The Travel Hacks Money Experts Actually Use

Want to know how to travel smarter? Ask people who obsess over every dollar and still manage to see the world.

Crystal Hammond and Joe Saul-Sehy just got back from FinCon in Portland, where they collected travel wisdom from some of the sharpest money minds and most experienced travelers they know. These aren't Instagram travel influencers with brand deals—these are people who've figured out how to maximize every trip, extract value from corporate travel, and turn credit card points into actual adventures.

From Lacey Langford's wallet-friendly strategies to Steve Stewart's genius networking hack (that works way beyond conferences), this episode is packed with tactics you can actually use. You'll hear how to leverage corporate discounts for personal travel, pack like a minimalist without sacrificing essentials, squeeze every drop of value from credit card perks, and even use Instacart to skip the vacation grocery run.

Crystal and Joe also tackle the AI question: can ChatGPT actually plan your trip, or will it send you to a restaurant that closed three years ago? Plus, they share stories from YouTubers, TikTok creators, and fellow travel hackers who've cracked the code on exploring without going broke.

Whether you're planning your next weekend getaway or dreaming of something bigger, this episode turns money-nerd wisdom into your personal travel playbook.

And stick around for the Gear of the Day—a roadside essential every adventurer should keep close.

What You'll Take With You:

• Steve Stewart's networking strategy that makes conferences (and travel connections) actually pay off

• Lacey Langford's proven tactics for saving money without sacrificing comfort or fun

• How to turn business travel into personal adventures using corporate perks

• Michelle Lambright's credit card strategy: which perks matter and which are just marketing

• Em's frugal travel hacks that let you travel like you have money even when you're watching every dollar

• When AI travel planning helps—and when you need to verify everything it tells you

• The corporate discount secrets that work even if you're not traveling for work

This Episode Is For You If:

• You want to travel more but your budget keeps saying "maybe next year"

• You're tired of travel advice from people who clearly aren't paying for their own trips

• You've got credit card points but no idea how to actually use them effectively

• You want practical hacks, not just inspiration porn from someone's highlight reel

• You believe smart travel is about experiences per dollar, not just checking boxes on a bucket list

Ready to Level Up Your Next Trip?

What's your best travel hack that actually saves money? Drop it in the comments—we're always looking to add to our arsenal. And if you've got a disaster story about following bad travel advice (looking at you, AI recommendations), we want to hear that too.

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