planning a trip?

Thinking about traveling somewhere new? Needing a getaway? Traveling for the first time?

With my unofficial guide, let's help you check off your traveler's list:

• First stop, airfare. Buying your tickets as early as possible will leave more for the rest of your travel expenses. Also, note when you are buying tickets - some destinations might fall in the off-season bucket so you will find fares lower and at a relatively reasonable price. Same goes for hotel/lodging - book as soon as your travel is set or if you come across a deal for airfare/hotel, even better! If you are a frequent traveler, enrolling in a mileage account goes a long way. You'll be scoring miles for each trip which will eventually be applicable towards future travel fares and/or some retail therapy.

• Second stop, making an agenda. Try making an agenda of all the places you want to visit, insta, and/or even write about. Side note - while I am not one to go by the book when traveling, I do like to have some structure to my daily expenditure. So, I usually plan my agenda according to my desired daily expenditure. Depending on how much I would like to spend, I mix up my daily ventures with some walking tours, public transportation, variety in food spots, and the best places for a heavenly coffee. I love meeting new people and I love learning the history of each place I come across - which is why I gravitate towards a more diverse and fulfilling experience, especially with museum and historical site tours. And above all, keep an open mind and your agenda flexible - you may end up surprising yourself and after all, every place has a little magic!

• Third stop, planning your travel budget. Before traveling, I like to organize my expenses into 4 categories: food, transportation, sightseeing/souvenir, and safety cushion. Food will cover local eats ($-$$$$), not including hotel in-room dining expenses. I love to get in one hearty meal a day while traveling - usually breakfast or lunch - so I set aside some money for those larger meals. Throughout the day, I love to keep snacking whether that be cereal/granola bars, fruits, nuts, or cheese. I am a coffee and tea lover so I most definitely budget for this necessity. Transportation will cover expenses towards local taxis/Uber/Lyft, public transportation, or (my favorite) city bikes. I think the sightseeing/souvenir portion varies per traveler, but just keep a lookout for seasonal tickets and passes for the museums and historical sites - you may even snag free admission depending on the exhibition/season! Lastly, the safety cushion will literally save your life if you've been a little enthusiastic during your travel. I like to keep anywhere from $200-$500 in reserve and this varies per destination, # of travelers, and/or paycheck...

Most importantly, have fun!