Travel Tips With Megan Hassa

So you're planning a trip and want to make it an affordable and epic experience? We've teamed up with freediver and world traveler, Megan Hassa to bring you the most necessary trip planning essentials to help you save money on your next adventure. With 50k followers on instagram, Hassa is inspiring others to push comfort zones and explore the world in non-traditional (and very Woodies-like) ways. 

One of the best things to bless the lives of travelers is Airbnb. Whether you're a solo traveler willing to rent a room in a house or someone who wants an entire house for themselves and other guests, Airbnb has it all and often is a much more affordable alternative to hotels. This can be a major money-saver. Traveling with other people is definitely a way to go to help save money. "It all depends on what kind of experience you're wanting" says Hassa. "If you're someone who doesn't care where you stay since you'll be out adventuring most of the time, you can get Airbnb's for super cheap. Other than Airbnb, I would say guest houses are also an affordable alternative to hotels". Hassa has been to about 30 different countries in her young adult life. 

If you're a more last-minute traveler and go where the wind takes you, Airbnb experiences is also an awesome resource. No, this is not an ad! Some people like to have an itinerary so they don't have idle time trying to plan things out when they arrive to their destination. Others, don't really like to plan. When asked whether Hassa is a planner or more of a nomadic traveler, she said ""For the most part, I like to wing it. I think that leaves room to explore and do things that I didn't know about before but I like to have a rough itinerary. I leave a lot of time open to figure things out and experience new things." No matter which end of the spectrum you are on, you can easily search for things to do in and around your destination using Airbnb Experiences and don't forget to check out Facebook's Events feature to see what's going on around you, too. This is an awesome resource if you're looking to indulge in local experiences. 

"Eat local" Hassa said in reference to saving money on food while traveling. "In most of Asia, it's really affordable but in places like Tahiti, food can be really expensive and for the most part, I try to stay away from eating out and just try to eat local. Whether it's local markets or grocery stores. I do canned Tuna with everything!" Here are some easy foods when on the go:

-Sandwiches

-Apples & peanut butter

-Pasta

-Canned Tuna 

-Rice 

-Dry ramen

-Intant mashed potatoes 

-Canned soup

-Canned beans

The burning question, how do you save on flights?! "I like using Google Flights because it compiles flights from all over and organizes them for you in one place. In comparison to other tools, it's usually a little cheaper. I also use my Chase Saphire card for points so I can use those on flights when necessary. But I am often traveling for work so I get to save on flights which is amazing" says Hassa. 

Have you ever gotten to your destination and realized you should have brought something because it costs 10x more than back home? Hassa says she would recommend packing sunscreen, bandaids, topical antibiotics, lotion and chapstick. Those are often missed in the packing process. As someone who is outdoors a lot, she would recommend packing for all types of conditions no matter what. Don't forget those sunglasses, too! 

Thank you for chatting with us Megan, we hope you enjoy your Woodies sunnies and that you'll carry us with you on all your many adventures to come!