Hello Hello! I know I say this pretty much every month, but can you believe it’s almost May already?! Where the heck is time going?!
I suppose when you’re busy and traveling, time goes by way faster, though. I just got back from my weekend in San Francisco and it totally flew by. I had so much fun hangin’ with my boyfriend, one of my best friends whose wedding is in less than 3 weeks (!!!!!!!) and my other childhood friend who’s been my bestie since literally the first day of kindergarten. I still can’t believe I have two of my closest friends of all time in the same state as me, and just an hour flight away no less!
That being said, I’m definitely not the type of person who can afford, or even take time off work, to be jet-setting all the time, but my friendships take a priority in my life. To balance it all out, I’ve found ways to save on my trips that make life a lot easier! Aside from the obvious ones like getting a credit card with airline mileage points, using Airbnb instead of hotels, and flying at off-peak times, here are my favorite money-saving travel hacks that also help you stick with your health and fitness goals while you’re away.
Plan Ahead. – 2 words: Airplane. Snacks. – Nobody likes to spend $12 on a mediocre sandwich that’s been sitting out for 4 hours, or even worse, a soggy salad. I refuse. On my flight out to SF last weekend, I shoveled in a turkey wrap from Trader Joe’s that I made sure to pick up that day during my lunch break. On the way back home, I wasn’t starving, but didn’t want to wait until I landed at 9:15 to eat something, so I snacked on a Lenny and Larry’s cookie in one of my favorite flavors, snickerdoodle (aka heaven). Occasionally I’ll pick up something from the airport when the options are decent (they seem to be getting better!), but taking the extra 5 minutes to think ahead when you’re at the grocery store can save you the cash and calories down the line. That’s actually good advice in generally, really!
Bring Breakfast. – This tip is super similar to the one above, but i worth mentioning. Who else has spent $10 on a nasty bowl of plain oatmeal from the hotel market downstairs in hopes of picking the healthier option over the breakfast burrito? *Raises hand.* Word to the wise: go with the breakfast burrito for the taste & fullness factor and just add a few minutes to your workout later ’cause let me tell you, that bowl of oats is not worth it. What is worth it, however, is that whole planning ahead thing. I bought this $2 cup of instant oatmeal from TJ’s (when I was pick up my dinner from the night before) and used the coffee pot in our hotel room to make hot water. Add a sliced banana and you’re good to go, just make sure your instant oatmeal doesn’t have a billion grams of sugar (this one didn’t and I highly recommend it!). Saving on breakfast is so much easier and more worth it than any other meal when you’re traveling because most of the best restaurants are lunch and dinner places, anyway!
WALK. – I don’t know about you, but I freaking love walking. That may be the New York City gal in me, but I think walking is not only a total stress reliever, but a really easy way to get some exercise in. When you’re traveling, Ubers can add up real fast. Now, if you’re in a city like San Francisco that has some unexpected dicey areas, you’ll definitely want to Uber if you’re going more than a mile or so in a place you’re not sure of, but if you’re just going to dinner or hitting a few spots that are near each other, just save your cash and work off your afternoon snack at the same time. Plus, walking after dinner and/or drinks is literally the best, especially if it’s nice out! You get to digest a little before you go to sleep and enjoy the fresh air before heading back to a stuffy hotel room. It’s a win-win.
Alright y’all, that’s it for now! Hope everyone has a wonderful week!
xo Jordan
