This year I’ve written four posts for Capital One‘s Smart Money series on how to save money for travel and tips for traveling with kids. The first three are:
- The Ultimate Pre-Travel Checklist
- When to Skimp on Travel and When to Splurge
- Looking at Travel as an Investment
I’ve really enjoyed thinking through all of the financial aspects of travel. In general I hate spending more than I have to for anything, but there are certain expenses that are worth it – either short-term because they make trips better, or long-term, because spending wisely when traveling brings out the best in your kids.
Post number four is over on Capital One’s blog: How to Save Money for Travel. I’ll include an excerpt here simply to keep the narrative going and have everything accessible from here.
How to Save Money for Travel
We’ve been traveling with our three kids (8, 11 and 12) since they were born. Altogether we’ve taken them to 54 countries, all 7 continents, and 17 states. Why? Because of the benefits that have come from the travel. We’ve seen the kids’ language skills improve as they’ve been able to take what they learn in school and practice it in the real world. They’ve also recognized the importance of learning, and using, other languages. And we’re a foodie family because of travel. Our kids have grown up trying foods around the world, and learning to make those foods, and have become amazing eaters (and good cooks!) in the process.
But it goes further. Our kids have been able to experience independence, as we’ve let them explore foreign cities and islands. They’ve also, through 14-hour plane flights and three-hour European meals, gained a remarkable ability to be patient and entertain themselves! And they’ve truly become who they are through travel, as they’ve discovered new passions and skills, and we’ve in turn chosen destinations and created itineraries based on those passions.
And then there are the benefits that come from experiencing other cultures, and seeing how differently people live around the world – and what problems they face. We see our kids becoming more empathetic with every trip and experience, and are optimistic that later in life when they’re making decisions that can affect others, they’ll make the right choices.
Travel has always been our priority, and will always be our priority. But how do we come up with the money for travel in the first place? A lot of small ways that add up…
The rest of the post, with my tips on how to save money for travel is HERE.
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