How To Save for Traveling

    

    As soon as we got married, my husband and I set a plan. We'd spend the first 5 years of our marriage on us. No plans to have children, no major plans to move locations. But rather, work on ourselves, make wonderful memories and grow closer together. A part of this plan included seeing the world. Not necessarily leaving the country all the time. But, exploring parts of the US we hadn't really seen before. 

    A huge misconception about traveling is that you have to be rich. Absolutely incorrect! If that were the case, my husband and I would be home all the time. We are by no means rich. However, we have made it a mission to be financially savvy. This includes knowing exactly where our money is going and how we can spend/save it.

    With every goal comes planning. And, might I say, that is one of my favorite things to do. Just ask my husband. It's crazy because I love sharing places to go on this blog, but what I find even more valuable is how to get there.. financially speaking. So, here are a few reasonable things we do to save up for our travels.

1. Set aside a completely separate savings account for traveling

    Yes, that's right. If you're serious about wanting to travel, keep those funds separate from all other checking & savings accounts. This will ensure that you only dip into this account when it comes time for it. It's also vital that you not only save for travels but also make sure you're building up your saving for other things as well. Funds that  apply to this account would be any and every expense related to the place you are going (eg. Flight tickets, food, activities, prepayments, hotel/accommodations, deposits, tips, tolls, gas, etc).

2.  Know where you want to go in advance

    The early bird definitely gets the worm when it comes to traveling. I find that when I book things in advance, I am able to secure cheaper prices and it gives me more time to browse for deals. When I'm booking last minute, I always feel rushed. 

    Traveling is fun in the moment, but the planning may take month, a year or two (depending on circumstances). But, the key is to already have in mind exactly where you want to go. I'm not talking general area. I mean, city state and maybe even zip code. I know, it may seem extreme and inflexible, but it helps when rounding out your budget.

3.  Sum up all estimated expenses (including small ones)

   With saving, every dollar counts. So, don't get into the habit of thinking that you can get away with not doing the math. It's so vital to create an outline of how much you plan on saving, when you plan on doing so and how often. We usually put a little bit into our savings each paycheck. And over time, it adds up. 

4.  Utilize spreadsheet and note taking documents

    For our monthly and bi-weekly budget, we make sure to include an entire spreadsheet for each of our savings accounts. With the use of formulas and functions on Excel, we can easily add up any predicted expenses and also any predicted income that can be contributed towards our travels.

 

5.  Keep track of savings account regularly 

    The problem a lot of people mention that they have with budgets is the follow-through. You may have created this lovely spreadsheet, done the math. But, later on down the line, you find yourself changing things and not recording them. Eventually, you realize that your predicted savings doesn't match up with how much you actually saved. You may even notice that your expenses don't add up either.

    This is why it's so important to keep track of how much you're saving and spending. These numbers need to match up to those that you predicted for. Yes, sometimes things happen and changes are needed. However, when you have everything recorded and updated, it helps you to fill in those gaps later on.

6.  Try not to spend all your savings on one trip

    Ideally, you should have money in your travel saving ALL the time. Even if it's not enough for a full-on vacation. Not only is it satisfying to see, but it helps if there is an expense you have to pay far in advance. 

     For example, certain resorts require an initial deposit to be paid within 30 days of booking. But, what if your arrival date isn't until next year? In that case, it helps to have a little bit extra in your savings to cover that expense and reserve your slot. This could also be the case for flights that you book in advance or even Airbnb reservations. 

Concluding thoughts:

     Hey guys, I hope you found a few points you can take away from this blog post. If I think of anything more to add, I’ll make sure to update this. However, I feel like these are some of the basic things that have helped us to take on the adventures we’ve been able to take on. 

      I hope you are also able to create your own adventures soon! Thanks as usual for tuning in. And feel free to browse around my blog to see other travel tips and suggestions! 

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Cape Cod Getaway | All You Need to Know

 

   As our final destination, we spent a relaxing few days in Cape Cod, MA. There’s truly nothing like being by the water. It just hits you with a wave of relaxation! 

   We originally planned on staying at Village Inn, but due to last minute change of our trip dates.. we stayed at the Veranda Cape Cod Family Resort in Yarmouth. They treated us very well there and we had a great time! Here are some of the things we did while at Cape Cod:

Where to Stay:

   The beautiful part about Cape Cod is that there are so many cute places to stay at. They also have a lot of places that serve breakfast. My recommendation would be to find those places and book them. It saved a lot of time and energy and makes it really feel like a vacation. 

   Listed below are a selection of places to stay at in Cape Cod. Most of them serve breakfast and are moderately priced. You’ll notice they are separated by town. Cape Cod is a large Cape. Driving from one side to another could take an hour. So, make sure you plan your activities according to where you’ll be stying if you don’t want to drive to far.

