Step One: Destination + Budget= Foundation.

While many of us want to hop around and globe trot, financially it may not be the most feasible. However, with a solid budget you can plan a fun trip with lasting memories. There are two ways I personally budget for trips:

Group Trips.

So let me tell you group travel is fun. A few of my favorite travel groups, yes they are black owned and operated: DiscoverGidi, Sky Residents, Gravel World, CDE Antigua, Haywire. When you want to travel and not think about logistics, a group trip is a great way to go. The set price typically includes- alcohol, housing and food. You get to meet new people and make more friends. The cons are- you are surrounded by a bunch of strangers and for a person who does not like forced interactions, that can be overwhelming. You may also feel "trapped" by the activities, while they are included in the price you may not want to participate on that date and unfortunately you can't change the date of activities on a group trip. However group trips, if you hop on in advance, are a great budget friendly option. You pay a set price monthly and you are only responsible for your plane ticket, and of course extra money for additional meals, separate activities.

Solo Travel

Solo travel (Or simply not organized for you travel)

I have a love/hate relationship with planning my own stuff. While I have no problem doing so for myself, when you are inviting others, it becomes stressful. I won't say "It's hard to get black people to pay for a trip" because my friends are always willing and ready to Jetset. I just secretly hate when people agree to go because then I have to plan for multiple. I know I shouldn't have asked but I am nice sometimes. However to keep me grounded I budget for 750 pp for US Based trips and 1500 for international. It gives me a starting point and the goal is to be under not over. But the hardest part when you are on a budget and planning a trip on your own is: finding housing and finding flights. So many people pick the housing option first, but personally I search for my flight. My thought process is- It does not matter where I stay, if I can not get there. To keep updated with flights I personally use: Google Flights. I know others use Expedia, Hopper and other third party apps for their planning needs but I love Google Flights. They monitor trends, offer housing suggestions and activities. From there I am able to pick housing- If I am planning on just being by myself, I look at hotels first, if multiple people are coming airbnb. My rule of thumb- I stick to brands that are either US based- Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, OR I find properties with no less than 4 stars. The little boutique hotels in other countries offer so much cultural insight and connections. The best way to learn about a city is to go where the locals are, as long as you remain safe and vigilant.