Many of the messages around travel communicate an all-or-nothing point of view. One side entices you to spend the money and worry about it later. The other tricks you into thinking you can’t afford to travel, so don’t even bother.
However, Danielle Desir Corbett, an award-winning affordable luxury travel and personal finance expert, says these aren’t the only options. Black Girl Nerds met with Corbett over a video call to discuss how people can travel more while pursuing other financial goals.
What inspires you to travel?
I didn’t have an interest in traveling. It wasn’t on my radar until there was a study-abroad opportunity at my college, and I really wanted to go to Paris. However, at the time, my mom was actively losing our home and really struggling financially.
Despite her struggles, she told me she’d do whatever it took to get me there. But the guilt stopped me from going. That was the first time I connected money and travel; I realized you need money to travel. From that moment, I promised myself I’d go to Paris and get there without any financial stress.
When I got my first job, I opened a bank account specifically for travel. Because I had many financial goals, such as buying a house, I wanted to pay off my $63K student loan debt. I could only afford $25 per pay period to put towards my travel fund. While that may not seem like a lot, I continued to save, and around the year mark, I was able to take my first trip to Paris.
From that moment, I realized I had this system that allowed me to travel. Now, almost nine years later, what keeps me going is that there is so much I haven’t seen. I also learn so much about myself on the road.
What were some financial barriers you’ve experienced regarding money and travel? How did you overcome them?
Saving money to be able to afford vacations, but that’s also a journey and a barrier. Additionally, there’s not getting into debt, and overspending when traveling. Fortunately, these bad habits can be unlearned. For instance, if you want to save money, you can work on a system to save. Having a money journal where you keep track of your spending can help you combat overspending.
What I love about having a travel and money journey is that you can fall, pick yourself up, do better, and prepare yourself for a better future.
Something else I do is gamify my savings and expenses. I ask myself how I can go on more trips with what I have. Mindfulness makes me see the opportunities; recklessness may limit me by having fewer options.
Consider what aspects of the travel planning process brings you joy. Then, you can get good at nailing down that one piece, which can help you find more travel opportunities in the future. One aspect of traveling planning I love is finding cheap flight deals.
What money mistakes have you seen others make when managing their finances and trying to travel?
People do not have conversations with their travel partners before they go. We all assume we’re all on board to do the same things at the same time. I think this can lead to financial and social conflict. I’m learning now that our travel budgets are influenced by who we travel with. For instance, you may not be hungry, but when all your friends go out to eat, you go because you don’t want to miss out. To combat these moments, I have conversations with the people I travel with about the top things we really want to do and see where there is some alignment.
In addition, I like having a pre-trip financial checklist to cover all my bases, such as checking which cards to bring, having enough cash, and making sure all my bills are paid.
Lastly, another mistake is not knowing your travel style. How do you prefer to travel? For instance, I don’t value the class I’m sitting in when I fly. As long as I’m comfortable, I just want to get there, and when I’m there, I want to go on culinary experiences. I want to go on tours. It’s important to align your spending with what brings you joy. It is not only smart financially, but it’ll make your trip more fulfilling because you’ll get to do what you want.
Can you explain a little more about this concept of affordable luxury travel?
It’s about leaning into doing the luxurious things you want but doing them within your means and understanding that spending money on a luxurious experience will compromise other things in your travel budget.
For example, if I decide to go to an amazing rooftop bar with a three-course dining experience, I can do that, but I also have to understand that I may have to walk from the train station instead of paying for an Uber ride.
Affordable luxury is between high-end luxury travel and budget travel. You get to pick what you want to do, but you’re financially conscious.
How does someone who loves travel but is paying off debt or maybe doesn’t earn much money pursue their love for travel?
Create your financial system. I know that can sound technical and hard, but a system lays out what you will do next. You can’t start with a travel fund and automate your savings to the amount you can afford.
Next, determine what’s most important to you. If you want to stay in high-end hotels, maybe find cheap flights to compensate.
Focus on areas you can control and have an “and” mindset. You can diligently work on your debt and have your vacation savings on the side. When I was paying off my debt, I wasn’t doing many fancy things on a day-to-day basis, but I said that I would commit to traveling. That ‘‘and” is a mindset boost to let you know you can do both.
What tips can you offer those who want to travel but also want to focus on paying off debt and other financial goals?
Build a travel lifestyle mindset. For example, if you’re a vegan, every food choice is vegan. We sometimes feel like travel is this once-in-a-while thing, as if it’s a treat. However, if you believe traveling is your lifestyle, then you’re saving for travel every month, even if you’re not currently traveling. When traveling is a lifestyle choice, it ripples down into your budget.
Is there any other advice you’d like to give our readers?
Start small. Turn on your blinders to what you see others doing and focus on your journey and where you want to go. The best type of savings is when it’s small, and you don’t even notice it. It’ll help you build the habit, and then you can travel.
One of the biggest takeaways from this interview is understanding that being mindful and creating habits can help you unlock possibilities you didn’t know you had. Traveling is a privilege and an opportunity that almost everyone has access to.
For more travel and money advice you can tune in to The Thought Card Podcast.
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