Mastering Affordable Globetrotting: Essential Travel Hacks, Money-Saving Tips, and Etiquette Guidelines

Are you ready to conquer your wanderlust without emptying your savings account? Imagine setting off on your next voyage armed with an arsenal of savvy travel tips that not only enhance your journey but also save your hard-earned money. Today on Holly's Highlights podcast, I'll be pulling back the curtain on my tried-and-true travel hacks, money-saving tactics, and travel etiquette tips that have transformed my globetrotting experiences.

I'll be covering things from affordable booking platforms and flexible date strategies to cost-saving food hacks and city passes. I'll even reveal how to ship home those irresistible souvenirs without overloading your luggage. Brace yourselves as we venture into the art of travel, and explore how to squeeze maximum fun out of every cent.

We won't just stop at helping you save money though - we'll discuss some essential safety and etiquette guidelines that every seasoned traveler swears by. Ever wondered why it's important to have copies of your documents, or why you should notify your bank before heading off to a new country? You'll get answers to these and more. So buckle up, and let's embark on this exciting adventure of mindful and affordable globetrotting!

Related podcasts on Holly's Highlights podcast:
Season 2 Episode 22 - Girls Trip! https://pdcn.co/e/www.buzzsprout.com/1444210/9175554-girls-trip.mp3?download=true

Season 3 Episode 5 - Cruising Part 1
https://pdcn.co/e/www.buzzsprout.com/1444210/11728998-how-to-plan-a-cruise-vacation-part-1.mp3?download=true

Season 3 Episode 6 - Cruising Part 2
https://pdcn.co/e/www.buzzsprout.com/1444210/12411485-what-to-know-before-going-on-a-cruise-cruising-part-2.mp3?download=true


Link to Travel Suggestions:
Delta American Express Credit Card
Apply for an American Express Card with this link. With your new Card, you could earn a welcome bonus and I could earn a referral bonus. Terms Apply. https://americanexpress.com/en-us/referral/HOLLYCxkGa?xl=cp15

Travel Fan on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/QQT-Handheld-Adjustable-Portable-Rechargeable/dp/B0BTT86KG5/ref=sr_1_10?crid=KKNGQ6L9REZF&keywords=travel+fan&qid=1689056004&sprefix=travel+fan%2Caps%2C250&sr=8-10

Thank you to our sponsor:
This program is sponsored in part by Murdock Financial. An affiliate of Equitable Advisors LLC New York New York, and equitable network LLC.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

Hi, friends, welcome to Holly's Highlights, a podcast designed to encourage, inspire and accredit you to intentionally live your life full of purpose. I'm your host, holly Kirby, motivational speaker, leadership cultivator, marketing strategist and personal cheerleader. Let's check out today's highlight. This program is sponsored in part by Murdoch Financial, an affiliate of Equitable Advisors LLC, new York, new York and Equitable Network LLC. Hello, my friends, i hope you're having a wonderful summer.

Speaker 1: 0:36

As I've shared with you before, i absolutely love soaking up not only the sun and vitamin D of summer, but then also every moment possible to make memories with my children. I absolutely love it. I realize that there's only so many summers until my kids graduate high school And then, of course, you're competing for so many things, whether it be work schedules or friend schedules or even going away to college or whatever that looks like. So I absolutely love our summer vacays And this year, as I have shared, we went on an Alaskan cruise, which was my son's dream vacation, and it was wonderful. I loved the cooler weather and the slower pace of life And, of course, my highlight is just always being together as a family, so soaking up those memories with my menchkins. But it was a wonderful, wonderful trip. Now, since that trip.

