Best App for Cheapest Travel

When I travel, my number one concern is always money. I believe in the philosophy of making my dollars stretch. What do I mean by that? I mean that I am a cheapskate. I don't like to spend money on things that I can buy for a cheaper price somewhere else. Clothes? 7 times out of 10, I'm thrifting. Food? I'm skipping Chipotle for now. Ok, I'm lying. I love food, so I try to refrain from Chipotle as much as I can (every girl has got a weakness, right?). Gas? You better believe I'm checking for the cheapest price at all times. You get the point. So when it comes to traveling, I am no different. I love a good deal of any kind! One of the things I try to save the most money on when I travel? The flight ticket.

Your ticket might be one of the most expensive parts of your trip. You're paying hundreds, and maybe even thousands, just to reach your destination. This doesn't even include your stay, food, experiences, and local travel. "Finding cheap flights is hard", I hear you all wailing right now. Well, here I am, WanderlustWad, to your rescue. Let me introduce you to the app I utilize the most when I want to find a cheap flight. You may have heard of it, it's called Twitter. *GASP*  

So you already have Twitter? Great! Let me show you how to use it to your advantage. Wait, do you not have Twitter? Please make your way over to their website (just click here) and create an account. 

Twitter has been my favorite travel app by far, and the best part is that it isn't intended for travel necessarily. It's moreso for stalking your significant other, giving unsolicited relationship advice, and posting pictures that never made it to Instagram for a couple of "fav's" and "retweets". Well ladies and gentlemen, the game is about to change, because you're about to use Twitter in a whole new way.

See on my Twitter, I follow two specific handles that allow me to travel for a price unlike any other. Get out your handy dandy notebooks and write down @theflightdeal and @suzzstravels. Head to their page and turn on their notifications. This way, any time they send out a tweet, you get an instant notification sent to your phone about amazing deals!

Listen to me, your phone is dry AF anyways, add some variety to your life with these notifications. Not only are they great motivation to travel non-stop, they hip you to the hottest deals! Most flights are leaving from major airports (i.e. JFK, LAX, ATL, PHL, IAD, MIA) but there is always a sprinkle of flights from Arizona, New Mexico, and other places nobody lives. Just find the closest airport to you and GO! 

 

utilize these notifications

The best part of twitter is that everything is happening in real time. Once the tweet is sent, it is being directly sent to your phone, which works out in your favor since you're working against time here. Working against time? Yes, working against time. Deals don't usually last for long, these airlines are profit-driven, just like any other business. So while you contemplate whether or not you're going to fly to South Africa for $500, the tickets have probably already skyrocketed back to their regular price. A good rule of thumb is that if the deal is past two days old, it's pretty safe to say that you'll have a harder time finding it than finding your uncharged phone after a drunken night. I know, difficult.

Deals are sometimes gone within the hour, so you have to always act fast. This means pull out that credit card and buy, buy, buy! If you're a money-conscious individual, then you're all, "oh hell no, she not about to mess up my credit". Give me a second to explain. In case you were unaware, if you book airfare in the United States, there are regulations in place for you to be able to cancel your flight within 24 hours of booking. See a flight you're interested in? Pull out your credit card and book it! You can now have a smooth 24 hour gap to think about when and if you can accommodate for the oncoming experience. If you can, great! If you cant, just call and cancel. Penalty free, for almost all tickets. Mind...BLOWN! (unless you already knew this fun fact in which case please skip right over and move along).

The notifications make these the easiest ways to stay up to date with the newest deals or glitches so that you can buy them, and possibly cancel later, before the deal disappears. Twitter has made it possible for me to fly from JFK, in New York, all the way to  DPS, in Bali, Indonesia for $500 USD which is unheard of. Remember when I went to South Africa? Thank you @suzzstravels and @theflightdeal for getting me there under $550. And they're not just for international travel! Domestic flights are always included, which give the term "getaways" a whole new meaning. 

Twitter notifications were the best thing for my 2015 journeys. That being said, I believe strongly in saving and financial responsibility. So although I joked about pulling out the credit cards and swiping away, I want to make it clear that you should be responsible. You think you'll forget to cancel the ticket? Don't buy it in the first place, and inherit a financial burden. Financial literacy is extremely important, and your credit doesn't need to be ruined so that you can see the world. Everything takes time, and things come to you when they're supposed to. Don't rush into it, save a bit at a time, and you can make it anywhere!

