This is a guest post by Sandra Mills freelance health, career, and travel writer. She enjoys traveling and learning about different cultures.
Why do you want to travel? Popular reasons include relaxing, seeing famous sights and broadening your horizons. Excuses can keep you from pursuing your dreams, though. Address these excuses head and then stop making them as you make travel plans today.
Travel Takes Too Much Time
Job, family and other commitments can keep you from traveling for pleasure. But you know that it’s possible to tweak your schedule and make time to pursue relaxing and fulfilling travel.
- Plan weekend getaways. Short weekend trips allow you to travel in short spurts. If possible, take a three-day weekend several times a year as you indulge your passion for sightseeing and exploration.
- Schedule long vacations at least a year in advance. This extended planning time ensures you obtain your passport and other travel documents, buy travel tickets and arrange reliable pet sitting months or weeks in advance instead of at the last minute.
Travel Jeopardizes Work
Your job is important, but it shouldn’t keep you from enjoying life. Whether you recently started a new job or work in an established career, these are three things to consider that will give you time to travel this year.
- Ask your boss about ways to increase available vacation time. Working a few extra overtime hours each week, trading days with coworkers or combining sick and vacation time could boost your available vacation days.
- Spend part of your vacation working. Ideally, vacations are for getting away from the office, but you may need to agree to check in via email at the very least. Be sure to set boundaries for how much time you’ll work and what tasks you’ll do so that you’re not spending all your travel time at work.
- Consider quitting your job. If you’re unhappy in your career and longing to travel, this seemingly drastic option may be one to think about. Shaking things up by leaving your current position will give you a fresh start when you return. Likewise, use your marketable skills to work while you travel, whether that means you perform manual labor, waitress or consulting online.
Travel Neglects the House
A home can become an invisible tether since it requires regular upkeep. You can maintain your home and travel, though, with creative solutions.
- Hire a house sitter. He or she can keep up with the lawn maintenance and perform other small tasks around the house as you travel.
- Swap houses. You live in someone else’s home, and they live in yours as you get to see the world and know that your home is cared for.
- Hire a caretaker. Maintenance, repairs and snow removal occur on schedule thanks to a live-in caretaker, neighbor, or a worker you’ve hired through a service.
Travel Costs Too Much Money
Vacations can be expensive as you pay for transportation to your destination, delicious local food and comfortable accommodations. You can afford the things you prioritize, however, so you’ll be able to afford to travel this year when you try a few money saving tips from Nomadic Matt.
- Cut expenses. Brew coffee at home, stop eating out so often, downsize your car and shop secondhand for clothing and home goods. Place the money you save into your travel fund.
- Increase your income. Take a second job at nights or on the weekends for extra cash. If you want to travel for weeks or months at a time, find a job in your host country where you bartend, work on farms or babysit.
- Couch surf. Thousands of people across the globe participate in couch surfing. It provides affordable accommodations and can be a lot of fun!
- Use a rail pass. If your destination allows for rail travel, buy a pass. It gives you flexible travel options and you’ll save the money you would have spent on individual trips, cab rides, etc. if you purchase one ahead of time, or at the station.
How many excuses do you have for not traveling? Put that energy into finding a workable solution instead. Stop making excuses and start planning your dream vacation today.
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