Traveling is something that can truly awaken your soul, but for many people, travel brings a lot of stress and anxiety. In most cases, this is caused by fear of the unknown, first-time jitters, or simply not knowing what you need or how to plan. As you move through different life phases what you need for travel will change in terms of accommodations, destinations, and helpful gadgets. The key to incredible experiences is having enough savvy to know in advance what to expect, at least in some capacity. Below are travel tips and must have gadgets to help make traveling as effortless and incredible as possible no matter which phase of life you are in.
Student Travel
One of the best opportunities available to college students is the opportunity to study abroad. You will probably never again get the chance to head to a different country, for that length of time, for that cheap a price, so it is worth it to take advantage of. Now, cheap is relative. Of course, any travel abroad is going to be expensive, however, when you are a student, combing the cost of living in another country with a semester of study can make the price legitimized.
You already know you can take out a student loan as a way of paying for college and using a student loan calculator will help you determine what size loan makes the most sense for you. The point of using this tool is to help define the repayment period and set your expectations for what you will have to pay back each month, and for how long once you graduate. One hot travel tip here is to roll your study abroad costs into your overall student loan. You will have to be sure that this is within the parameters of your agreement, but when applicable, this is a smart way to make travel accessible when you are living the broke college life.
Business Travel
Professionals who frequently travel for business will naturally develop their own skills and unique set of tips and tricks simply because of the frequency of their travels. Using the best carryon luggage is a huge hack for those who travel for work. When you are taking short trips at a high frequency you don’t want to be messing around with checked bags and having to worry about the potential for your luggage to get lost. Investing in a great carryon suitcase is well worth it, so think about your most commonly packed items and research a bag to support those needs. Some common features that you may find useful are hard top exteriors, specific compartments for laptops and tablets, and the ability to charge electronics.
Family Travel
Factoring children into the mix of anything is complex and layered, but when it comes to travel, even more so. The act of planning a family vacation means months, sometimes even a year, of careful planning and preparing. Beyond picking out suitable destinations for families, you have to think about the logistics of getting everyone to and from the chosen destination, what to pack, and depending on the age of the kids, the availability of things like car seats and cribs.
One smart tip for this phase of life is to consider the needs of your family first instead of picking a destination as your first step. If you have toddlers, a 12-hour flight might not be in the cards for you. Of course, this is absolutely manageable, but if what you desire is a simple family getaway consider somewhere closer to home. A road trip is another great option. When you travel by car you have a lot of control over the timeline of your trip. You can pre-plan stops after a certain number of hours and seek out activities and adventures along the way. If you go the road trip route, just remember to add plans for things like snacks and car activities to keep everyone’s mood and behavior at bay. Creating a family playlist is another great tip. Let each member of the family pick a handful of songs then set it to shuffle. The kids will love getting to hear the songs they contributed come on the speakers at random.
Retirement Travel
Traveling as a retiree is something that virtually everyone dreams about. Some people spend their career years saving money to buy a vacation home in an area that they love with plans to make a permanent move eventually while others create bucket lists of destinations and experiences they intend to enjoy once work is no longer a priority. If this sounds like you, it is likely that you have more than one place on your dream destination list. Some unique things to consider at this stage of life are budget, mobility, and safety.
Being on a fixed income can make many people feel like they cannot splurge on extras, like vacations, but the truth is you can afford anything you budget for, and if money is tight, simply pick a trip that matches your financial means instead of stretching yourself too thin to take an extravagant trip. Even the healthiest senior citizens may still have mobility issues. If you are taking a trip with multiple destinations and a lot of walking you need to calculate travel time between two locations in advance of leaving for your trip. This way you will be able to realistically set your expectations regarding how long to spend in each spot, as well as if there is a need to rent a car or take public transport, versus walking from site to site.
Pack crossbody bags that can help mitigate the danger of pick pocketers and invest in a travel safe to keep all your valuables locked up in your hotel room while you explore. When applicable you should also set up a communication scheduled with your loved ones back home so that you can enjoy your freedom and time away without anyone having to worry that they cannot reach you and a safety emergency has happened.