After graduating back in 2015 we made it our mission to make traveling a big part of our lives. We needed to find simple ways to travel more often while working a full-time job.

It doesn't matter how long the trips are or how far you go. Traveling is just about doing something fun and exciting.

The initial goal was to take over 24 vacations each year. Not sure if you did the math but 24 vacations a year roughly adds up to every other weekend.

Most of our trips are simple weekend getaways exploring cities or hikes nearby. We also try to find smaller adventures that we can go on during our work week just to add even more travel into our lives.

Even though we love our simple getaways, we also like a few grand vacation blowouts during the year. We're talking bigger trips that last several weeks in a faraway destination.

With traveling so often, the question everyone seems to ask is “how do you go on so many vacations while working"?

We will admit we were very lucky to find a job that allows us to change locations multiple times a year. It also helps that our salary allows us to make travel a main part of our budget.

Even without these factors, we would still be vacationing as much as possible thanks to our travel bug. When traveling is important to you, there are ways to make it happen.

We have found that regardless of your work schedule or travel budget, there are simple ways to help you get out of the house and start traveling.

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Always be Searching for Deals

Sometimes money is the biggest limitation when it comes to vacations. We get it, traveling can be expensive so let's save money wherever we can.

That's why searching for deals can be such a huge help. You get the same experience as others but for half the price.

You can find deals on

• Flights
• Hotels
• Activities

You can typically find ways to get notified when good deals come about so you don't have to worry about missing anything. Setting up for deal alerts may just be the incentive you have always needed to travel more.

When we first started traveling the location wasn't as important to us. We let the deals plan our trip for us.

This is why we decided to take a trip to Cook Islands. We had never heard of this small island until a flight deal popped up for $500 plane tickets (more than half off!) and we jumped at the chance.

We still love the occasional spontaneous trip but now that we have more room in our budget for travel we search for deals differently. With a destination or time frame in mind, we'll search for any deal that could save us money.

Searching for cheap flights is how we visit the Pacific Northwest so often when working in California. There are typically cheap flights to big cites in neighboring states perfect for a quick weekend.

The sites and apps we often use for airfare deals are Google Flights, Scott's Cheap Flights, Hopper, and Last Minute Travel Deals. There are a ton more that we don't use but we really should.

Find Out What’s Nearby

There are typically fun and possibly free activities all within about 200 miles of you. We know 200 miles might seem like a lot but that is typically less than a 3-hour drive.

Most people seem to only look up attractions in the city they live in, forgetting about all the other possibilities just outside city lines. Sometimes this is seasonal, as we have noticed more activities are offered in the summer, but it never hurts to look.

We like using Facebook to search for activities in nearby cities since you can search by category. This is how we stumbled upon a taco festival that was only two hours away.

We also like to find larger cities nearby and search on Pinterest for things to do. It will typically bring up some really good blog posts that you can read through and decide what would make the best day for you.

You can always find a cool nearby hotel and book a room for the night. Treat it as a mini-vacation even if your home is a few blocks away.

Use Up Your Entire “Off” Time

No matter what your schedule is, you have to make sure and utilize your days off. This means starting the trip the moment you get off work.

Be packed and ready to go before your shift even ends. The moment you clock out...it's vacation time.

Sometimes making the most of your off-time means sacrificing a bit of sleep or spare time. This allows you to see and do so much more.

During our first six months of working, we did the 8-5 schedule but still managed to take over 12 vacations. During this time we only had to take off 1.5 days from work.

We did this by leaving straight after work and making the most of every hour that encompassed the “weekend”. Sometimes we drove through the night or took the red-eye.

You might think of the weekends as a chance to sleep in but we wake up at 5 am even when traveling. This way we have even more time for whatever adventures are in store for the day.

Get Creative

There are always little ways to save money if you are willing to do things a little differently. Just try to think outside of the box. 

Remember, there are no set rules for what is and what is not a vacation. By getting creative you can plan vacations that work better for your busy schedule or tight budget.

Camping is almost always cheaper than hotel rooms. Even if you are going to visit a big city, check out if there is a campsite nearby.

If you want to visit a big city but don’t want to spend a lot of money, be more open to having flexible plans. Look for food trucks to eat at or bars that offer free live music to save money.

Look for attractions with free admission. There are often museums with free admission which could be a way to see things you wouldn't have seen otherwise.

Be a Little Crazy

Sometimes you have to think to yourself “this is crazy” but still do it anyway. Getting out of your comfort zone or trying something new can help experience vacations that you otherwise would have passed over.

So far in our traveling adventures, we have only once driven through the night once. It was very crazy (and tiring) but the reward of the vacation made it more than worth it.

The thought of "is it worth it" was holding us back. We were shutting certain vacations down because we were letting simple logistics overwhelm us.

Is an 11-hour drive worth a two-day vacation? Sometimes the answer is yes. It might seem crazy but it's worth it in the end.

Have Fun Traveling

Now go out and travel. In the words of Donna and Tom from Parks and Rec, it’s time to “treat yo self”.

No vacation is too small and no destination is too boring if the trip means something to you. Enjoy the journey, and enjoy the moment.