This week is brought to you by one of the most popular posts of the month: How to finance your travels.
Members of the group share tips and what works for them to finance their vacation and I wanted to highlight some of them.
I am also including a request from a post-graduate student from Edinburgh into women only travel. As you know, we support more research and advocacy in the industry, and conduct an annual survey ourselves since 2020. We are including Kathleen's interview request in the hopes that one of you will be interested in furthering research into this subject too. Meg already participated in an interview with her.
And if you have not listened to it yet, this week's podcast episode is all about Scotland. Naomi, our local guide, helps you plan your trip, shares tips and all her insider knowledge for the best trip ever.
This question is often asked in the group in various shapes and forms, but the way this one was asked brought up useful tips and tricks members use to finance their travels:
How to save for travel
Setting aside an automatic amount that is moved to another separate account on a monthly basis. This could be as little as $50 from every salary payment and done immediately after the salary gets paid so the money is no longer there for you to spend
A piggy bank at home where you put X amount every time you don't spend it something that is not essential, like an ice cream or a coffee. It can add up quite a lot at the end of the month.
Using credit card points. This is a very commonly used one that requires strict financial discipline to make sure the debt is paid off and your credit score unaffected.
Pet sitting through Rover in the place that you live in, so you don't necessarily always live in the place the dog is, but can stay home and go and visit him, plus take him out for walks a few times a day.
Subletting a room in your house through short term rental apps like Airbnb can be really great. You still live in the place so you just need a guest room you can empty and clear for guests.
Plasma donations offer generous payments in many countries, maybe in yours too?
Sell unwanted items on second hand online platforms like eBay or Vinted. My mother sells everything she doesn't use, and then also my stuff. This month we put up for sale all the designer high heel shoes I hope to make over 1,000 EUR from shoes I have barely worn in years.
A side hustle job like delivery, tutoring, bar tendering, baby sitting, etc. or even a temporary part time summer job that can be fully put into the travel savings account.
Research into women-only group travel
Women-only group tours are becoming increasingly popular, but we still know relatively little from an academic perspective about what motivates women to choose this style of travel.
My name is Kathleen Donahue, and I am a postgraduate student at Edinburgh Napier University. I am conducting my dissertation research on women's motivations for choosing all-women package tours.
What does participation involve?
I am looking for women who are willing to participate in an online interview lasting 30-45 minutes. The interview will explore topics such as motivations for booking and expectations of safety, social connections, personal growth, as well as reflections your travels with an all-women group. Interviews will be conducted online through Microsoft Teams or Google Meet. No preparation is required, and participation is entirely voluntary and confidential.
Who can take part?
Women aged 18 or older
From North America
Who have taken part in 1 or more commercial all-women group tours (any tour company, domestic or international)
By sharing your experiences, you'll be contributing to research into a rapidly growing yet under-researched area of tourism.
The findings will help improve our understanding of women's travel motivations and may provide valuable insights for tour operators seeking to better meet the needs of female travelers.
If you are interested in participating, please fill out this Dissertation Participant Interest Form – Fill out form. If you would like more information, please contact me at 40777591@live.napier.ac.uk using the subject line “Dissertation Study”. I'd be more than happy to answer any questions and arrange an interview at a time that suits you!
Thank you for your consideration!
Check out our 2026 / 2027 calendar of tours
A new spot opened up on our previously sold Antarctica trip. Book here.
A group of giraffes in the Serengeti
See the full list of our future trips below.
✅ = Trip is confirmed ☑️ = SOLD OUT 💃 = I or Meg will co-host these trips
2026 trips
🚗 Cuba: 29 Dec 2026 to 4 Jan, 2027 (New Year's Eve) >> Book here
🧘♀️ Bali: ✅ 3 to 11 Oct [1 SPOT LEFT] >> Book here
🌮 Oaxaca: ✅ 11 to 17 Oct || ✅ 29 Dec 2026 to 4 Jan 2027 >> Book here
