You know you're ready to hit the road and see the world, but you need a little help getting out the door. With some thought and careful planning, you can be headed for adventure sooner than you think. Start planning your escape!
#Determine how much money you can spend on a trip.
You don't need to be rich to travel, but knowing how much money you have available will likely shape all other aspects of your trip. If things are tight, you may decide to delay your trip until you can save more money. Where you go, how you get there, where you stay may all rely on how much you have to spend.
Remember that in addition to any travel expenses, you still have to pay rent and bills at home. Make sure you have enough to cover these essentials before you spend money traveling.
Be savvy and cut out small, unnecessary purchases where you can. Eating in, avoiding ATM fees and skipping the $4 lattes are all quick, easy changes you can make to save extra cash for traveling.
If you can't afford to jet to a distant location but you're itching to explore, research where you can go that is within a day's drive of home. Search for national parks, weird roadside attractions, or even look at a travel guide for your area. If you don't have wheels you can rent a car or take a bus to get away for day.
#Figure out how long you will be gone.
If you are working, check how much vacation time you have saved up. Check your calendar for any important dates that might conflict with your travel plans--you might need to push your trip back a few days so you don't miss your grandpa's 100th birthday.
Don't forget to factor in travel time--if you only have a long weekend, it might be best to stick relatively close to home. You can determine the percentage of your vacation you will spend traveling by dividing the total number of hours you spend on the road by the total number of hours you plan to spend at your destination.