Speaker 1: 1:22

I have been asked a lot about cruising. A friend of mine is preparing for her first cruise this coming January And another took off for a cruise just shortly after we returned. And even right now my own sister is on a cruise near, i don't know, sweden, switzerland, something like that. She's visiting so many countries I couldn't keep it straight, but I'm excited to hear from her when she gets back on how that went. But as I've referenced to many of those inquiries, i would encourage you, if you're looking at going on a cruise, even if you've been on a cruise and you just want a little bit more tips, ins and outs per se of going on those cruise vacations, i would encourage you to check out two episodes I did on cruising just this year, so season four, episodes five and six on Holly's Highlights And those episodes are actually sponsored by Jerry May Travel. So any additional questions you might have or bookings you want to make, proceed with I'm sure she would love to help you on any of that. She's wonderful to work with. Now, so many tips and tricks in those episodes which I won't cover here, things like pack a beach bag in your luggage to make those beach excursions quick, accessible and everything you need on the go, or maybe the flashlight with the command strip that you put next to the hotel door or the cruise door, so if people are coming and going at different times, they're not disturbing each other. So, again, there's so many tips and tricks there on the cruise episodes that we're not going to cover here.

Speaker 1: 2:43

But just as we have been discussing cruises me and my friends and so forth I've had not only those cruise conversations of questions about cruising which, again, I absolutely love cruising I've been on 13 of them and I'm just itching to go again But our conversations have also led to just overall travel tips too. So I thought I'd start our July off with things that I've learned and used over the years and in hopes that they might help you on your future travels, no matter where you're going to be traveling, whether it be this summer or even a future planning. Now, again, all of this is personal suggestions, my personal preferences, inputs, feedback, so forth. So, of course, check with your insurance carriers or your doctors or advisors, your consultants, your spouses, whomever you need to check with. But as one who loves to travel and has done so both throughout the US as well as international you know, aruba, bahamas, carousel, puerto Rico I could go on and on. They absolutely love traveling, but I hope that these tips are helpful to you. Of course, it's not going to be all inclusive, but just kind of covering the gamut. Hopefully they will help you in your future travel planning.

Speaker 1: 3:53

So, first off, one of the top questions I'm always asked is how do you save money going on trips? I am a penny pincher. My mother taught me both. My mom and my dad taught me to be a good steward, but my mom definitely taught me to be a penny pincher and look for deals and just try to make things go a long way to still be able to experience things but not break the bank, so to speak.

Speaker 1: 4:17

So four sites I'd recommend to you. One is Hopper or Skyscanner. Either of those, hopper or Skyscanner, they give you a calendar of what to expect for travel pricing. So when is going to be the least expensive place to go, or time to go? It's going to be in green, and then, of course, yellow is going to be more your moderate flights or costs of trips or hotel things like that. And then, of course, the red is this is going to be super expensive during this time, and that's very helpful, especially if you can be flexible, to be able to look at those calendars and plan for those green times. That can save you a lot of money.

Speaker 1: 4:54

Now, of course, going on to number two is I have so many questions of when do you book? Do you book on a Monday? Do you book on a Wednesday? There's a certain day, and what I'd recommend is just be flexible with your dates. Which leads me to the number two of Delta and Southwest. They have a great email program, either one depending on whichever carrier you're more loyal to or whatnot. I personally am a Delta snob, so I'm definitely going to recommend Delta for all of our air travel. But you can join their email list and then they'll email you when they have flight prices, certain discounts, and you can get some really good discounts, Like I've even seen from Utah, which is where we're at flying round trip before or even again, depending on the carrier, each way for like $99. So if you want to do a quick weekend getaway or something to Disneyland, you know that's a great time to do that and take advantage of some of those pricing discounts, so you can always check on that.

Speaker 1: 5:51

Now again, you've heard me promote it a thousand times. And I'm going to again the Delta American Express card. Needless to say, it saves you so much money, or can save you so much money, especially with how they offer the companion certificate and earning free flights from your miles. And because you have that card, you can even get discounted rates on the miles you use. So if it costs someone else like 25,000 miles to redeem for a flight because you have that card, it might cost you 20,000, for example.

Speaker 1: 6:22

And then, of course, there's the Sky Lounge, right? Yep, it's covered that a thousand times as well. And if you've listened to me and my sister talk about our girls trips, we always start in that Sky Lounge. It's just relaxing and enjoyable. But also you can save money on food there, as they often offer the breakfast and the lunch and the dinner. And you can even get culturally ingrained where you're going, such as when my sister and I went to Chicago on our girls trip last year. They had a whole Chicago dog spread and my sister loved that. So again, that Sky Lounge. Can't say enough about it. Now check out my referral link and the show notes, because if you do decide to join that Delta American Express card, then if you use that link, we both get an added bonus, which is really nice for both of us, and I would greatly appreciate that. So feel free to check that out as well. Each year, my kids and I take the summer vacation, and we're able to do so because of that companion ticket and because of those miles. So, seriously, this card is amazing.

