Written by “Go-To Global Gal” Alyce
3 Tips to Help You Make Your Dream Trip Happen
Today, I’d like to share three handy tips to help you get closer to making your travel dreams a reality. Dreams are nice, but sometimes they can seem really distant. Unattainable even. Like clouds floating by overhead—beautiful, but always out of reach. And when it comes to travel, many people can have trouble feeling like their dream trip is a possibility. But like with so many things in life, there are things you can do—tricks, steps, methods—that can help you move closer and closer to achieving that trip you’ve always wanted to take.
Now, I’ll be honest—if your dream trip is to travel into space some day these tips may not be quite what you’re looking for, but they can help you make most
1. Consider how much the trip is going to cost you—tickets, lodgings, transportation, daily costs—and then figure out how long it should take you to save up for it. Then pick a concrete date. By setting a date and keeping it in mind, it will help you resist impulse buys and other common pitfalls that occur when we try to save up money for a “want.” Having a concrete goal in mind is a good way to increase your chances of making it happen. It’s how we work—think about when you want to lose weight or increase your strength. If you set a goal and keep it in mind throughout the process, you have a better chance of achieving your goal. It’s the same with travel—pick a date and stick to it.
2. Once you’ve picked a date, tell people about it. It will help hold you accountable. This one is also a bit of a “mind trick,” but it’s a powerful one. There’s something about a task or goal that once you’ve put it out there— told people in your life about it—that makes the possibility of “failure” that much more unappealing. That “outside pressure” can really help you keep your focus and determination—particularly if you are trying to save up over a long period of time.
3. Research, research, research and whatever you do: don’t assume! Check multiple websites when booking your tickets, tours, hotels, etc. Don’t assume that the first price you find is the only one, that there isn’t anything cheaper out there. It may mean spending a little extra time combing through your choices, but you could end up saving yourself a lot of money in the end, which can make your dream trip even more feasible.
Look into alternative airports for your departure/arrival. Sometimes driving/riding the train to an airport that’s not as close can save you hundreds of dollars on your flight. Using mystery hotel booking sites or services like AirBnB can shave money off of your overall lodging costs. You may even be interested in pet-sitting at someone’s house as an option to get free accommodations during your trip. For example, right now on TrustedHousesitters.com there are over 700 posted requests for a pet/house-sitter in the UK—316 of them in London!
So do your research and you might be amazed at the deals you’ll find! And whatever you do, don’t assume that your overseas trip is impossible—sometimes it can cost just as much or more to go on a trip at home. Don’t give up before you’ve done the research and gotten all the facts.
I hope these tips help encourage and inspire you! Don’t be afraid to reach for your dreams—sometimes it’s a matter of finding what tricks and techniques work best for you. Have your own tips you’d like to share? Comment down below!
