Do what you have to do, until you can do what you want to do !
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Travel = High Budget?
There is no right or wrong answer to that question, it all depends on how much budget you have, how much are you ready to spend and how ahead of time you are planning to travel.
Budget management can be a real struggle for many families, but small savings every month can make a big difference. Some of the tools I personally use is keeping track of my expenses in an excel spreadsheet to see how that evolves every month. There are so many apps that you can use as well, I tried "Spendy", very user friendly. If you don't feel the need, or you don't know why you should do this, I recommend reading "Your Money or Your Life", it will change your mindset. If you're not into English books, then try Flissaty, a very simple book produced by a Moroccan lady where she shared tips regarding budget management and investments too.
Back to your travel budget, here are some questions you need to ask yourself :
- When and How long do you plan to travel? All families tend to travel during school vacations, mid-term … while it can be relevant from kids being out of school, the truth is these are the seasonal peaks = high budget, and unlikely you'll find good deals. Instead, why don't you plan weekends, departing Friday afternoon, and returning Sunday. For some it may sound hectic, and it can be, but the ROI you'll get is worth it (little spent for great mindfulness)
- How much money do you / can you save per month? Again, this is linked to your budget management overall. Saving little money for travel purposes prevents you from overspending during the travel month and having to pay a lot one shot. Another way of saving can be subdividing your upcoming expenses, like purchasing tickets in advance (and for cheapest prices), advancing 50% to the travel agency to confirm your seat, …
- What kind of destination do you plan to visit? This is the key element that will influence your budget requirement. You don't need to go to fancy hotels to have rest, spending quality time with your beloved one is the most important. Select a city nearby, a town where you can exchange houses with family members, hiking or camping, … so many options are right there near you, be curious and open to try new things.
- Are you travelling by yourself or via a travel agency? Travel agency option can be a good one if you want to spend less time planning your trip. It's a good option as well to create new connections. Some people prefer to be by themselves and not in groups. It really depends on your family habits and style. Try at least a group one, that may change your future plans.
- Do you have any travelers that can be within the "free" services (hotel rooms, attraction entrance, …)? Some travel agencies offer free seats for younger kids, just ask. Some hotels allow 2 free kids per room, just challenge them. Some attractions, museums, parks are free certain times of the year, just search. These are little steps, but can make a big difference to the budget balance.
To sum it all up, budget management and planning are key if you want to control your travel budget. In the past, I used at least to plan a trip 4 months ahead of time, that was ME in the solo traveler mood. With the borders closing for long months, WE started spending less money and less time just nearby. Morocco is a beautiful country, just challenge your status quo.
Plan Your Work & Work Your Plan
I said it above, if you want to travel you need to plan it, to better manage your budget. There's so many planners that can help you adjust.
- Monthly planner that you can find in any bookstore. Check Miniso stores, they have some basic ones that you can personalize with all your activities
- Yearly planner that you can use for yourself or your kids to educate them better planning their week including extra-school activities, some come with stickers that make the exercise fun
- Theme planner based on the period, or user profile. Most of the time they offer extra items in the package too. Check out Family Organizer or Flex Maroc
Bucket List, Do you have one?
One of the tools I used during lockdown time to cope with loneliness was the Bucket List. It helped me escape from day to day, and put words behind some dreams to achieve when possible. Obviously, travelling was one of them, but instead of a list of countries or cities I wanted to go to, I listed experiences I wanna live. Controversially, that opened my perspectives to options just around me.
- Check out my bucket list to get some inspiration
- or get a Bucket List book to better structure your thoughts and ideas , I got mine from Livremoi; delivery at home within 48hours
They Inspired Me
Getting good plans is not always easy, it requires spending some time in research, rely on others experiences, or just following the right bloggers. Here are some that helped me (without knowing) is some of the plans :
- Solofemale traveler network. Here I heard the first time about "Free Tours by Foot", tried it in New York first and in every travel post that
- Asmaawk, founder of Les Voyageuses group, I love her simplicity, authenticity and travel plans.
- Asmaetou, thanks to her recommendation, I discovered Yanis Travel, my partner in crime for most of my travels in Morocco. She also shares very honest feedback regarding her experiences.
Perspective is Power !
I've been passionate about reading since I was a child. In this carousel, you can find some of the books that changed my perspective. I'll update it regularly as far as I' came across an interesting book to share, don't hesitate to share back your recommendations. I do read novels too, and I like reads written with simple words, especially if it's in English :)
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