If you’re planning to make 2017 the year you travel, I certainly can’t blame you. Wanderlust is real this year more than ever before, at least for me. But planning a trip can be easier said than done, especially if you’re trying to be budget conscious in the process. (Also, me.)
But Trent Hamm from The Simple Dollar points out that there’s one way you can be a traveler and a saver at the same time. It’s just not the way you’d normally plan a trip. Hey, if you’re going to save money, you’ve got to think outside of the box, right? Right.
He points out that if you start with a deal, rather than a destination, you’ll be able to jetset to a new destination, for much cheaper than average. He calls his approach “inverse vacation planning.”
Most people pick a spot they want to travel or plan a trip during a certain time of year, and then start trying to find the cheapest prices to get there, stay there, eat while they’re there, etc. According to Hamm, however, we’ve been going about this all wrong.
Inverse Vacation Planning 🙏 "Look for any deals… regardless of location, and just go with the flow" #travel #deals https://t.co/7ROHnNEDa4 pic.twitter.com/eexkdWlbXV
— Dan Foster | makebuild.studio (@djfost) January 10, 2017
You see, when those “save now on flights” emails pop up in your inbox, you really should be paying attention to them. If you don’t care where you go, then just find the cheapest deal and go!
Once you’ve found the deal, you can sort out all of the other details later.
Of course, this won’t work if you’re determined to go to a certain destination because, as Hamm points out, flexibility is key for this method of traveling to work.
Lifehacker points out that this approach is perfect for anyone who’s traveling solo or who has a flexible work and life schedule. And I must say, this really does make a lot of sense.
It’s got all of the spontaneity of closing your eyes, pointing to a place on the map and going, but is way better for your wallet in the end.
[h/t: The Simple Dollar]
Augusta Statz holds a B.F.A. in Writing from the Savannah College of Art and Design. She's an avid writer with a genuine sense of curiosity. She feels the best way to absorb the world around you is through fashion, art and food, so that’s what she spends most of her time writing about. More.