1. Yarmouth & Hyannis

• Village Inn Bed & Breakfast
• Veranda Cape Cod Family Resort 
• Captain Farris House
• Anchor In Hotel

2. Sandwich:

• Isaiah Jones Homestead Bed & Breakfast 

3. Falmouth:

• Frederick William House

4. Dennis Port/Harwich:

• The Tern Inn Bed & Breakfast Cottages
• An English Garden
• The Platinum Pebbles Boutique Inn (adults only)

5. Chatham:

• Captain’s House Inn
• Pleasant Bay Village Resort
• A Little Inn on Pleasant Bay

6. Provincetown:

• Somerset House Inn
• Revere Guest House
• Crowne Pointe Historic Inn (adults only)
• Benchmark Inn
• Carpe Diem Guesthouse & Spa

Things to Do:

    There are quite the variety things to do in Cape Cod. However, keep in mind that this is a town and not a city. It’s quite laid back, slow paced and quiet. So, if you’re looking for a great a big night life.. you may want to look elsewhere. 

   Cape Cod prides itself on being a wonderful vacation getaway for that reason. You can find things to do by the water, at restaurants and even within their small town areas. Look below to see what you can add to your itinerary:

1. Lighthouses:

   Cape Cod is known for their beautiful lighthouses. Not all of them are easily accessible though. So, I recommend doing your research. National Park Services gives a lot of details about both beaches and lighthouses you can visit. It also shares any fees or permits associated with them. Also, be sure to note the entrance fee-free days that are listed on their website. 

• Nauset Lighthouse
• Race Point Lighthouse (it’s about a 30 minute walk from the parking area. If you obtain an ORV permit, you can bring your eligible vehicle and drive across the dunes)

2. Walk/Bike/Shop the Small Towns:

  Something about exploring small towns is just so enjoyable. Some places you may be staying at may offer bikes for you to ride around time. However, if you are interested in using a bike service, they are also available in a fee towns throughout the Cape as well. 

    Chatham in particular has a really neat downtown area with lots of restaurants and cute shops to browse. If you’re interested in buying some Cape Cod gear, I’d highly recommend you check it out. There’s plenty of free parking, but it’s also really close to the bike rental shop as well. 

• Provincetown (Bike Company HERE)
• Chatham Main Street (Bike Company HERE)
• Hyannis Main Street (Bike Company HERE)

3. Beaches:

   Keep in mind that this is also a residential area. So, you’ll notice, between June and Labor Day, a lot of beaches require permits to even park there during the day. And they aren’t cheap! However, after 4pm they are typically not at the gate to ticket you. But keep in mind, there are no life guards during this time.

  You’ll also notice quite a few private beaches that do mot have parking lots. So, if you are staying close to one of these, you can easily bike or walk over for free. There are also some beaches that don’t require a permit but still require a fee to enter and to park. The pricing for these are much more reasonable and open to anyone. I’ve listed them below.

• Nauset Beach ($25 for car parking | $15 walk-in entrance)
• Marconi Beach ($25 for car parking | $15 walk-in entrance)
• Race Point Beach ($25 for car parking | $15 walk-in entrance)
• Head of Meadow Beach ($25 for car parking | $15 walk-in entrance)

4. Hiking Dunes:

   On one of the cooler breezy days, we decided to explore one of the dunes that Cape Cod has to offer. We then realized that this are has quite a few dunes that are absolutely beautiful to hike through. However, a lot of them are loxated up North, closer to Provincetown. 

  If you’re interested in adding this to your itinerary, look below for some suggestions:

• Dune Shacks Trail 
• Race Point Lighthouse (30 minute hike across dune)
• White Crest Beach (steep dune trail heading to beach)

5. Whale Watching:

  We absolutely loved our time whale watching! It was one of the highlights for sure. If you plan on going, keep in mind it typically takes about 4 hours total. It can also be very windy, so bring a warm sweater. And, be prepared for a lot of movement as the boat rocks back and forth. You may feel seasick at some point. 

   Regardless, we thought this rare opportunity was worth it. So, for around $70 per person.. we booked our tickets. If you’re interested, look below for some of the companies we either booked with or considered. Because of Cape Cod’s distance, we chose the one that was closest to where we stayed. I suggest you do the same thing:

• Hyannis Whale Watching (Barnstable)
• Dolphin Fleet Whale Watching (Provincetown)
• Captain John Boats (Plymouth)
• Sea Salt Charters (Provincetown; pricier tickets)

6. Vineyards/Wineries:

  Although not known for these, the Cape offers a few vineyards to enjoy. Again, adding to the relaxing vacation theme. You can enjoy your time at one or all of these vineyards.

