how much time you'll need for any particular attraction.

Enjoying a street vendor's gyro in the Old Town
Square, Prague, 2012
©Thrifty Gypsy

4.  Decide on a meal "itinerary."  What will your budget allow for food?  Will you be eating out for every meal, and if so, where?  Again, use Google Maps to scout out local eateries.  If you're in a region renown for, say, their seafood, you might want to splurge a little and enjoy the local cuisine.  Otherwise you might be better off saving your money for other expenses and just grabbing a quick bite at a small diner, chain restaurant, or even from a street vendor.  Or you could plan to eat picnic style in a nearby park.  This can save you a lot of money and can add to your overall experience.  While visiting places like Gettysburg National Battlefield and Prague in the Czech Republic, my husband and I have often packed our own meals and or bought a cheap sandwich from a street vendor to enjoy on the go.  We saved time and money!

5.  Make back-up plans for your back-up plans.  "The best-laid plans of mice and men oft go awry," as Robert Burn's poem is so famously paraphrased.  You might arrive at your destination and discover that the hotel has caught on fire.  Or you show up at the Smithsonian and the one exhibit that you just had to see is closed for renovations.  What are you going to do instead?  If you've made a back-up plan or two, you can ensure a successful weekend no matter what curve-balls are thrown at you!

I've found that these five simple steps result in travel magic.  Practice due diligence in your research in every step of your planning, and you will be rewarded with fantastic experiences.  

Cheers!

~ Just a Thrifty Gypsy

Paulaner Weiβbier enjoyed in Füssen, Germany,
July 2010.© Thrifty Gypsy

* End note: Remember that all reviews found on TripAdvisor  and similar websites are the sole opinion of the user and may not necessarily reflect the actual conditions of the attraction or lodging.  What one person may find absolutely intolerable, may be perfect for your budget, purposes, and/or traveling style.  Take all reviews with a grain of salt.  Don't expect the Motel 6 in Virginia Beach to meet the same standards as the Ritz in New York City.  But in general I have found the reviews helpful in determining what may or may not work for my trips.  If you're interested in reading any of my reviews on TripAdvisor, my user name is SvenskaSvea1987.