How To Travel On A Budget

I love to travel. There is just something so soul-fulfilling about exploring a new destination, experiencing the culture, and eating the local food. It just fills me up inside and leaves me longing for my next adventure once I return home.

As much as I'd love to travel full-time, traveling can be very expensive. So expensive that some people never even leave their country of birth or just wait until retirement to finally begin traveling.

I'm not one of those people. And you don't have to be either.

In the last 3 years, I have traveled to 16 different cities, both via road trip and international flights, and I'm off again in 5 months to Bali, Indonesia for two weeks. Only being in my 20s, I have picked up a few tips and tricks to keeping the costs low while still being able to have an amazing trip!

@lattesandlifestyle // The view outside of my window on my way to Honolulu, Hawaii in 2018

#1 Check The Currency Exchange Rate / Cost Of Living

This is an amazing one for picking an international destination - and one of the defining factors that helped me pick Bali, Indonesia as my next destination. Visiting places where the exchange rate is low and the cost of living is low means you have way more money on your hands. You can easily do this by using the Google Currency Converter or get an app on your phone.

#2 Plan As Early As Possible

This is something I cannot stress enough. The earlier you begin planning, the more time you have to keep an eye on fluctuating flight and accommodation prices. And you generally have more time to save up money! I recommend planning 3 months prior for road trips and 6 months minimum for international flights.

#3 Create A Travel Budget

Have an overall idea of how much money you are willing to spend on this trip. How much on flights? Rental car? Gas? Accommodations? Attractions? Food? Creating a budget helps you stay in control. The budget may fluctuate depending on your destination, but if you're finding it impossible to find flights or accommodations within your budget, choose a more affordable destination.

#4 Track Cheap Flights

Keep an eye on flight prices and price trends to your destination to ensure you are getting the best deal possible on your flight! There are lots of free apps that help you do this but my favorites are Skyscanner and Hopper. I browse between the two to find the cheapest flights and get notifications right from my phone when the prices drop.

If you're really on a tight budget, I'd honestly recommend picking the more inexpensive flight available for your destination. The flight is only a vessel to get you to your real adventure. I mean, no matter if you're in economy class or first class, you're still getting from Point A to Point B.

If you have a little extra money to spare, especially for international trips, I'd recommend taking some time to read reviews of the three cheapest flight airlines to see which will give you the best bang for your buck (not only financially, but also for service and experience). 

#5 Stay In A Hostel or Homestay

If you're a solo traveler or just traveling as a couple, consider hostels or homestays. They are significantly less expensive than hotels and are a great way to meet other young travelers or digital nomads.

#6 Book An Airbnb

Airbnb is one of my favorite ways to find inexpensive accommodations. Not only is it cost-effective; but it is also great especially for families and large groups - as you can all stay together instead of booking multiple hotel rooms. I talk about Airbnb a lot on this blog and if you're interested in learning more reasons why I just love Airbnb over hotels, check out this blog post here.

GET UP TO $46 CAD OFF YOUR FIRST AIRBNB BOOKING

#7 Price-Check Booking Websites
In areas where Airbnb isn't as accessible and you aren't comfortable with staying in a hostel, I highly recommend you check out a bunch of booking websites and price-check the rates of hotels and resorts. A hotel could be one price on one website and a completely cheaper price on another website.

#8 Travel In A Group
If your squad is down to travel, definitely consider traveling in a group. While romantic getaways are fun and solo travel is spiritually uplifting, traveling in a group helps keep costs low because you can split the price of accommodations, transit, and food with multiple people. There are some attractions that will even give you a group discount.

#9 Join Location-Specific Travel Groups
Community forums like this are an amazing resource to ask questions, look for recommendations, and research affordable alternatives. On my trip to Bali coming up in October, I joined a Facebook group filled with travelers who regularly visit Bali. Most people in this group ask for recommendations for local prices (so they don't get ripped off by locals), drivers, restaurants, hotels, and so much more!

#10 Look For Free Attractions
If you're really on a tight budget, do some research on free attractions to visit. If you browse social media or look up your destination's website, you're bound to find some free things to do while you're there! Especially if you're visiting more of a local hub with very few tourists, you'll find handfuls of things to do for free.

#11 Get Recommendations Online
Its kind of funny how social media changes the way travel works. No longer do you have to pay a travel agent. Instead, you can just browse social media with specific location tags or hashtags and do a quick search on YouTube for recommendations. If you're flexible, you could even do this while on your trip.

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These are 11 secrets to traveling on a budget. I hope these tips help you save some money on your next trip without having to give up a little bit of luxury.