• Truro Vineyard
• Cape Cod Winery
• First Crush Winery

Where to Eat:

   Now, to talk about my favorite part of vacations.. the food. If you talk to any local at Cape Cod, they’ll usually begin recommending their top places to eat. Why? Well, Cape Cod has some if the best sea food and, on top of that, a large amount of restaurants. So, if you feel yourself getting hangry, head on over to some of these spots. 

Breakfast:

• Good Friends Cafe
• Three Fins Coffee Roasters

Lunch/Dinner:

• Tumi Ceviche Bar & Ristorante
• Fanizzi’s Restaurant
• The Mews Restaurant & Cafe
• The Ocean House Restaurant 
• Hearth & Kettle Yarmouth
• Brax Landing Restaurant
• Bookstore & Restaurant
• Brazilian Grill
• Lobster Pot Express
• Sesuit Harbor Cafe
• Raw Bar
• Bluefins Sushi & Sake Bar

Dessert:

• Caffe Gelato Bertini
• Cape Cod Creamery
• Sweet Escape Homemade Ice Cream
• PJ’s (ice cream shop in the front)

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How to Spend the Day in New Haven, CT

    Okay, am I the only one who gets major Gilmore Girl vibes just talking about Connecticut? Being in the town that was referenced quite a lot in the show, took me back! For the second location of our anniversary roadtrip, we stayed at a beautiful Bed & Breakfast in Westbrook. But, a good portion of our time was spent in New Haven. Here’s what the day looked like:

1. Explore Yale 

    

    I’ll admit, I never got the hype of why people admired the grounds of this Ivy League school. But, seeing it in person made sense. As someone who admires architecture, it was absolutely beautiful to see all the details embedded into each building. It truly is breath-taking.

    2. Lunch at Hot Haven Chicken

   What better way to dine than with a delicious chicken sandwich in hand? We got the Tendie trio combo and the Tendie slider combo. They were absolutely DELICIOUS. This is definitely more of a grab and go place. So, do not expect to be wow-ed when you walk in. But, the food is 100% worth it. They do not have any seats inside to dine-in. However, there are some picnic style tables placed outside of the restaurant. 

    After selecting your food item, you then choose the intensity of the spice. We both got “hot” and realized they weren’t exaggerating the spice levels. If you don’t like spicy things, I suggest going for the “country” spice level.

3. Grab some bubble tea at Whale Tea

  This location is quite conveniently located just down the street from Haven Hot chicken. They feature a unique spin on ordering bubble tea as you can order right at a kiosk. Their whale-themed decorations are also very cute to look at while you wait for your drink. 

   Be careful when ordering though. They have both a fresh milk (consisting of only milk with flavoring) and actual milk teas. If you’re not into purchasing a cup of milk… do NOT buy the fresh milk tea. I made that mistake once and regretted it. 

4. Hang around Downtown

    

    Honestly, you won't find much of a “downtown” area in New Haven as everything is pretty much centered around Yale. But, if you walk the strips, you’ll find some cute scenery, places to eat and even the Yale University Art Gallery (completely free).

     We really enjoyed walking around and exploring the small shops as well. There was the cutest plant shop close to The Whale Tea and some other cute shops. If you're into eating and shopping in one trip, you'll love New Haven.

5. Relaxing picnic dinner at Lighthouse Point Park

   

    I’ll preface this by saying, parking is a steep $30. But the sunset view you’ll experience there is absolutely breathtaking and worth it. I suggest if you plan on visiting, bring your meal with you and set-up an evening picnic. Maybe bring your favorite book, music or tv show along and just hang out and relax. But, don’t forget to take it all in too! 

    There’s also a carousel that is open on the Saturdays & Sundays that only cost 50 cents per ride. You can also walk along the rocky shore! And of course, there's a historic lighthouse right on the beach as well. So, I'd say you can definitely get your money's worth when you go on the right day and time. 

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A Weekend in Manhattan New York

    New York City is a place you can’t just visit once. It takes at least a handful of visits to fully embrace all that this lovely city has to offer. Any the state itself? Don’t even get me started. For our anniversary this year, Chase and I decided to switch things up and embark on a roadtrip. This lovely area was our first stop.

  We made our itinerary very minimal because we truly wanted to explore and leave room for any additional things that may have popped in our head to do. Here are some recommendations of places and accommodations to add to your itinerary.

Where  to Stay:

   

   For our trip, we stayed at Hotel Scherman in Manhattan. It was the perfect place with close proximity to restaurants and must-see attractions. 

   We especially enjoyed their BEAUTIFUL rooftop area. It drew our attention to the city skyline and really made us feel like we were in New York. Here are some other nice places to consider:

• Royalton Hotel
• Airbnb
• Hotel Scherman
• Carnegie Hotel
• Hampton Inn Manhattan Chelsea
• Piu Plaza Manhattan Time Square
• Arlo Midtown

   We found the nicer places to stay in New York filled up quickly. So, I recommend booking your accommodations a few months in advance. If you are nervous about cancellation policies, I recommend booking through a website like Booking.com. The only thing is, they often have added fees associated with them. So, I’d recommend you do the research and compare prices! 

