My teen just returned from her first solo, as in without her mom + sibling entourage, international trip. Before she went, I purchased travel insurance for her, just as I now do for all of my big travels with my children.

Why buy travel insurance for a teen, who obviously doesn’t need it for reasons such as rental car coverage?  And why buy it for myself and my kids?

Let me tell you….

Once upon a time, when my babies were well, legit babies and not the big kids they are today, there was a time when I went on a lengthy international trip and sometime toward the end of the trip I got homesick. Really homesick. I looked into changing my travel dates to return home sooner and discovered that making the changes would cost me nearly $6,000.

That’s when it hit me.  Traveling with a brood as large as mine, should anything happen to one of them, to me, to my husband back at home (he’s often not traveling with us) or to a close family member and I needed to get home, the cost of making an urgent flight change alone could seriously impact my finances.  As my parents age, I see the need for travel insurance as even more important.

Yes, travel insurance is an additional expense.  It’s big, but in the grand scheme of life and travel, it’s not typically that big.

For my teen’s trip, which involved running mountains, the added expense of $78 for trip insurance which included coverage for extrication and the cost of covering travel for someone to be by her side in the event of an emergency, was well worth my piece of mind.

For my husband’s international running adventures, spending not too much more than $100 for a typical trip, also gives me and our family piece of mind, just in case.

You can find travel insurance comparison tools online that will show you competitive travel quotes. Over the years, I’ve purchased travel insurance through a few different companies, but now my family consistently and happily relies on World Nomads.

Why World Nomads Travel Insurance?

First off, when I want to buy something travel related I research it to death. My family knows I LOVE to research and they know how much I love sifting through reviews, documentation, and information.  I’ve done a lot of research on travel insurance over the years, and while I’ve thankfully never *needed* travel insurance to make a claim, fingers crossed, knock on wood, other like-minded, wanderlust, adventure seeking travelers like myself and my family have reported, reviewed, and blogged about positive experiences with World Nomads.

I like what World Nomads covers and its very clear list of covered/excluded activities, so you know before you hit the road whether your activity will be A-okay.  Since my family does a lot of running-related adventures and races, this is really useful.

I appreciate that World Nomads seems to get its travelers…a range of traveler types from resort goers to glampers to mountain adventure seeking adventurers–and individuals to large families. World Nomads also offers policies for short travel itineraries to long, slow, nomadic travel. And slow travel is my thing.

If you’re looking for “coverage for the unexpected,” it’s definitely worth checking out World Nomads for your travel insurance.

Check Your Credit Card Benefits

When you’re planning your trip, contact your credit card company and find out whether your card offers you any travel protections.  While your credit card is unlikely a substitute for dedicated travel insurance, it may offer certain travel protections, such as rental car, travel delay, and/or lost luggage coverage. It’s certainly worth looking into–or making the switch to a credit card that does offer travel benefits–and getting a better idea of what you ultimately need in a travel insurance policy.

Happy Adventures! Happy Wandering!

*Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Wanderschool sometimes receives a small commission from sales of certain items through affiliate links, but the price is the same for you. The perspective shared in this post is based on my experience with this item.

Magazine subscriptions? Seriously? Do people actually subscribe to magazines these days?  Doesn’t having a magazine subscription run counter to having a flexible lifestyle?

Yes. Seriously.

Yes. People subscribe.

No. Magazines are perfect for inspiring your flexible travel lifestyle!

Markdown Madness: 70-90% Off. Valid through 4/16

I love getting magazines in the mail. Not junk magazines, but legit magazines that support and further my interests.  For example, I love yoga, so I look forward to receiving a copy of Yoga Journal in the mail each month.

If you’re dreaming about a travel lifestyle, flexible work-life balance, or homeschooling your children, I recommend subscribing to magazines that support your interests, dreams, and plans.  For example, if you are thinking that you’d like to launch a freelance writing career to support a travel lifestyle, a magazine that shows up regularly in your mailbox might help you stay focused and on track, like Writer’s Digest. If you’re looking for business ideas, you might want a magazine like Entrepreneur.  If you’re interested in outdoor adventures, you might like magazines like Outside or Backpacker, picks that will give you destination ideas, planning tips, and cutting-edge gear suggestions.

Magazine Picks for Supporting and Encouraging Flexible Travel Lifestyle Dreams

Money. I subscribed to Money for years. Simple, straightforward advice that puts money stuff into ordinary words. If you want to travel full-time or integrate more travel into your life, there’s simply no escaping the money topic. Grab a subscription and get your finances on track.

A side hustle could be exactly what you need to literally getting on the road for solo or family adventure.  A side job or business idea can help you pay down or pay off debt. It can also be the source of income that fills a travel savings piggy bank.  A side hustle could also be that job, project, or business that ultimately turns into a full-time gig that allows you to quit your day job and spend your days doing what you dream about now.

Who doesn’t want extra income?  Benefits of a side hustle:

*Pay down / Pay off debt
*Creative outlet that let’s you focus on something you enjoy while making additional $
*Scale back your day job commitment or retire sooner
*Save for travel adventures
*Design a lifestyle around the hustle that allows for a full-time travel lifestyle, slow travel, or flexible living
*Create a life where you can live on your own terms

Check out these related articles:
How Do You Afford Roadschool Travel Adventures
11 Ways You Can Live for Free or Nearly Free in Your RV
Cut Your Travel Budget: How to Find Cheap or Free Family Housing While Traveling

20+ Side Hustles to Make Extra Money So You Can Travel or Live a Travel Lifestyle

Swoop up your side hustle niche on Instagram and Social Media.  Start on your side hustle today!  Launch an Instagram profile and start filling it with captioned images of your side hustle. Want to start a side business as a photographer? Want to become a life coach or start a mobile RV repair business? Use Instagram and other social media platforms to start showcasing your work and services. Caption your work, promote it, and build a following of potential clients and fans.

Build a blog.  Even in our limited attention span world, blogs are still relevant. A blog is incredibly important for launching and growing your side hustle. A blog gives you a place on the Internet to promote what you do, to build a following, and to showcase what you do or offer.

Sell on Craigslist, eBay, Facebook Classified Groups or Instagram. This is a great way to declutter your home as you prepare for a life of future travel. You can also step it up a notch and turn reselling into a lucrative gig. Some benefit by creating a specific niche, such as selling designer clothes, specific brands, or specialize in products, such as a niche seller of sleeping bag liners or reseller of limited edition running clothing. I know one woman who maintains her eBay and Instagram shops around her kid’s daily schedule, checking in via iPhone on orders and posting new products on the go.