Last year I quit my W2 job to focus solely on my private practice. I had been feeling burned out for months, and I worried about how much energy I would be able to devote to building up my business. Oddly enough, pulling thousands of dollars from my savings for a trip out of town helped immensely!
My partner and I took a puddle jumper plane to Dallas. It was my first time on a small passenger plane, filled with turbulence and noise, yet offered an incredible view compared to more commercial planes. We spent a weekend in Dallas, enjoying walks through Deep Ellum, soaking in the beautiful street art, the smells of good barbecue, and the sounds of live jazz from The Free Man. We strolled through parks. Enjoyed drinks at a wonderful speakeasy. Filled up on samples at the Dallas Farmers Market.
From Dallas, I took a nonstop flight to Madrid -- my first time ever going to Spain. I spent a few weeks walking nearly 20,000 steps a day. I walked through El Retiro Park, Museo del Prado, and several food markets. I took a train to Barcelona, toured Sagrada Familia, and had incredible cheeses and wines.
I recall the immense joy and calm I felt walking on a rainy day to the San Fernando Market. I had enjoyed some wonderful cheese and jamón, delicious wine, and people-watching. I had noticed some small financial anxiety creeping at remembering that I no longer had a W2 position, something I had always believed was needed for security and for retirement. (SPOILER: It isn't.) I was dipping into my savings to fund a trip that I didn't need to go on. My savings was for "a rainy day", meaning an emergency. Little did I know that I would be investing in one of the most rejuvenating (and literal) rainy days of my life.
I came home with a renewed appreciation for what I have: time for myself, a cozy home, safety, and an amazing partner who encouraged me to quit a job at a company that was depleting my energy. While I can't promise that everyone's post-quitting travel experience will be like mine, I do encourage you to travel before reaching FIRE.
THREE REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD TRAVEL DURING YOUR F.I.R.E. JOURNEY
1) A trip offers something good to look forward to. As a healthcare worker, keeping burnout away is its own job. If you're somebody working towards financial independence, retiring early can feel like a really far away goal. Other factors can lead to discouragement: an emergency expense, a dip in the economy, or not seeing the immediate benefits of your efforts.
2) It will make your F.I.R.E. journey more sustainable. In his book, The 4-Hour Workweek, Timothy Ferriss speaks to the benefits of work breaks and "mini retirements" to help reenergize you to keep going. Traveling inspires me to keep going. It refreshes me enough to continue working, it reminds me of the freedom I'm working towards, and it helps me to live in the moment.
3) Tomorrow is not guaranteed. People are lucky if/when they make it to a healthy old age. However, this isn't promised to us. An illness or accident could end our lives at any moment. I do believe in planning for a secure and healthy future. However, I encourage people to find ways to live now. We have more control over our present than we do the future.
HOW TO TRAVEL BEFORE F.I.R.E.
Plan Ahead
The most obvious and foundational piece of advice: plan, plan, and plan some more. Establish areas such as your desired destination, style of traveling, activities you want to do, when and how long, and your budget. Write things out on paper or in a spreadsheet. Consider how much the trip will be in total and whether or not it's feasible. If it's not, adjust the plan until it's realistic.
Pack Smarter
This is especially important for cutting down on baggage fees when flying. Write out a list of what you will need for your trip. Plan out your outfits ahead, and consider things such as activities and weather. Allow for extra space in your luggage, especially if you plan to purchase souvenirs to take back home with you. If taking a lengthy trip, consider where you can get laundry done for a low cost or pack travel detergent.
Consider When You Travel
Aim for the off-season (outside of school holidays or major events) when there is less demand. Book flights in advance. Look for midweek flights, which are often less expensive than weekend flights. Aim for flexibility when scheduling! Look for accommodations outside of major city centers. Preferably, you want a place that is still driving distance to the city, or offers decent public transportation.
Shop around and use travel sites
I emphasize "shopping around" and doing your research because I've had mixed results with travel websites. Sometimes you get a great deal, sometimes you get something that's too good to be true (which could lead to paying more). Google tends to be my go-to, especially when searching for flights and hotels.
Because everyone's travel needs are different, my recommendation would be to try out different travel sites to see which one makes the most sense. Personally, when I'm planning a flight or a hotel stay, I use a combination of Google, Hopper, and the Capital One travel site (since my travel card is through them). I also like Rome2Rio when determining how long and how costly specific destinations may be.
Stay with a friend, relative, or couch surf
Contact loved ones via email, call, or snail mail. Post on social media that you would like to travel to an area and ask if you can stay at a friend's place. If couch surfing, please prioritize your safety above all else!
Cook While Traveling
I especially encourage folks to give this one a try if you're really trying to cut back on travel costs and/or if you're going to be away from home for a long time. As much as I love dining out, eating out can really add up! Some tips to consider:
Use the kitchen where you're staying at. Choose an AirBnb or hotel room that has a kitchenette.
If roadtripping, pack your cooler full of travel-friendly snacks and meals.
If you're on a lengthier road trip, you might be able to pack up a cooking kit.
Take advantage of local farmer's markets.
Frugal or Free Activities
I love me a good hike, walking around downtown, and looking at beautiful places like botanical gardens and museums. The feeling of soaking in a new place is a huge reason why I love to travel. You might also be surprised at what you stumble across just by walking around. For example, when my partner and I were walking around at night in Deep Ellum in Dallas, we listened to some wonderful live jazz coming out of The Free Man.
If you're into taking historical tours or going to museums, plenty of cities offer passes that offer bulk access to places at a lower cost. When my partner and I traveled to Alexandria, Virginia, we got Key to the City passes which allowed us to check out multiple historical sites for a fraction of the cost. Get a sense of what you know you'd enjoy and research what the area offers.
Travel rewards card
Each travel card offers its own benefits, and I highly recommend doing your research before committing to one. Personally, I cannot say enough about Capital One's Venture X card. (I'm not sponsored by them, as much as I'd love to be. 😁 (If you'd like to learn more, check out my post of responsible credit card use.)
In general, each time you use your card, you accumulate "points" that you can put towards travel expenses. Depending on the card you might also be able to exchange these points for other things (like gift cards). I should emphasize that I only recommend using a travel rewards card if you commit to responsible credit card use. If you sign up for a card and struggle to pay off the balance each month, the benefits likely will not be worth it.
Do you have any recommendations for traveling while working towards FIRE?