The more you save, the more you can travel–that’s my motto. And saving money (and time) are critical factors to remember when you are planning your travels. Sure, we’ve all heard budget travel tips…but which ones to believe?

Here are my top travel planning tips for saving both money AND time on your journeys. Hint: the main concept here is research!

When you travel, do you actively seek out local experiences? We do, and they enrich our lives beyond measure.

Do you remember when you were a little kid, and the entire holiday season was magical, with delights around every corner? From the brisk air and corresponding outdoor adventures to treats chosen specifically for you to incredible, once-a-year foods, it’s hard recapture that once you’ve grown past that believe-in-magic stage.

Luckily for us, this experience IS able to be recaptured, and makes you believe in the magic of the holidays again.

How and where, I hear you ask!

Long car trips can be fun, but they can also be very tiring and expensive. This is why it’s important to have a plan in place to help you anticipate how much time and money you need to spend.

Lots of people go on long rides for fun. As they say, “getting there is half the fun.” If you have enough time and money to spend, you can be as leisurely as you want. You can even go on side trips to check out some sights off the beaten path. However, this is not the case for those who need to travel with time and budget restraints.

Whether it’s to the other side of the country or another country altogether, flying to any destination is an exercise in boredom. The in-flight movie selection is often lacking or dull, and not everyone likes reading books. Unbeknownst to a lot of people, however, is that everything they need is actually right there with them in their pocket – a smartphone.

Thinking of traveling to China anytime soon? Whether for business or pleasure, this culturally rich country of over 1.4 billion people has a lot of amazing attractions on offer. Not in the least of which are the various spectacular festivals the country hosts throughout the year. Each festival is steeped in historically rich traditions and draws large crowds from locals and tourists alike.