Speaker 1: 7:20

The third site is Travelocity. Now, this isn't necessarily a saving site. I'm still going to stick it here, though, because it's a great resource for looking up what to do and where to stay and recommendations and reviews, and, of course, when you look up things like that, that saves you right there. Right, if you can stay in a place with great reviews or if you can hit those places to go, you've really made good use of your money and of your trip. So I definitely throw Travelocity in there as more of a resource to look up what to do, where to stay and, again, the reviews on that.

Speaker 1: 7:52

And then number four would be Hotelscom. Hotelscom, you can it's free to join as a member, and then you earn free nights after so many nights, and there's also a VIP status you can get, and so some of the hotels. You can look specifically for what hotel in that area offers the VIP status because you're with Hotelscom and you can get bonus things. Maybe it's free parking, or maybe it's a complimentary breakfast or something like that. On our girls trip Again, my sister and I going to Chicago we actually chose credit to her because she chose the hotel. That time She found the hotel that offered that VIP status, but it was for, like this VIP lounge and they offered free breakfast in there and afternoon snacks and evening canopies And we only paid for one meal a day. It was wonderful. So it even provided snacks for us too. So, anyhow, hotelscom Love that site as well. So those are the saving sites I would go to. Now.

Speaker 1: 8:50

It's for additional just saving tips, for looking at just other ways to save money. Quite a few of them, actually. One is to look for hotels with complimentary breakfast or free parking, whatever your need is. If you're going to be having a rental car or if you're going to be driving somewhere where you're staying at a hotel, that's always helpful because you don't often realize how much paying for each night's parking can really add to the cost of your trip. So things like that. Or if you're huge breakfast people, you know having a company breakfast saves you a lot of money. So look for things that meet your needs And of course you can always do that in the filters. Then also, if kind of on a hotel rent there is, if you are needing to cancel your hotel but you're within that window of a penalty before canceling it, check to see if you can just change the dates And then you'll have a new cancellation window to where you can cancel later. You know, even if you call back the next day or something, you should be within that timeframe to be able to cancel and then not get hit with penalties of costs. So that can sometimes work with car rentals too, based on the company. So just something to be aware of if you need to cancel.

Speaker 1: 9:56

Another thing to save money is to pack medicine wherever you go. I always pack, you know, i'd be proven for headaches and Modi may be, just in case you need that. Cold meds in case you start not feeling well, covid tests just to be on the safe side. Fever patches, cough drops you get the gist of it. But looking for these on the go when you're traveling not only can be so expensive, but it can be hard to find exactly what you're needing, especially depending on where you're staying. So we were on a road trip, returning from a road trip, a year or so ago when one of my kids got a fever in the middle of the night And I was so thankful I had the fever patches I could just put on their forehead and bring them some relief and then they were good to go.

Speaker 1: 10:37

Another thing is to carry snacks. Now I know we're not all snack people like we want to be able to enjoy when we're at Disneyland, right, you want to enjoy the Mickey shaped pretzel. Or if you're at a sporting event, you want to enjoy that hot dog, right, those are all great. But I have definitely learned we're not huge breakfast eaters And so if I just toss in some pop tarts, then in the morning you know, just kind of tied my one of my kids over they can have a pop tart as we're heading to our first event where we're going to have our snack of the day or our lunch, something like that. So just something simple, even for breakfast, can be helpful, even things like granola bars, especially to tide me over if I start getting hangry, if the kids are having a great time somewhere and so we get a little bit delayed, or if we, you know, or in the cab and you start getting hungry or something. Again, just something to keep so simple on hand that you're able just to pull out and enjoy, especially standing in line so far.

