Hi. We are Ken and Karen here to share with you our Journeys and how we Travel Well for Less!
Who we are
We are an empty nest couple from the Space Coast of Florida — you know, where they launch the rockets at NASA — and are here to share with you how we Travel Well for Less! We have always had a love of travel. So far, as of August 2018, we have traveled together to 38 countries, 4 continents (including the holy grail of Antarctica) and 31 US States. We Travel Well for Less.
Every summer we took our boys somewhere great: Chicago, New York City, Boston, Caribbean and Alaskan cruises, the Major League Baseball All-Star games, and more. But we were always limited to their school breaks. Now we try to travel as often as we can. Once the boys were both in college, we began taking more and longer trips. Additionally, we began to include international destinations. To do this, we take long weekends trips by working extra hours and use our paid time off for extended trips.
We are in our early 50s and most definitely NOT budget travelers staying in hostels and couch surfing. When we travel, we like to move at our own pace and we like our own space, with our own bed and a locked door. Karen’s idea of camping is a hotel without room service. Ken likes a TV in the room for his ROKU. And while we like luxury travel, we would rather spend a bit less and travel more often.
How we Travel Well for Less
The best way to describe our travel style would be middle of the road: travel as well as we can for a “reasonable” price, getting the best bang for the money spent. Being able to take a two week holiday on what most would expect to spend for one week. Or maybe extending a two week vacation into three weeks or more. But Travel Well for Less doesn’t always mean less money. It may be figuring out how to reduce time spent waiting in queues. Sometimes reducing backtracking by flying home from a different city than we arrived in. We Travel Well for Less.
In order to Travel Well for Less, it takes work. One thing we have found is that there is no secret sauce, no magic website, no pixie dust. We often spend nine to 12 months planning a 30 day adventure. There are so many variables when planning a trip and you want to be sure you get the most for your money and the time you have. What is the best time to visit? Should I rent a car or take the train? This city has a visitor’s pass but is it worth the cost?
For many of us, one our most important considerations is time. We have limited vacation days. Then there is money. A great vacation costs money and sometimes seems out of reach. But, by doing your own research and spending wisely where needed and being frugal when possible, you can plan and afford almost any destination. Remembering that the more people that are included in the planning, travel agencies, guided tours, etc. the more the trip will cost since everyone is getting paid. Pay yourself instead and do more and Travel Well for Less.
Our Vision for Travel Well for Less
The travel world is always changing and we hope you visit us often. Inside this site we will share our past journeys along with the lessons we have learned. We will share our future itineraries as we are planning our upcoming trips. Most importantly, we will post tips and strategies we share have been used in our own itineraries. We hope you use this site in planning your own trips and start to Travel Well for Less.
To learn more about why we started this blog, please go to our Our Story. So join us in our adventures and you too will soon be able to Travel Well for Less and everything will be coming up roses!
Safe Travels!!
Ken and Karen
P.S. If you are looking for great resources for budget travel, check out Nomadic Matt.