Society & Culture
Our friend Nikki Rue from She Saves She Travels is back. Regular listeners may remember her tips on How to Book the Cheapest Flight Possible from episode 23. Nikki runs a travel and finance blog that specializes in helping people work with the income they have to go on the trips they want. Her blog is a wealth of tips and resources to save money, budget, and find the best travel deals. We loved all of her tips for finding cheap flights, and today we take it a step further by talking about how to plan and set up a budget to make travel a reality. Nikki talks about the first things you need to decide on and how flexibility and traveling during off seasons can save money and stress. We also talk about smart ways to find that money to set aside and why it’s always better to save in advance as opposed to going into credit card debt for that vacation. We also talk about some of the hidden costs that not everyone thinks about and why it’s super important to have a cushion just in case. This Episode is sponsored by Beatrice Bradley. Their line of travel accessories make packing easier and cleaner. Go to www.BeatriceBradley.com today and enter code FLY30 for 30% off site-wide and FREE shipping. Show Notes: [03:11] Nikki Rue runs the travel and finance blog She Saves She Travels. She's a certified financial coach specializing in helping people manage their money, so that they can travel the world and live their best life. [04:20] One of the first steps when creating a vacation budget is to know how much the trip will cost. You need to know where you're going and when you are going. [04:53] Searching Google and Pinterest are great places to start. You can also include the search term "budget" in your search. [05:12] Fees and expenses that people often overlook include baggage fees, travel insurance, and boarding their pets. Nikki always adds an extra 10% to her budget just in case. [06:43] Your biggest expenses will be transportation and accommodations. Being flexible with your dates can save you a lot of money. [08:05] There are deals and dramatic discounts available right now. If you do book, make sure that you have flexibility and can actually afford it. [09:10] You can find great deals on activities on Groupon. Some city visitor centers also offer discounts and can send you coupon books beforehand. Tripadvisor is also great for restaurants and activities. [10:42] Adapt the right mindset and decide where you want to splurge or save. [11:47] Once you know your initial budget, break it down according to how many months before your trip. Then you have a monthly savings goal. Make travel a priority for your finances. [12:36] You could also open up a separate bank account just for travel. Some banks will allow you to name the account a nickname like Hawaii. [14:34] Use travel cards wisely but avoid a vacation hangover. It's no fun paying for your vacation after the fact. [15:33] Cancel subscriptions that you aren't using and put them in your vacation fund. You can also create extra money coming or selling things you don't use. [16:57] You can save a lot by cutting down on dining out or buying coffee drinks. [17:59] It's about prioritizing your finances and being intentional with your spending to make your income work for your goals. Links and Resources: Fly with Chris and Di on Facebook Fly with Chris and Di on Twitter Fly with Chris and Di on Instagram Fly with Chris and Di on Pinterest Beatrice Bradley enter code FLY30 for 30% off site-wide and FREE shipping She Saves She Travels She Saves She Travels on Instagram She Saves She Travels on Facebook She Saves She Travels on Pinterest How to Book the Cheapest Flight Possible Groupon Tripadvisor Save 50% on Your First Coaching Session With Nikki For pictures, tips and more, be sure to check out our Fly with Chris and Di Facebook page and signup to download a copy of The Best City for You. Please take a moment and subscribe to our podcast and leave a review. Become a Fly Insider and get the inside scoop, behind the scenes photos, and exclusive travel deals.