Speaker 1: 11:30

So and then we don't typically cook on vacation. That's part of our luxury of going on vacation. It's not oven to cook. But when we stayed in Hawaii for a week for my brother's wedding and then when we did a trip to, it was like a camp out type thing that we stayed in apartment type buildings Anyhow, we did like a Costco run and a nearby grocery store run just to be able to have things for quick breakfast and lunch fixing, so stuff people could easily grab and go and then we would eat out, either every night, like in Hawaii, or at the camping. We would treat ourselves to the cafeteria you know for like more of a social event with friends every so often. So that can save money if you are in a situation where you could be able to, you know, fend for yourself with breakfast, lunch or whatever there in your little kitchenette or whatever you might have. It's also great for the late time munchies, especially if you have teenagers, avoiding those room service costs or delivery fees can be very helpful.

Speaker 1: 12:26

Another thing is to take your own water bottle to refill with water So you can have it empty when you go through the security at the airport and then fill it up there. They often have the water filters, or even, you know, just take a like. Last year when my kids and I went to a family summer camp. We all got brand new water bottles And then when we got there to our destination, i let all of us pick out a sticker from there, in multiple if they wanted to, but anyhow, then they put them on their water bottles and that became our souvenir. And so super simple way to drink more water, save money on not buying, you know, bottled water or pop or things like that, but then also you had a souvenir, so it was kind of nice.

Speaker 1: 13:06

Another thing you can look into, depending on the city that you're going to, is look at their city passes and see if those attractions are on your list. If so, it may be worth purchasing one for each of you. I think it was California where the city pass was was good for, like SeaWorld and the zoo and some other places, so it totally was worth getting because it saved a lot of money. But when my sister and I went to Chicago last year for our girls trip, although some of the things were on the city pass that we wanted to do, like the museum, there were other things that weren't on it, that it just wasn't going to end up saving us money in the long run, so we didn't get one. So, again, hit or miss, but definitely worth checking out the city pass if you're going to be more of a tourist in that area and see if you know what all is on that card and if it's going to be a good fit for you.

Speaker 1: 13:51

And then, last but not least, on the saving tip is sometimes shipping those souvenirs home can save you some space and some money and have a better chance of it making in one piece coming home. And then also it just makes it to where you don't have to carry it around everywhere, right? So on our girls trip to Magnolia I bought some home decor from the shop there And this was oh so true of that shopping trip. I shipped it all home for one flat rate and I didn't have to worry about toting it around or the chances of it breaking anything like that. And then last year, when the kids and I went to New Mexico, my daughter bought her ever longed for Steerhead and just a little extra covered that cost of shipping it directly from that store to our front door. So we didn't have to deal with a thing And she was so excited buying it and not having to get it home, and then again all excited again when it arrived in perfect condition on our front doorstep about a week or so later. So don't hesitate to ask the store you bought it from if they offer shipping, or even just taking it to a local UPS store and inquiring about the cost to go ahead and ship it home.

Speaker 1: 14:57

It's so nice to come time to pack and leave the hotel, not to have to do that whole sitting on the suitcase tactic to get the souvenirs to fit or seeing everything sprawled out in the bed and wondering how you're going to get it home. My sister and I have been there once where literally we had to go to the local Walmart to buy a tote bag for us, to combine our stuff and to just to get home. So a great shopping trip there in Pajasca, oklahoma, a couple years ago when we visited the Pioneer Women's Store, but also a good lesson learned. Now, speaking of hotel, let's transition to some hotel hacks. A couple of them here.

Speaker 1: 15:32

First of all, dry cleaning bags in the closet. I know you're not staying long enough to get dry cleaning, but grab that dry cleaning bag. It is useful either for dirty clothes that you can keep them separate from your clean clothes, or, you know, if you're on a road trip, easy to toss all the dirty stuff in there and just toss it in the car and don't have to keep it with your clean stuff. Or even wet clothes such as swimsuits. This has allowed my kids to do some morning pool swimming or hot tubbing before we had to head out, and the bag just keeps wet clothes from getting everything else soaked. So those come in very handy.

Speaker 1: 16:06

Another thing is a liner over the drinking glasses. You know what I'm talking about. That like paper liner, that it's almost like a little Reese's Cup cover or holder that goes over the drinking glass. Well, those make perfect holders for your jewelry, like your rings and your necklaces little things that could get lost easily, or even putting your bobby pins in them. You know, if you're taking those out at night, but right there on your nightstand, just flip it upside down the, the drinking glass liner, and put your jewelry in that, and it's right there in in sight and close by and and it doesn't get lost because it's just this little, perfect little holder. You can even poke your toothbrush through them. So if you keep the liner on the cup in the restroom, just poke your toothbrush through it and then it perfectly stands up so you don't have to deal with the, the toothbrush possibly touching anything else.

