Guest blog post - My hubby, Kyle, and his travel tips

After being married for 3 years, Sid and I have done our fair-share of traveling.  It’s just something we love to do together.  Some wonder how we have the money to visit so many places.  The truth is, we don’t.  The purpose of this blog post is to prove that vacations don’t have to cost you an arm and leg.  I’ve come up with 10 travel tips for saving money and getting the best bang for your buck, while still having fun.

1.          Go somewhere new, you big baby.

Learning about a culture that is different than yours can bring a new perspective into your life.  I’m a firm believer that traveling will not only make you appreciate the things you currently have, but also motivate you to be better and work harder for what you don’t have.

The unknown can be scary for some, but it can be fun too.  Sid and I have found that our favorite vacations have been those where we were able to see/do something for the first time.  A new city doesn’t have to be a complete mystery.  If you execute on my next tip, your next adventure doesn’t have to be scary at all.

2.          Plan it out.  Boy scout.

Doing your own research prior to departure is critical to having fun.  I know, what your thinking.  Planning is BORING!  But it doesn’t have to be miserable.  In fact, make it as simple as you can.  I recommend knowing what 1 or 2 main activities you want do each day.  This will ensure you stay busy, and make the best use of your time.

Plan what you want to do BEFORE you get there, not while you’re getting ready for the day in your hotel room.  I like to use the “Things to do” tool on TripAdvisor because it ranks activities based on traveler reviews.  Asking a friend that lives there, or recently traveled to your destination is an also an easy way to plan activities.  However you decide to spend your time, just make sure you plan it out ahead of time.  Not having a game plan can be super frustrating.

On our most recent trip, we found booking activities online beforehand, not only saved us money, but it also allowed us to skip long lines and save a lot of time.  If you know what you’re going to be doing before you leave on your trip, I would highly suggest making reservations.  Most places even offer free cancelations.

Find the perfect time of year to go when the weather will (most likely) be nice for traveling.  Just because it’s summer time here, doesn’t mean you want to be outside there!  Also, try to think about holidays to avoid (spring break), or seasonal changes (cherry blossoms in DC) before booking.  This can make or break your vacation.

On the other hand, the weather can be quite unpredictable, and can throw a major kink in your itinerary.  Stay positive.  We can’t control the weather.  Do the best you can with the situation and always have a backup plan. 

Having a plan is important, but always be flexible when something comes up.  You may stumble upon an activity that could potentially deviate from your original plan.  Don’t stress.  You’re on vacay, remember?  Go with the flow, bro.

3.          Hotels are very important.  Hotels aren’t very important.

I spend A LOT of time looking for the perfect hotel.  In fact, I probably spend more time planning out where we should stay than any other part of the planning process.  Honestly, I could write an entire blog post on this subject.  But we’ll save that for another day… 

Location is everything when it comes to your hotel.  You don’t want to stay somewhere that is far from the action, so make sure you’re thinking about what you want to do (see tip #2) before you book your hotel.  Staying somewhere close to your planned activities will cut back on travel time and costs.  Keep that in mind when choosing a cheaper place that doesn’t have the best location.  It may end up costing you more in the end.

After I figure out the general vicinity I want to stay, I try to find the cleanest place possible that still fits our budget (see tip #4).  I then look at actual traveler provided photos on TripAdvisor to see what I’m really booking.  Hotel websites can be very misleading with a little photoshop, or by renovating some rooms and not others.  I like to go straight to the source – those who have stayed there recently.  I feel like it’s a bit more realistic than what the hotel wants me to believe.  Also, don’t get too caught up on the reviews.  There are too many factors to depend on someone who had one bad experience.  Anyone’s hotel experience can be ruined by a loud next-door-neighbor.  Focus more on the things within your control.

Our ideal hotel is clean, has a great location, and lots of amenities.  That said, don’t book some fancy shmancy hotel, just because it looks dreamy and has an infinity pool right on the beach.  Remember, you’re only there to sleep.  If you’re going on vacation to stay at the hotel, save yourself some money and have a sleepover at your rich Uncle’s house.

Sid and I have made the mistake of booking overpriced hotels before.  No matter how nice it is, or how many pictures of the room we take, those aren’t the memories we have from those trips.  I guarantee you won’t be hanging up that picture of you and the fam in front of the Hyatt hotel sign.  Wouldn’t you rather spend that expensive hotel money seeing/doing something you’ve never done before?  I would.

4.          Have a budget.  And actually stick to the budget.

Don’t be cheap.  But don’t make it rain either.  We hate rain.  Your budget is a guideline to keep you from acting like an idiot.  On the other hand, spend a little on something you wouldn’t normally be able to do back home.  After all, you are on vacation!  Just don’t go overboard.

Eating out can be expensive.  3 meals a day can really start to add up, especially for a large group.  First, find hotels with free breakfast.  Second, go to gas stations and pack snacks and lunches for the day.  The last thing you want to do is pay for a $6 churro or a $10 slice of pizza (been there).  Lastly, and probably most importantly, find places to eat that are similarly priced to back home, if possible.  Sure, you can splurge on a dinner or two, but take it easy.  It’s just food.

And while we’re talking about food, don’t take risks while on vacation.  You know what I mean…  The last thing you want to be doing on vacation is puking your guts out all night long.  Or sitting on the toilet while everyone else is hiking to the top of Machu Picchu.  Upset stomachs are bound to happen, occasionally.  Once again, focus on what is within your control.  Don’t complain to me when you get food poisoning from fish tacos.  I warned you about Jose’s taco stand!  Be smart about where you eat, that’s all.