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How To Be More Productive and Get More Done | Productivity + Time Management

How many times have you hopelessly groaned to yourself "I wish I had more time"?

I used to be a hardcore member of the "Busy Cult" - writing long to-do lists, filling my planner to the brim, and scheduling every single little minute of my day. Then I'd get super overwhelmed when I didn't have "enough time" to finish everything before the end of the day. Now that I look back, I'm actually kind of upset that I'll never get back those exhausting late work nights and years of sleep debt.

Let's make this clear from the beginning - being busy doesn't mean you're being productive.

From a very young age, it is embedded in us that doing more is better and multitasking is essential to success - even if that means the quality of our work is compromised. In fact, 98% of the population actually sucks at multitasking, which in turn, hinders our productivity, causes us to fade in and out of focus, and makes us believe we "don't have enough time". It's actually kind of ironic that a universal "hack" to saving us time is actually costing us time.

Productivity Tips For Better Time Management
When you feel like you don't have enough time to get everything done, consider some of the following tips to help you strengthen your skill of time management.

• Create A Productivity Action Plan
• Start Your Day With The Most Important Task/Project
• Swap Multitasking With The Pomodoro Technique
• Know When To Just Say "No"
• Set Yourself Up For Success

Create A Productivity Action Plan
Don't waste your time scheduling unnecessary tasks just to look and feel more productive. I know it is kind of exciting and fills us with pride to see a full calendar at the start of the day, but it can cause you to feel very overwhelmed and upset at the end of the day when not everything was done on time or completed. Instead, focus on scheduling specific daily tasks and events with a purpose.

Here are 3 Steps To A Functional Action Plan:

• Analyze your current lifestyle
• Cleanse all tasks that don't serve you
• Create Your Productivity Plan

Start Your Day With The Most Important Task/Project
When I used to work in an office, the very first thing I'd do after settling into my desk is check e-mails and voicemails I missed from the previous day. By the time I finally got through all the mindless administration work, it would already be lunchtime and I'd be mentally clocked-out thinking about that delicious Dynamite Roll I just ordered on Skip The Dishes. And by the time I finally was back from lunch, I'd be suffering from a delicious food coma and just impatiently waited for my shift to end - without even touching the important projects.

Don't waste your valuable time and productive energy on unnecessary tasks. Your e-mails and voicemails can wait. Browsing social media can wait. Organizing the pantry can wait. You know what cannot wait? Budgeting to ensure you're paying bills on time, buying dog food because your Pup has one serving left, or completing that project you've been putting off. Prioritization is so important for success in all areas of your life.

Swap Multitasking with The Pomodoro Technique 
The Pomodoro Technique is a time management tool that focuses on working smarter, not harder by dedicating 25 minutes at a time for high-focus work on only one task. Once the timer goes off, take a short break and write a checkmark on your paper. Repeat this until you have four checkmarks on your paper - which grants you a long break. During this time, put your phone on silent, close all other tabs on your computer, and really focus on the task at hand.

My favorite app for the Pomodoro Technique is Flora - Focus Habit Tracker. I love how it creates an initiative to help me stay off of my phone (unless you want to kill the tree you planted). To add an extra incentive, it also gives you the opportunity to "bet" money that, if you fail your Pomodoro time, will be collected and used to plant trees around the world. If you make it through your designated time without an issue, you are not charged.

Know When To Just Say "No"
One of the reasons I find people become so overwhelmed is because they constantly are taking on way too much - even things they aren't passionate about - because they don't want to disappoint others. Whether you believe it or not - Time is a currency and you have a choice of how you want to spend it. When you agree to go out with the group of friends you haven't seen in a while even though you have an early morning the next day or agree to bake 100 cupcakes for your church fundraiser despite also having to write a 10 page research paper for school the same night; you're stacking your plate way too high that it is almost impossible to digest it all at once. It's okay to say "No" and put yourself first. And it's okay to decline things you previously agreed to if you realize it doesn't fit.

Set Yourself Up For Success
Take the initiative to prepare so that when you do need to go into high-focus, there aren't other things on your mind leaving you distracted. Doesn't it suck when you're about to sit down at your desk to get some work done, only to be very distracted with how messy your desktop is? Or when you're going to pick-up groceries, only to realize you didn't make a list and don't know what you already have in your fridge? Failing to set yourself up for success typically leads you to procrastination and distractions. Take the initiative to set yourself up for success and focus will come naturally.

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These were 5 tips on how to get more stuff done. How do you live more productively? Let me know down in the comments below!

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LET'S SAVE SOME MONEY TOGETHER! 

