What I Stop Buying at Home So I Can Travel More

I like nice things. 

I like a good meal, a pretty hotel, a cute outfit, a great cup of coffee, and yes, I absolutely love shopping. I'm not interested in living a life where I never spend money on anything fun just so I can say I saved every penny.

But there is one thing I like even more than buying stuff and that's traveling. 

Over the years, I've realized that one of the easiest ways to make room in my budget for travel isn't necessarily to find more money. It's to stop spending the money I already have on things that don't matter nearly as much to me.

This isn't about deprivation. It's not about never going out to eat, never buying clothes, or making yourself miserable in the name of saving money. I've always believed that frugal living works best when you can still enjoy your life. Instead, it's about deciding what deserves your money.

And for me, travel wins.

I've been thinking about this a lot lately because my relationship with money has changed over the years. When I first wrote about the things I was wasting money on, my kids were younger, our family expenses looked very different, and I was looking for every possible way to stretch a dollar. I wrote about borrowing books from the library instead of buying them, avoiding unnecessary fees, limiting expensive coffee, skipping upgrades, and buying classic clothing instead of chasing every trend. Those ideas still hold up surprisingly well.

But now that I'm in a different stage of life, I've realized that I'm not just trying to save money anymore.

I'm trying to save money for something.

And that something is often a plane ticket.

So here are the things I stop, or at least drastically limit, buying at home so I can travel more.

Small Towns I Loved More Than Big Cities

When people ask me for travel recommendations, they're usually expecting me to name the biggest cities I've visited. 

London. Rome. Seattle. Dublin.

And while I've loved spending time in each of those places, I've noticed something after years of traveling: it's rarely the big cities that stay with me the longest.

Instead, it's the smaller towns. The places where shop owners remember your face. Where you can hear church bells instead of traffic. Where dinner lasts for hours and no one seems to be in a hurry.

I've learned that some of my favorite travel memories happened in places that weren't necessarily on my original itinerary. These smaller destinations became the highlights of the trip, and in many cases, I'd happily return there before revisiting the larger city nearby.

Here are three small towns that completely won me over.

Weekend Trips From Seattle That Feel Like a Real Vacation

One of the best things about living in the Seattle area is that you don't have to board a plane or take a week off work to feel like you've escaped. Some of my favorite vacations have happened less than three hours from home. The moment you step onto a ferry, watch the skyline disappear behind you, or settle into a waterfront cabin, it feels like you've traveled much farther than you actually have.

Weekend trips have become one of my favorite ways to travel. They're easy to fit into a busy schedule, they don't require months of planning, and they remind me that adventure doesn't always have to mean crossing an ocean. Sometimes all you need is a change of scenery. 

Whether you're craving a relaxing spa weekend, charming coastal towns, fresh seafood, beach walks, or island hopping, these destinations offer the perfect reset. Each one has its own personality, but they all share one thing in common—they make you feel like you're on a true vacation.

The Best Home Base When Visiting the Cotswolds

If you're planning your first trip to the Cotswolds, one of the biggest decisions you'll make is where to stay. With dozens of postcard worthy villages scattered across the English countryside, it can be tempting to book a different hotel every night. But after spending time exploring the region, I can confidently say that Bourton on the Water is the best home base when visiting the Cotswolds.

At first glance, that might seem like an odd choice. Bourton on the Water is one of the most visited villages in the Cotswolds. During the middle of the day, the narrow streets are filled with tour buses, day trippers, and visitors snapping photos of the charming stone bridges crossing the River Windrush. You'll even find full news articles written about the unfortunate over tourism of the Cotswolds, and in particular, that of Bourton on the Water.

But here's the secret: If you are staying there, you get to experience Bourton on the Water at its very best! We didn't find it crowded or overrun at all!

The Ultimate Guide to Free Birthday Freebies: Companies That Want to Celebrate You

One of my favorite ways to save money {and do a little treat yo self!} is by taking advantage of offers that companies are already willing to give away. If you've followed me for any length of time, you know I'm not about spending money just because something is on sale, but I am about saying yes when something is completely free. Free is my favorite four letter word!

Your birthday is one of the easiest times of the year to score freebies. Restaurants, coffee shops, beauty stores, and retailers love celebrating their customers with complimentary treats, discounts, and gifts. Most of these offers simply require signing up for a free rewards program ahead of time, and then the birthday surprises start showing up in your inbox.

If you've never taken advantage of birthday freebies before, here's how to get started and some of my favorite companies that offer something special during your birthday month.