In 2012, my husband and I, along with our 4 children (then ages 2, 5, 7 and 9) walked the famous ‘Way’ pilgrimage: The Camino de Santiago.  I remember spending weeks researching the right gear for the trip.  One of the essentials most important to me was my backpack. I spent hours pouring over online reviews.  I wanted a pack that would fit well with my smaller frame, but promised to be comfortable.  After all, I would wear it for hours each day for days.

The pack I ended up purchasing, and one that I have subsequently recommended to friends and to-be pilgrims was/is the Deuter ACT Trail 28 SL Hiking Backpack.

You might ask, why are you writing about this backpack 6 years after you walked the Camino de Santiago?  Well, I am now planning another big hiking adventure and my (now) teenager needed a backpack.  I wanted to find a lightweight, women’s fit backpack and guess what pack once again appeared consistently at the top of all reviews?

Yep, you guessed it.

The Deuter ACT Trail 28 SL Hiking Backpack.

So, I bought it.  Comparing the pack to my six year old pack, it seems there are few changes, if any, besides the removal of a strap and a less bulky hip belt pocket–changes which I assume help reduce the weight of this already light pack.

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.

I’m the mom who drags her kids around Manhattan just to get a good chai latte. There is no such thing as a ‘long block’ when chai is calling my name.

For me, a good chai latte consists of the right amount of spice and sweetness with mild, not bitter almond milk.

Given how much time I spend at Starbucks #starbucksschooling my kids, you might guess that I’d be obsessed with Starbucks chai lattes.  Nope, no sale.  I like Starbucks chai lattes if they contain regular, cow’s milk, but I prefer to avoid dairy when I can. While my teen really likes Starbucks almond milk, I think it is bitter and has an overly roasted, almond, nutty taste. She thinks maybe I’m a bit nutty. I also think the chai concentrate that Starbucks uses is heavy on the sweetness and light on the spice.

When I’m in NYC, I enjoy trying chai lattes at the many unique coffee shops scattered around the city.  When I’m in the mood for a sure-to-like cup, these are my go-to coffee shops for a good chai latte. They serve chai lattes made not from real spices and/or a pre-made concentrate, and not from powder mixes.

Stumptown Coffee Roasters at Amazon

Best Chai Lattes in New York City