Top 6 Reasons to Save to Travel NOW
"Where do you think your next trip will be?"
My roommate nonchalantly asked me about my travel plans this afternoon. She knows, as many others do, that once you start traveling, you can't stop. As I contemplated my next "mission," I know I don't need motivation to plan another trip. This is my life, and since I stopped teaching, I have time to look and explore where I want to go next. Or rather, what I want to see.
But what if you need that extra push? Why should you travel? And why should you save for traveling?
I spent a little time this afternoon (which just inspired me even more) to help motivate you to hustle for your next trip.
1) Research shows the health benefits of traveling.
When you look at the facts, most people who I've talked to who have seen more of the world, learned languages, cultural knowledge and experience have enhanced their lives. This gives these people more perspectives and experience to understand people (and themselves better). But there are health benefits of traveling too. PassportHealth proves in one of their articles that "travel has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease." They say that traveling decreases depression and reduces the amount of stress. Taken from the article, men who vacation once a year have 30% less of a chance to die from heart disease and that women who take no vacations are twice as likely to have a heart attack. So traveling's good for your heart!
2) You're not gonna get that raise by NOT taking a vacation.
In 2013, The U.S. Travel Association actually did a study to help prove to Americans how important taking vacation time is. With The Travel Effect project studying the benefits, it is proven that you are 6.5% less likely in 2014 to get a raise or bonus when you don't take all of your paid time off (PTO). The articles are endless on other benefits of traveling, but looking for that raise and thinking that it's not "good" for you to take a vacation, definitely are not reasons enough not to travel.
3) It exposes your true self, vulnerabilities and all.
Traveling will get you out of your comfort zone, get out of the house, and make you experience something you've never done before. As much as our minds can expand sitting in class and discussing big ideas with people, it's nothing like being vulnerable in a new place, not speaking the language and learning to communicate through it all. Having to make new connections in your brain and deepen the social connections is possible through a scary concept called vulnerabilitiy. Research shows how having the courage to be yourself will lead to more authentic relationships, which we all desire (even if we're scared). Being vulnerable and admitting when you need help while traveling will help you grow as a person in ways you sometimes don't even expect.
4) You can't learn it all in class.
How many times have you used calculus outside of the classroom? The pragmatic theory? Even if you are doing an in-depth study of a country in a course, you can't quite understand it all. As much as you can read about Diwali in India, you won't understand its depth without being there. Never mind experiencing the food. If you're lucky enough to know someone from a particular culture, it takes someone who is willing to teach (and knows how to) to lead to more understanding about various cultural experiences, food, etc. With technology allowing us to see more and more of the world (in video or social media formats), we can see a lot, but the realities of the living in the middle of no where and having to walk 45 minutes to the next town or navigating the train system in Berlin can't be learned in a book. It's about the experience.
5) Your budget can handle it.
Some people wonder about the money side of it. They use excuses like "I can't afford it" or "I have to make sure I take care of my family right now." Although these are legitimate reasons not to save to travel, if you think of it simply and budget accordingly, you can do anything. When you add up $10 a week, you get about $40 a month, and multiply that by 12 months and you have $480 to spend on a weekend getaway (or a flight for that matter). If you can handle giving up the two lattes a week that you get from Starbucks, you'll have the extra ten bucks. What helps me and many other people is to set aside the money in a different account that you don't touch after you transfer the money. Wikihow provides a 9-step process to consider as you start to think about how much money you need to budget. There's many great budgeting tools such as Mint and Budget Your Trip where you can break it down even further. However you like to travel, it's good to plan and get yourself ready for how much you'll spend. You and your budget will thank you.
6) Live without Regrets.
If there's one thing that I wish I would have done, I would have traveled more. I would have traveled abroad during college multiple times. I would have gone to Belize on a weekend when I was in Guatemala. I would have bungee jumped when I was in Africa. And those who choose to live without regrets will live a happier and healthier life.
So, when I think about the next trip, I will be happy and excited to begin budgeting for it. Whether sola or with a group of people, it doesn't matter because I'm going to be saving NOW. In the end, I'll look back on it as being worth it. I hope you will too.