Speaker 1: 16:59

And then those plastic bags in the ice bin. Very few people actually go and get the ice for the ice bin, but the plastic bag that's in it. They can be slipped over the remote to just prevent some of those germs. The, the remote, is actually the number one germiest if that's a word item in a hotel room. So if you just put that plastic bag over that remote, it just helps prevent you having to touch those germs. Now the shower cap. So many of us are like why do they even put a shower cap in there? that's like so old school, right, those come in handy. They are perfect for putting dirty shoes in. So slide the dirty shoes right into the shower cup and it'll. It'll help immensely when it comes to just the mess in your car or even in your luggage. Again, you could even do that with using that dry cleaning bag.

Speaker 1: 17:48

Going back to that, then, when me and my kids leave a hotel room just kind of an FY something to do that is useful is to do a last sweep, meaning all of us are responsible for checking to make sure we all have our own things, but then one of us usually me or my daughter, a little bit older responsibility will do a last sweep, where one of us will help get all the bags out in the hallway or in the doorway, while the other person checks under the beds and in the bathroom, in the closet, in the drawers and behind the doors, and basically is in charge of doing one last sweep of the place to make sure we have everything before being the last one to leave. So if any one of us for any reason returns back into that room, we do a last sweep all over again. So just a way to make sure we leave with everything that we came with. We alternate, though, just to make sure that we have those fresh eyes that we're looking for and making sure that the person doesn't get bored that they're always on sweep duty. So this has just been helpful for us not to leave things behind.

Speaker 1: 18:47

Now, it's not a hotel hack, but a packing hack would be to roll your clothes, and this just helps with wrinkles or preventing wrinkles, but also saves so much space. And, of course, always check the weather where you're going to go to to make sure that you're planning on packing the right clothing, and then also make sure to pack some clothes that you can toss or donate if needed be, instead of having to haul them back. When me and my kids just went on our cruise, my son was so close to growing out of some shoes, some dress shoes And so those were the shoes that we took for him to wear the the two dress at night, and then we just donated them afterward, and so we didn't have to lug them back, but he was able to get two more wears out of them and then donate them. So kind of think of something like that. And then I always just plan on the staple of that little black dress. Right, it's so easy to dress up if you find yourself going somewhere nice, or you can dress it down to bum around in so versatile and you never know when you might need it. On that note always take a light blanket. Talk about being prepared for anything. Take a light blanket or a cardigan or something of that sort for the plane in case it's cold. On the flip side of that, i have a traveling fan I take with me in case it's warm in taxis, or even help one of my kids who gets motion sickness. This helps them. So I can even throw in that link, which is gonna be on Amazon, in my show notes too, if that's gonna be helpful As of some safe travel tips.

Speaker 1: 20:15

I have so many safe travel tips. Are we ready for this? First off, use your do not disturb sign indoors. This gives the impression that someone's in the room. So, just every time you even leave, just toss on that no disturb sign. Now, keep in mind you do want your room cleaned, okay. So if you're on a cruise ship, you can tell them what time is good for them to clean the room. Otherwise, in a hotel room, you know if you don't care if it doesn't clean that put it on when you leave. Otherwise, you can always request in the front desk that you could ask for certain times that it be cleaned, but just tossing it on the front door always gives the impression that someone's there. So avoid theft, things like that, and then check for bed bugs As soon as you go into a hotel room. Just go over, lift up the bottom sheet. If there's any like a smear you know, like a blood smear or anything like that, or if you see the critters themselves, then get a different room. Don't even bring in your luggage, don't stay in there, don't get settled in. And to help with this, use the luggage racks too. So, even if you don't spot anything, never put your luggage on the bed, but use those luggage racks. Some people even put their luggage in the bathroom on the counter, just because of the hard surface instead of the carpet. You wanna stay away from. That is what we're avoiding.

