Nichole Celauro
You know what’s easier than traveling? Not traveling. No, I should clarify; you know what’s easier than traveling? Giving excuses for why you don’t travel. I hear a lot of people shouting into the void about how envious they are over their traveling peers, and how they wish they could do it too. Except they have to work. Or pay their rent. Or, you know, stuff. And things too.
Dudes. Those of us who travel still have all of those responsibilities. I’m paying my student loans and my husband is making his car payments, but we’re still making the effort to plan the trips we love to take so much. Yes, there are some definite and legitimate reasons for one not being able to travel. But right now I want to address the four main ‘excuses’ I hear for people not making travel plans.
Excuse: I don’t have the time—
What do you do when you schedule any event in your life? You make time. The best piece of advise I can give any would-be traveller: plan early. It will save you time, money, and get you seriously amped about your impending trip! In 2018, we’re second honeymooning to Japan, and have already started saving and planning. It’s a piggy bank and torn out sheet of notebook paper, but it’s a start.
Excuse: But travelling is so expensive—
Yes. It can be. But is doesn’t have to be! Look up for a second, you see what it says there? Plan early! This applies to your finances too. Plane tickets tend to be cheapest when the flights are first scheduled, which can be up to a year in advanced.
And there are tons more ways to be money savvy traveller. Pack light to avoid baggage fees. Learn how to haggle with the locals. Stay off the beaten path of over priced tourist attractions. Do your exchange rate research; learn where will you get the best conversion deals. Stay at hostels, or use Airbnb instead of hotels. The list goes on!
Excuse: I just don’t know where I would go—
I call shenanigans! Everyone has some place they’d like to go. Just because your place is, say, a four hour drive from home as opposed to halfway around the world, doesn’t make it not count as travel.
Excuse: Work—
Ah. Work. That money making thing everybody needs but no one wants. Some of us have jobs that offer paid sick or vacation days. Some of us don’t. What ever job you have, I’m still going to repeat myself. Plan ahead. Tell the boss man the day you book your flight that ‘hey, need a vacation this time next year.’ If you work in a place where that tactic isn’t feasible, then negotiate with your higher ups over what time of year would be the best for you to get away.
Have you gotten the hint? We’re all onto you now, so no more excuses!
Also read: 15 Common Travel Excuses And Why They Should Not Stop You
