The Three C’s: Creativity, Compromise, and Courage
Episode #10 of the course A practical guide for budget travel by Damon Dominique, Joanna Franco, and Alyssa Perrott
Congratulations! You’re very close to becoming an expert budget-traveler. But before we wrap up, let’s expand on essential tips, all of which pivot on one major point: research. We’ll discover the three C’s that reflect the heart of everything this course has covered and ensure that you shut up and go!
Don’t Pay for What You Don’t Have To
It sounds simple, but sometimes it takes a little digging to discover that things you thought you needed to pay hefty prices for—like comfortable accommodation or safe transport—actually require very little spending. Hopefully, we’ve shown you how a little extra research can save you big money, from food to Broadway shows. Question what you consider the norm, and save those $$$. And again, don’t believe the hype—most people are lazy when it comes to travel because they don’t consider it a lifestyle but a luxury. If you want to live differently, you need to think differently.
Be Flexible
It’s normal to have fairly established ideas and expectations in your head even before you start planning a trip. But sometimes the budget just doesn’t match up. This doesn’t mean you have to crush your dreams, just know that your fantasies were most likely dominated by mainstream ideas about travel and that they’re hiding different, better dreams from you. Just researching what else is out there can open your mind and make you appreciate lesser-known destinations, routes, or programs that will fulfill you more than a private island ever could!
Go Easy on Yourself
By this point, you’ve been swamped with practical notes and tips. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t panic! It might sound a little contradictory, but take everything with a grain of salt. Budget travel can be hard and tiring and push you to your limits. Don’t feel like you need to check every budget travel suggestion off some infinite scroll. Start from the beginning and take it slow: one step, minute, and dollar saved at a time.
Find the Free
We love freedom and free things. Remember, if it’s free, it’s for me, and you know the rest.
You’ll be amazed at how quickly you’ll get used to searching for free stuff all over the world. It’s like you develop a sixth sense: You can sniff out the free Wi-Fi, the fresh water fountains, the random group of teenage promo staff handing out free bottles of iced coffee outside the metro, the flyer for a free outdoor jazz festival you’ll stumble across, the weekly farmers’ market, etc.
Flipping your travel mindset to budget lifestyle traveler mode will see you alter your behaviors and perceptions in small but gradual ways. You’ll probably return home like us: minimalist and as philosophical as Sartre himself. Don’t be surprised if you donate half your clothes, think less about petty problems, or even quit your 9-5.
Spontaneity Doesn’t Have to Be Expensive
With all the talk of research, preparation, and detail over this course, you might be thinking you’ll be a stressed, pedantic, bank-app-checking ball of sweat throughout your budget travels. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. By preparing logistics and equipment beforehand and setting up these mindsets and expectations long before you catch that flight, you’ll be setting up your future self for the opportunity to be spontaneous—to follow your impulses, to switch up itineraries depending on your mood or the weather or a friend you just made—because you know you’ve put in the work to prevent spontaneity from turning into straight-up spending.
We’re going to leave you with three C’s: Creativity, Compromise, and Courage. Budget travel requires all three, and once all three have been accepted, the rest will fall into place. Creativity for using those hacks and shuffling priorities, compromise for finding the best options for your specific situation, and courage to tackle the daunting prospect of the budget travel beast. We guarantee that at the end of your trip, you’ll see how not only manageable budget travel is but also how comfortable it can be despite its reputation, not to mention how completely enriching, enlightening, and exciting it is.
We can’t bear to hold you back any longer. Thanks for following along and go live it up! Now that you’ve read all ten lessons, we have four final words for you: Shut Up and Go!
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