Note: A savings plan would be an intelligent decision at this point in time. 

 

MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER FOR CONSTANT UPDATES ABOUT...LIFE, LOVE, AND TRAVEL! @WANDERLUSTWAD 

Happy Wandering...

9 Essentials for Every Plane Ride

Hopping on a plane can be exhilarating, terrifying, boring, entertaining and everything in-between. To make the best of your experience, there are some required essentials that you shouldn't forget. Lucky for you, I've labeled them all for you. Why should you trust me? I've been on over 30 flights in the last 9 months. This has taught me way more than I would like to know about planes, and how to make the most of them. So here is your official list:

A sweater
In general, airports are cold, so you'll need it there, but being elevated thousands of feet in the air makes it a necessity for the plane. I've only ever been on one flight that was hot, while on every other one, I shivered. Yes, the airline will most likely supply you with a blanket, but is it enough? No. Bring your coziest sweater and nestle comfortably.

Lotion
It doesn't matter if you applied moisturizer after your shower that morning, on the car ride to the airport, or 3 seconds before they called for boarding, you will need lotion. Your skin will get dry, dry, dry. My hands have actually started to hurt from being so ashy, and LAWD don't get me started on those feet! Just save yourself the embarrassment, the hassle and the ultimate struggle. Pack a nice sized lotion to keep you moisturized in that dry sky.

Socks
The sweater is for your top half, the socks are for your bottom half (sort of). Not sure if your calves ever get cold (weirdo) but mine don't. The best advice I can give you is to slather lotion on your feet and slip the socks on almost immediately, barely giving any air a chance to creep through. I'm so serious about not allowing my feet to snap, crackle, pop from all the ash that would accumulate. Also, while your butt, and your top half will have some friction with the seat, your feet are dangling all lonesome. Show them some love, bring socks.

Chapstick
To continue with the "dry" theme, don't forget about those precious lips! Dab some Vaseline on them or bring along your favorite Burt's Bees flavor and thank me later (*cue Drake*). Cracked lips are not cute on anyone, so be prepared.

Gum
It helps when your ears pop, which I have almost gotten used to. Not to mention, when your breath is as hot as the flames of hell, it helps to keep it at bay, specifically during those long flights. If not for you, just keep some present for the poor kid next to you. Save them from embarrassment and yourself from smelling their horrid breath. Imagine them sleeping with their mouth open and snoring in your direction, yuck! 

Travel Pillow
I used to think these things were so bougie, until I invested in one. On long airplane rides, or if you anticipate on taking a nap during your voyage, there is nothing better. It helps keep your head in place so you're not looking like a bobble-head in these streets. Find one that's perfect for you, there are millions to choose from. I love the ones with memory foam!

Advil
It works the best for me and reduces my headache pain. Sometimes the cheapest flights aren't the easiest ones, and since I'm always looking for the best deal, I often end up with dummy-induced headaches. Those are headaches brought on by dealing with, you guessed it, dummies. So in times of need, I require that my Advil is handy. You never know who you'll encounter, keep your Advil on deck!

Wet Wipes
I keep these handy because they are great sanitizers for those yucky bathrooms, and they're refreshing! Don't bother getting out of your seat to wash your hands before and after you're served food, just pull out a wet wipe! They also smell great and will leave you feeling clean.

Pen
This sounds like a ridiculous essential because "I can just borrow one from someone, right"? Wrong my love, individuals are ever so un-prepared. On most international flights, you will be required to fill out some type of paperwork for entry. You could wait until you land and head over to the designated tables that provide pens with everyone else. Just be prepared to wait...forever. Or, you can bring a pen, fill the sheets out on the plane, and pass the masses. #travelhack

Don't be a dupe while traveling! Remember these essentials to make your plane ride as comfortable as possible, whether you're sitting first class or towards the back of the plane. The majority of these essentials requires that you not depend on anyone for anything. Don't depend on the airline to give you a blanket because they might not, don't depend on someone's shoulder to sleep on, bring your travel-pillow, and don't depend on your saliva to keep your lips moisturized, gross. Be adult, be prepared, and get ready to begin your journey!

What are some of your essentials? Let me know in the comments below?

Happy Wandering