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♡ Get Paid For Shopping with Ebates

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3 Ways To Practice Self-Care EVERY Morning Before Starting The Day

As I've said multiple times, I'm not naturally a morning person. Waking up at 4AM every day is a work in progress that I can confidently say has changed my life for the better. One of the best things I've implemented in my Morning Routine is the practice of self-care, first thing in the morning. Without self-care, your quality of work quickly diminishes and productivity flies right out the window.

I learned this the hard way at the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey. After the wild pump of adrenalin wore off, I found myself burnt out and uninspired for a full year. It was extremely frustrating to feel unending pressure to create content I wasn't proud of - and it showed as the quality of my work lacked. What began as a profitable passion project soon turned into an overwhelming black hole sucking all of the energy out of me - so much energy that I became too exhausted to even do simple tasks like get out of bed, cook healthy meals, exercise, visit friends, and nurture my mental health. When I wasn't overworking myself, I was literally sleeping; and when I struggled to sleep for days, I was creating horrible content. It was an unhealthy cycle I knew I had to break.

Self-care is so important because it creates the mindset that YOU are the most important part of your life. When you begin to put yourself first, every other aspect of your life - your career, your relationships, your finances, your health, etc. - flourish as well.

3 Ways To Practice Self-Care EVERY Morning Before Starting Your Day

In my search for a lifestyle that promotes self-care, I adapted three overarching tasks into my morning routine that helped put Me first:

• Do Something For The Mind
• Do Something For The Body
• Do Something For The Soul

The moment I wake up in the morning, this is my To-Do List. I don't let myself answer e-mails, write blog posts, design social media content, or answer comments until these three things were done. When you jump right into work first thing in the morning after you wake up, you are unintentionally telling yourself that WORK is more important than your wellbeing - and I don't want to be that kind of person. Having a strong worth ethic is so important and is the backbone to success - BUT putting your work life over your wellbeing is not worth potential illnesses or burnout.

Do Something For The Mind
I love starting my morning immediately by doing something for my mind. We use our mind all day long and it's constantly running - but very few of us take time to warm it up or exercise the brain. This is an amazing way to get the blood flowing while helping you wake up. It also helps us exercise our memory, focus, information processing, comprehension, etc.

• Brain Training Apps
• Puzzles
• Cross Words
• Word Search
• Listen to an Inspirational Podcast
• Read a Book
• Learn A New Skill
• Practice A New Hobby

Do Something For The Body

This, especially, has become a favorite of mine. There is just something about getting my blood pumping and my body moving that makes my day 10x better! Before I started exercising in the morning, I found that I always had excess energy bottled up inside, which usually translated into anxiety or stress because my body wasn't sure what to do with all of that excess energy firing up within me. Now that I started exercising and eating healthier, my sleep is better regulated, my body feels stronger, and I feel a lot less stressed out.

• Eat a wholesome breakfast
• 30-minute outdoor walk
• Early morning yoga class
• Relax in the sauna
• Weight train at the gym
• 10-minute stretches in your living room
• Swim some laps at the pool
• Drink a full glass of water

Do Something For The Soul

I think this is something that many people overlook. When we talk about wellness, most people instinctively think about eating healthy and exercise - but not a lot of people talk about soul-wellness. We live in a culture that continuously pushes us to work harder and harder, then call us "weak" for needing time-off to regenerate. I like to refer to the soul as a watering can - It begins filled up but as we water jobs we don't enjoy, relationships that are toxic, and overwhelming situations that stress us out, our water quickly runs dry. Suddenly, we no longer have any water left for everything we do love and want to see grow. All of the relationships that we hold dear, passion projects we poured our hearts into and time spent practicing a positive mindset are just left to wilt. But when we make time to refill our watering can every morning and water the things most important to us first, we can finally dry out all of the negative things that no longer serve us and have more water for all of the things that light us up inside. 

• Reflect on things you're grateful for
• Brain dump in a journal (Morning Pages)
• Enjoy a rush-free coffee with your spouse/partner/best friend
• Spend some time cuddling on the floor with your dog
• Practice Guided Meditation
• Create an artsy masterpiece
• Work on a passion project
• Spent some time in nature
• Do anything else that lights you up inside!

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The idea is to take care of the three main pillars of your life - mind, body, and soul. Some days I choose to do one for each section; some days I implement multiple tasks from each pillar; as I mix and match them.

I think its also important to share that these tasks don't have to take a whole lot of time. To many people, time is limited - I get it. But doing something as simple as waking up 30 minutes earlier to dedicate 10 minutes to each practice could be life-changing!

Most importantly, do what feels the most fulfilling and fits your lifestyle best!