Speaker 1: 21:31

Let someone know your plans Wherever you're gonna travel. Let family or friends know their flight info and the agenda, and it doesn't hurt to check in with them. You know just that simple text of I arrived at the hotel or my flight just landed, or I had a great day, whatever it might be, just something to check in. Also, along that line, to be safe, make copies of important documents to keep at home. Now, this is mainly gonna be when you're traveling international. Right, but not a bad idea to do, even if you're gonna be going, you know, to New York or California or whatever making a copy of that credit card and the driver's license and the passport. This doesn't replace the items, but if those items are lost or stolen, it definitely can help, and being able to contact that friend or family that knows where you're at, being able to go over and get them, it just can make you getting home or being able to purchase items that you need a lot simpler. Even getting your replacement cards or things canceled, whatever you need to do, but just making a copy of those and leaving those copies at home.

Speaker 1: 22:30

Now, all of those important things should go in your carry-on Those originals, right, money, jewelry. Even when we go on our cruise, i always pack my jewelry in my carry-on, not in my checked luggage. This is also medicines, even a change of clothes, in case your flight is delayed or bags get lost. All your important things should go in your carry-on, never your checked bag. Now, when you are traveling, especially out of country, it's very important to notify your bank of that, as sometimes when you're traveling, the credit card will not get approved for your purchases if they are flagged that it's out of country. So if you just notify them, hey, i'm gonna be traveling out of the country on these dates, then they're able to notify that on your kind of tag, your card, and so it gives the indicator that, okay, it's okay to make purchases during these dates, when they look a little off, you know out of country or so forth. And then, of course, when we're traveling, some things that we might not be aware of, just to do to get in the habit of is wearing sunscreen. Just smart for travel. But also your skin may not be used to different locations, you might burn easier in different places, so just wear sunscreen all the time.

Speaker 1: 23:36

Stay hydrated, basically drink a bottle of water every hour of your flight. This helps you. And then when my mom went to the Greek Isles years ago, she came home and ended up having a blood clot And thankfully we got her to the hospital in time to truly save her life. But what we learned later is that on the way to the Greek Isles they went on a cruise there. She had decided to sleep on the flight, the flight over there And the doctors think that's what actually led to the blood clot is just kind of being still, and she was so good about getting up and walking around, but she had just fallen asleep. So make sure to get up and walk back and forth on the plane every hour or two hours, at least every two hours.

Speaker 1: 24:16

Wear compression socks. If you need to Do foot pumps, that's where you bring. Literally flex your toes and then you point them. Check with your doctor if this is a concern or issues of blood clots running your family. But make sure to stay active, even on airplanes, and that's very, very important combination. That and the water can very help you with your health. And then don't have all your money in one spot. So perhaps some in your pocket, okay, some in a carry on okay, or a purse, but even within those places, don't even keep them all in the same spot. So make sure it's spread out. And then even not only money spread out, but if you have two credit cards, you know, one in one spot, one in the other, just in case.

Speaker 1: 24:56

Another safety tip phone chargers, whether this be the phone charger cord, the box, the wall charger, but also the charger bank. You do not wanna be somewhere and traveling and not have access to your phone, to the GPS, to making a phone call an emergency, anything like that. So just have those ready. If you're traveling out of the country, make sure your cell has service there And you can pre-check that with your carrier. Or sometimes, instead of buying the costly international package through your carrier, you could buy a prepaid SIM card once you get to your destination and then you can put it in your phone So you can check into that too, depending on where you are traveling to. Of course, if traveling out of the country, you'll want an adapter too That goes for a hairdryer's and our phone charge records. They're not gonna fit in the outlets there, so make sure you take the adapter that is needed for where you're traveling.

Speaker 1: 25:44

Now, again, based on where you're traveling, traveler's insurance is important. I know some people just find that so ridiculous, but accidents happen and being out of network can rack up. Emergencies can rack up. This can be well worth the investment just to get that traveler's insurance. I shared on the cruise episodes. I always get it when we're traveling on cruises, but definitely if you're just doing out of country travel even things like going to Hawaii or Alaska always important to do traveler's insurance for things like that.

