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5 Tips on Holiday Travel

November 16, 2017 By

Ah, the Holidays—it’s the most wonderful time of the year! Also the most expensive—especially when you don’t love near your loved ones. When I lived in England, I was privileged to fly home for the holidays. The best part was I didn’t/forgot to tell my parents and it was the best surprise of the year! There’s nothing quite like the presence of your loved ones to make the season bright.

Holiday travel can be awesome or awful. From inflated prices to the hoards of people also flying around the world, there is a lot to navigate when it comes to the adventure of flying during the holidays. Here are a few tips that can help when it comes to booking your travel:

Avoid Peak Days: Don’t travel on peak days. Guess what—Everyone is flying those days! They are by far the most expensive days to fly. For Christmas, those days are December 22, 23, and 24. For New Year, it is December 29 and January 2. Look at your schedule to see if you are able to tweak your travel days just a little to get the best price on flights.
Travel Early or Late in the Day: Another thing to keep in mind is that the cheapest flights are generally the first and last flights of the day. Don’t be afraid to adjust your sleeping schedule just a bit by flying super early or super late. These are going to be the cheaper flights.
Do your research: Use apps like Hopper to find the cheapest days to fly. They will even keep you alerted to when it comes time to buy at the cheapest rate. With Holiday travel, buying sooner rather than later is always advised.
Shop Around: When it comes to flying, use those dates you got from Hopper and plug them into a site like skyscanner.com, or go directly to airlines sites. Southwest only posts on their website—so make sure you check southwest.com for the prices they have on flights. Keep in mind, also, that though Southwest is not always the cheapest fare, your bags will always fly for free. That can make all the difference!
Send Presents Ahead: If you can get away with it, don’t check a bag. We know the holidays mean lots of presents. Think ahead—use Amazon Prime to ship directly to the people receiving them or the house you will be staying in, or send them ahead of time. It will save you headaches when it comes to sweating your connections or losing your bags. It will save you time, and sometimes it can even save you money!

Make the most of holiday travel with these simple tricks. There are still so many out there, so let me know some of your favorite tips and ways to save money when it comes to Holiday Travel.

Happy Holidays and happy travel!

Checking In With an Announcement!

November 13, 2017 By Bethany Bayless

When I started Wanderlust For Less at the beginning of the year, it was somewhat of an experiment. I was traveling around the country and the world teaching US military members about financial education and how they, too, can invest in experiences and not just things. Wanderlust For Less was, and is, a perfect extension of that mission. I love pointing the people I meet to this site for more information on the things I am so deeply excited about.

Since then, as many of you know, that same job has been keeping me very busy, and I have not kept up with Wanderlust For Less as much as I would have hoped. In all transparency, it is hard to write about traveling and saving money when you are out there traveling to make a living. And I wouldn’t trade that for the world!

These past few months have been mind-blowing, and after attending some awesome conferences and meeting incredible people in this space, I have gained so much clarity when it comes to the Wanderlust For Less brand. I am excited to share some awesome developments with all with you!

I have officially extended the blog to the Wanderlust For Less YouTube channel where we will be talking about the exact same things—living frugally so we can have the financial freedom to invest in experiences (like travel). Since I travel as a public speaker and emcee, video is a much more comfortable medium for me. Don’t worry, this blog will still be up, as well! It just has a younger brother to look after and play with.

Thank you to you, my Wanderlust friends, on hanging with me. I am looking forward to a bright future with you, my fellow Wanderluster!

8 Awesome Things to Have on Long Flights

March 24, 2017 By Bethany Bayless

Ah, airplanes. The glorious whales of the air that magically transport us from one destination to the next. It is crazy to wrap your head around the fact you are darting through the sky 500mph, 30,000 feet above the earth below, unaffected by the elements directly outside your window.

Now think of being in the belly of that beast for 10+ hours while soaring over oceans and continents. It can get a little—constrained? Cramped? Muscle-achey?

International flights are actually my favorite. I have gone over the Atlantic and Pacific more times than I can count. Along the way I have picked up a few essentials that make that sky darting experience a little more bearable. Besides drinking lots of water and having a good pillow, here are eight more things to put on your checklist:

No JetLag—I heard about this homeopathic supplement when I flew to Thailand and Myanmar. It is originally from New Zealand, and it really helps with jet lag. A whole pack can last you about 2 round trips. The instructions are pretty specific, so make sure to read them beforehand. You used to be able to get them at a local vitamin shop, but I just order a bunch from Amazon these days.
Sleep mask—Yes, you know those cute little lacy, satiny, frilly things girls use at sleepovers. But I am telling you—these things are essential. Not only do they block out light, but they help keep my eyes closed and relaxed when you are fitting in crucial shut-eye. They also sell super manly black ones at Target if the frills aren’t your thing.
Socks: Okay, there are lots of different opinions floating around on this one. I
generally wear flats or shoes that I can easily kick off, but I am a firm believer in a fresh pair of socks for every flight. Once, I didn’t have any socks and I could barely feel my toes halfway through the flight. Ever since that chilling moment, I have thrown in a pair of socks into my carry on and have them easily accessible. Because, please, for the sake of everyone, NEVER walk around the plane bare
foot. And a steadfast rule to live by—always wear shoes to the bathroom. Cuz nothing ruins your happy warm feet like wet socks. Yeah, let’s move on.
Ear plugs: Invest in a few good pairs of disposable earplugs—they’re are a lot cheaper than noise-canceling head phones. I buy a big box of 3M yellow earplugs (which, fun fact, fighter pilots use) and throw several pairs into a bag. The reason I like disposable is because I throw them away when I am done and it cuts down on the pollen and dirt and nasty stuff that can get in my ears if I reuse them! That’s just me, tho. Clean ears are happy ears!
Zquil and EmergenZ: I have a ritual when it’s time to go to bed. I go to the bathroom, brush my teeth, clean my face (see below), get comfy, ask the flight attendant for a small cup of water and prepare my EmergenZ. This is a double win because: 1) It has melatonin to help you naturally fall asleep, and 2) It keeps your immune system healthy on that germ invested vehicle. I then take a dose of Zquil to aid in a good night’s sleep, and put on my sleep mask, cuddle up with my pillow, and settle in for the night. Grab them together at Target in the sleep aid section.
Moist facial wipes: When I wash my face, I really like the hypoallergenic face wipes Yes to Cucumbers. I use one before I go to bed, then another again in the morning when I want to wake up my face. It is also a good idea to moisturize because planes are super dry! Which leads me to my next point…
Chapstick and lotion: Planes aren’t exactly known for their moisture and humidity, and I’ve had moments with cracked knuckles and blistery lips whilst sitting helpless at 30K. Oh that the chapstick on my dresser at home were with me now! It will help keep those things in your carry on at all times so you don’t forget, and it will be there when you really need it!
Fresh clothes: I always travel with a set of clothes to change into either before we land or when I get to the airport. It was something I hadn’t considered before I had gone on my first trip to Asia, where I traveled with someone who suggested it. I changed the next morning before landing and felt like a new woman. It all helps in the jet lag, long-travel-days’ process.

Bon Voyage, Wanderlusters!

Bethany