Where to Eat:

1. Friedman’s:

     This lovely restaurant  features the perfect meals to get your day going. I will say, it is a tad bit of a wait on the weekends. But, truly worth it! We loved that they serve breakfast almost all day. My husband ordered the Pastrami Hash and I got their B.E.L.T sandwich that came with a side of hash. We found the hash to be a little unflavored.. but nothing some good hot sauce couldn’t fix. Besides that, everything else was DEE-LISH. Next time we go, we’ll definitely explore their chicken and waffles, french toast and lunch options. 

2. Dallas BBQ:

  So, funny story, the last time I came here I did not really enjoy it. I was wondering what the hype was. My husband was  adamant  about how great it is. So, we went back. Turns out, I just ordered the wrong things! 

   This time around, I ordered their hot wings (with fries) and a piña colada. Chase ordered the same thing, but instead he got their sticky wings and a strawberry margarita. We really enjoyed them! They were fresh and quite a decent size. 

   For the record, this place is definitely not your high end restaurant. And if you order their wings, you’ll probably end up making a mess. So, I wouldn’t recommend coming here super dressed up.

3. Empanada Mama:

   If you happen to be in the Hell’s Kitchen area again, you’ll have to stop by Empanada Mama. You’ll be in for a treat! They have a wide variety of options (including gluten-free and dairy free). We both ordered their shredded chicken & spicy chicken empanadas with some lemonade. At the time, they were around $5.25 per empanada. They aren’t super filling, so I’d say maybe stop by here for a quick lunch. Unless you plan on purchasing large quantity of empanadas. 

4. Sarabeth’s:

   Okay, so we may have a slight obsession with brunch spots! But, this high end restaurant is a great place to go if you love staple breakfast foods like eggs, waffles and french toast. Their Three-pepper home fries are also phenomenal! 

5. Other restaurants to check out:

• Amorino Gelato & Cafe — Desserts
• Ci Siamo — Italian Restaurant
• Añejo — Mexican Restaurant
• The Smith — American Restaurant 

What to do:

    Our absolute favorite spot in New York is Central Park. During this trip, we decided to try something different and book a photoshoot through Airbnb. We thought, “how often do we come to Central Park?” So, we went for it! It turned out absolutely lovely thanks to Madeleine. At the moment, she charges $90 per person for an hour long shoot. Just keep in mind, it is a group shoot. You won’t need to take photos with everyone in the group, but you will have to share that hour with them. 

  Some popular spots to stop by during your stroll through Central Park are Belvedere Castle, Bow Bridge, Wagner Cove, Bethesda Terrace, Bethesda Fountain & The Mall & Literary Walk. All of these areas are also popular spots that movies have been filmed at. But not just that, they are also very beautiful areas to sit and reflect. Something that is hard to do in the bustling city of New York.

If you are looking to browse around manhattan, feel free to add these activities and locations to your itinerary: 

• Skating at Rockefeller Center
• Top of the Rock
• Bryant Park
• Madame Tussauds
• Riverside Park South
• MET Museum
• Museum of Ice Cream
• Brooklyn Bridge
• Washington Square Park
• Madison Square Park
• Watch a Broadway show
• Shopping on 5th Avenue
• Luxury Picnic in Central park — @PICNICFEELS

Parking

    If you plan on driving, just know that the rumors are true: parking in New York is a pain. Either you end up paying a leg and a foot, end up parking in the wrong place, or you just can’t find a spot period. 

    Before heading up there, we decided to do our homework and look up some garages where we could just leave our car for the entirety. We figured, Uber is pretty fair priced in the city and the subway system is very wide spread. And, we could always walk places. So, for the price of around $35 for two full days… we made our reservation with OnAir Parking. 

   This company basically books you a spot at a garage and you only have to pay a flat rate. Which is usually cheaper than the prices they charge at the gate. So, it pays to book things in advance sometimes. 

     We were sent to Meyer’s Parking, right in the middle of Time Square (where we planned on hanging around the entire weekend) and only an 8 minute walk to our hotel. It was perfect! Pick-up and drop off was a breeze and our car was still in tact when they returned it to us.

  In case you’re wondering who I am, HELLO! I’m Sandra and I hope you have enjoyed reading this blogpost. Please comment below if you found anything here handy for your trip. Also feel free to share any tips or ideas you found helpful while in New York! 

   Thanks as always for your support. Don’t hesitate to browse around and see my other travel tips on other blog posts!

Keep Shining,

Sandra H.

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