Speaker 1: 26:14

Now, if you are traveling out of the US. Be careful of street vendor eating. My dad taught us this from an early age, as he and his parents used to travel a lot back in the day Egypt, paris, you name it And he got so ill after eating from a street vendor that, during the time in Paris, all he saw all he can tell us about was the inside of a hospital room. I also have some friends who traveled to Guatemala and they ventured out in such way only to ending with such fate of being sick and memories of their trip being contained inside four walls puking. So the things we take for granted here in the US, such as clean water and food quality and safety procedures, just be very cautious of who's preparing your food when traveling out of the US.

Speaker 1: 26:59

Now, all this leads us to some traveling etiquette that we should probably be aware of, and obviously people who are listening to this podcast most likely have such traveling etiquette. It's the people that really need to hear it, that probably aren't going to be on the other end listening. But a couple of things put your liquids in the clear bags, if in, if it's gonna go on your carry-on, and then be ready with Those as well as you know, your shoes off and your electronics ready to be put in the safety bin, and it can be so Frustrating to be behind someone who waits until they are literally at the security check table Okay, anyone relate with me here and then all of a sudden they start pulling out everything and it's like, oh my land. You've had all this time in line to prepare for this. You know it's not a surprise. Also, tip to you traveler get in the line at security check where you see the business traveler. They have got this down. They are the ones to be behind.

Speaker 1: 27:52

Another traveling etiquette is take earphones or a headset. People don't want to hear your TikTok real watching, and they don't want to listen to your child's Mario game or even hear your conversation on speaker. This is a huge pet peeve for me. I'd like my blood is starting to boil just telling you about this. Take your earphones or your headset and use them. Another one is just waiting your turn. You know, butting in line because you have a quick question Doesn't mean the rest of us in line don't have a question, right? We're in line for a reason, so wait your turn.

Speaker 1: 28:26

And then, of course, avoid odors on the plane. Whether this be the reminder to take a shower before a flight and wear that deodorant, or Not bathing in the cologne. Some of us are extremely sensitive and you will give us a migraine from your overuse of that cologne or perfume You think smells so good. But, news flash, it doesn't smell that good when you're in a tight, contained area with a thousand people, right? So just don't bathe in your cologne before hand, wait till afterward when you're going out or something. That's great. And then, of course, that's great that you can save money and bring snacks, but don't bring fish or eggs on the plane to eat again. Leave the orders at home.

Speaker 1: 29:05

Of course, when we're traveling anywhere, but especially internationally, it's very important to ask to take pictures, whether this be of locals or in a shop. Just be aware of those Basically locals. Not everyone likes to have their picture taken, right. We need to be very respectful of that and it can actually be Breaking that barrier of whether it be a religious custom or even a part of their culture. So be very careful of taking pictures of locals without asking, and then of a shop. They pride their themselves on their work and it can be very Concerning about someone else taking their idea or what they have in their store. So again, it's not like just back here in the US where we're trying on hats and stuff and taking pictures and just think of moral cute. It's a respectful thing to make sure to to ask the locals that you can take pictures of them, ask the shopkeeper or the owner if you can take a picture of something in the store or of their shop And then with that, just be aware of the laws and customs in other countries. Some countries it's illegal to spit on the street, others you shouldn't make eye contact. So traveling out of the US is so different than than here traveling within the the state. So be prepared and be respectful of where you're traveling, to remember you are in their home, it's not the other way around. So be a good guest, right.

Speaker 1: 30:27

And then come on people, let's tip right. Hotel, bellhop, shuttle drivers Those are tipping positions. Those are typically a dollar a bag that they help you with, a dollar per person that's being on the shuttle, eating in a restaurant at minimum of 15 percent. Sometimes it can be 18 percent, and then it goes up from there. You know, double check to make sure that they have already added it. Some places, especially resorts, will already at it. Or if you're dining with so many people sometimes even five, now It used to be eight even five can have, you know, 22% gratuity added on, so be mindful of that. You don't have to tip in addition, then, but make sure that you are tipping. It's just the respectful thing to do of them.