5.          Take pictures.  Or a friend who will take them for you.

Pictures are the way we can remember and share our vacations with others.  Take your time and get the shots you want.  Remember all the money you spent to get on this vacation in the first place?  Bring home some memories.

Sid and I recently invested in a tripod.  It was a complete game changer!  I hate asking people to take our picture, and we no longer have to because we can do it ourselves.  Again, I could write an entire post on the subject of how frustrating it can be to rely on others to take that critical shot of you in front of the Eifel Tower, but I won’t bore you with that.  Buy the tripod.

Make sure you bring enough memory, chargers, etc. to get you through your trip.  I usually bring my laptop on trips and backup all our pictures at the end of each day, just in case.  Am I going a little overboard?  Just wait and see how cray cray my next few tips are…

6.          Pack smart.

Personally, I’m not willing to wear a pair of undies more than one day.  So I’m not going to tell you to only bring what will fit in a backpack.  You should however bring the bare minimum, and a little bit extra just in case it rains, or you happen to miss a flight.  Taking too much luggage can be a huge hassle.

Given every destination is different, I won’t provide a specific list of items you should be sure to pack.  Just be smart about it.  Check out other websites before you go, and get an idea of what type of shoes to bring, or whether or not you should just buy the sunscreen when you get there.  Make a list of items you need and buy them well in advance of your trip, not the night before.

7.          Get up at seven.  Not eleven.

Requesting time off from work and our daily lives is already hard enough.  Don’t waste the time you have.  Get up early.  Be out the door and finished with breakfast by 8:00am.  If you’re going to Disney Land, be the first ones into the park.  You’ll thank me later.

Although Sid doesn’t always agree with me on this topic, I like to keep us so busy and on the go, that you almost feel like you need to take another vacation once you get back home.  I expect to be that exhausted.

Sleeping in is a waste of your vacation.  Save it for Saturday when you should be up mowing the lawn, not while you’re in Costa Rica.  I know others may disagree with me, especially on vacations where you “just want to relax”, but that’s just not my style. 

Treat every vacation like it’s the last time you’ll ever visit that city.  Make the best use of your time.  Try your best to go on all of those activities you originally planned to do.  You don’t want to regret it later, do you?  Some vacations truly are once in a lifetime trips, and you very well could never have another opportunity to visit.  At the end of a long day of sightseeing, you will probably find yourself tired and not wanting to go on one more hike.  DO IT.  You can rest on the plane ride home.

I’ve decided that most (domestic) vacations can be done in 4 to 5 days.  Any less and all you’re doing is getting on and off airplanes.  Any longer and you start to yell at each other.  When in the early planning stages of your vacation, pick a duration that will allow you to see all that you want to see.

8.          Observe daily life of the locals.

Don’t spend too much time at the tourist traps.  Get off the beaten path and find out how the local people live their lives.    Smile and say hello as you pass by.  Who knows what you’ll learn, or what you can laugh about later, simply from the people you meet along the way.

Participate in local activities, eat at their restaurants, or just go people watching at a local park.  Slow down and pay close attention to your thoughts. I like to put myself in the shoes of those people I meet, and how their lives might differ from mine.  Try doing the same, and I think you’ll be surprised what new ideas or motivation you come up with.  These activities are typically pretty inexpensive too.

9.          Social media. 

I can’t believe I’m dedicating one of my tips to this topic, but I feel like it just needs to be said:  Social media can wait until you get home.  Quit worrying about checking your Facebook or Instagram feed while your zip-lining across the Grand Canyon.  I promise, Aunt Caroline will forgive you for not wishing her Happy Birthday, while you were on the beach in Cancun.

Don’t be the guy that posts at every restaurant and every site he sees while on vacation.  Now your vacation just turned into a brag fest.  You know what/who I’m talking about.

If you absolutely have to post on social media (and I know I’m guilty of this too), do it while you have some down time.  Perhaps while your waiting to use the shower, or while you’re at the airport waiting to board the plane.  I won’t be upset that you’re making good use of your time.  Just don’t blow up my news feed with “Best. Hot dog. EVER. – at Yankee Stadium”.  We get it.

I’m not trying to offend anyone, just refer back to tip #7.  Don’t spend your time deciding what filter or hashtags you are going to use, when you should be enjoying time away from your handheld devices.

I’m confident all those that read this tip will agree with me.  The true test will be whether or not you can actually do it.  I’ll be watching…

10.    Travel more.

Those who put off traveling, never do.  Life never slows down.  Ask your grandma.  I’ve found that those who make up excuses for why they can’t travel (too expensive, no time, etc.), are doing just that, making up excuses.  You can do it, you just need a plan. 

Hopefully you enjoyed reading these 10 tips.  Maybe someone will even refer back to them before going on their next trip?  If you liked the tips, leave a comment and let me know.  If you didn’t like my tips, well, please talk badly behind my back, like a real friend.

In all seriousness, this is the first time I’ve written anything for fun; at least since I wrote my pen pal back in Mrs. Hogge’s 2^nd grade class.  That said, I’m just kind of winging it and having fun in the process.  If people find these posts useful, I plan to come up with more tips to share.  I’ve also thought about adding a few of our vacation itineraries, should anyone be interested in traveling to the same cities we’ve been.

Thanks for reading,

Kyle