Speaker 1: 31:09

And then, just for fun, some tips here of growing up. We would get a bag of dimes to entice us not to argue, fuss, fight or complain. For me and my brother and my sister, when everyone went on a trip and and again, if you've heard me before on the podcast My dad was our senior pastor, my mom was a school teacher, so our trips were not lavish, they were usually camping, but that bag of dimes, that sure enticed us right. That was a great motivator to to zip it up and and to decide what, or choose our battles carefully, and Then we have that spending money whenever we got to our destination, so very helpful. So that is something I have done with my kids throughout the years, with quarters up until you know. Now my son is in his last year of middle school, my daughter is a junior in high school, so of course we've had to up the ante to dollar bills and They get to keep whatever they have left once we reach our destination. But that has been so helpful and I cannot tell you how nice it is as a parent when you're investing Whatever you're investing to go on this trip, to at least start it off peacefully, and It's gone really well and that has actually created a good habit. Even once we get to our destination, they kind of forget that, that now they have the money and that they continue just to really be kind and consider of each other. So I really appreciate that.

Speaker 1: 32:28

Now, as for that destination itself of where you're going to, i just highly recommend research, research, research. I make a list of places to go, things to see, where to eat, where to stay, all of that information, and then I plan some things, like any Restaurants I need to make reservations to, or excursions or tours that I want to do, but then I leave room to be spontaneous, you know, to stay and enjoy some places you're at a little longer, or even to add that unexpected sight or that last-minute find While you're on your trip. You know, if you need suggestions of what to do, if you have some downtime or you just want to use your time wisely. You can look back onto that list and go, oh, we haven't got here yet, or hey, here's some suggestions of what we could do, or we've covered everything, let's go hang out by the pool, you know whatever. So that can be really helpful.

Speaker 1: 33:14

Just to research, research, research, your destination. Now a few things to remember when traveling as we conclude all this information that, again, hopefully, has been helpful to you. Yes, take that photo to remember the moment. But, better yet, ask someone to take the photo of you so you can actually get the landscape or the site in the photo. But then Put the phone down. You can post on social media or share with a friend later, but be in the moment. You know, years from now you're not gonna care, nor remember How many likes your picture got, nor will your friend necessarily even care that you texted the picture right when it happened. What you'll want to remember is how you felt in the moment, taking in the sights and the sounds and just Being there in the moment. Put the phone down, be in the moment, remember. This is time invested to make memories and experience new things together.

Speaker 1: 34:17

Our family focuses extra hard on being flexible and compromising, being open to things. We try to say yes, especially on our girls' trips. The thing is, yes, we will do anything the other person wants to do, so yes, and then going with the flow, making sacrifices for each other. Like I might not want pizza for dinner. My kids love to have pizza for dinner almost every night. But if the kids see a cool place to eat for pizza, hey, we seize the opportunity to make a memory versus argue about where we're going to eat. So be willing to compromise, be flexible, just relax.

Speaker 1: 34:52

Things can and may go wrong on your trip, but at least you're on a trip. Traveling is not a right, but it's a privilege, it's a blessing. So the bottom line be extra intentional at making good memories on your trip and being fully enjoying of it and appreciative of every single moment. And, last but not least, do not compare your travel with others. Just as we see that highlight real on people's social media, and just as we all have 24 hours in a day and we can choose to spend them differently, so it is also with how we're spending our actual funds for whatever we're doing. You can create that highlight real in making a great budget that works for you, just as you could, as if you went into debt, so that's not the goal here.

Speaker 1: 35:50

Some may be on a work trip or rewards travel, so it may look a little lavish. So, again, we just never know what the other person's situation is. Others might be taking multiple trips so they can take the low budget approach. So don't judge there either. Right, they're getting to really make the most of their time and of their moneys. Others are making that once in a lifetime travel, so they may splurge here and there. Again, don't let envy or comparison rob you of your joy of getting to travel where you do and how you are. Simply be grateful for what is So. Take those photos, make those memories be safe, have fun and enjoy your journey. Thank you for joining me on this journey of life. I hope that today's highlight has been encouraging, inspiring and equipping so you can go out and live your life full of purpose. I'd be honored if you'd take a moment to leave a review or, better yet, subscribe. We can also stay in touch by joining my email list at hollycurbycom. That's H-O-L-L-Y-C-U-R-B-Ycom. Until next time, make it a great day for a great day.