188. How Tilting Futures is Reimagining the Gap Year & Shaping Future Leaders (Erin Lewellen)
The Thought Card: Smart Travel Tips and Travel Hacking For Financially Savvy Travelers
Release Date: 03/13/2025
203. Why You Need a Vacation Savings System to Travel Without Money Stress
The Thought Card: Smart Travel Tips and Travel Hacking For Financially Savvy Travelers
Are your vacations leaving you feeling stressed or refreshed? A lot of aspiring travelers struggle with saving for travel because their approach to savings is broken or incomplete. I reveal why a simple, repeatable vacation savings system is the key to guilt-free travel and why automating your savings can turn dream trips into full-funded vacations. If you’ve ever wondered why your dream trips feel out of reach or why your credit card bills always follow your adventures, this episode will shift the way you think about travel finances and show you the path to more freedom, more trips, and...
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202. Your Ultimate Guide to Vermont’s Covered Bridges: What to See, Where to Go & How to Plan with Beth Brown Limmer
The Thought Card: Smart Travel Tips and Travel Hacking For Financially Savvy Travelers
Did you know that Vermont is home to nearly 100 covered bridges? Each one a piece of history, craftsmanship, and scenic beauty. Beth Brown Limmer, president of the Vermont Covered Bridge Society, shares everything you need to know to plan your own covered bridge adventure. From the most photogenic bridges to hidden gems that often go overlooked, we’ll cover where to go, what to see, and how to make the most of your Vermont road trip. Whether you’re visiting during fall foliage, spring blooms, or the quiet calm of winter, you’ll learn why Vermont’s covered bridges are...
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201. How To Plan an Affordable Europe Trip For First-Timers: Insider Tips with Oliver Winter
The Thought Card: Smart Travel Tips and Travel Hacking For Financially Savvy Travelers
Planning your first trip to Europe? Oliver Winter, founder of a&o Hostels, one of Europe’s fastest-growing hostel brands, shares insider tips on how first-time travelers can explore Europe more affordably. Oliver reveals how hostels have evolved far beyond backpacker basics to welcome families, digital nomads, and business travelers. Tune in for timeless European travel advice that applies whether this is your first trip or your tenth. You’ll learn what to pack, how to spot real value when booking accommodations, and smart ways to stretch your travel budget without...
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200. How Chelsea Riffe Paid Off $10K in Credit Card Debt While Traveling Full-Time
The Thought Card: Smart Travel Tips and Travel Hacking For Financially Savvy Travelers
So much is possible when you get intentional about your money. Chelsea Riffe’s journey is proof that you don’t have to wait to take action. You can make aligned, empowering financial choices right where you are, even if you’re halfway across the world. After a whirlwind group trip left her deep in debt, Chelsea made a bold decision: get serious about her finances without putting her nomadic lifestyle on pause. She chose destinations with lower costs of living, kept her rent under $1,000 per month, embraced co-living, cooked her meals, and created a simple, sustainable...
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199. Introducing 'Frommer's Travel Show' by Pauline Frommer
The Thought Card: Smart Travel Tips and Travel Hacking For Financially Savvy Travelers
"Frommer's Travel Show" is a trusted resource for what's happening in the world of travel today. Learn about under-the-radar destinations, different travel styles, and smart strategies for traveling more affordably. 🎧 Listen to Frommer's Travel Show on , , or wherever you tune in. Oh, and tell Pauline that Danielle from The Thought Card Podcast sent you! Read or listen to our podcast episode together: - Episode 198 Discover more incredible travel podcasts by . Connect With Pauline Fromer Website: Connect With Danielle Desir...
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198. Stop Overpaying for Travel: Hidden Fees, Pricing Tricks, and Smarter Booking Tips with Pauline Frommer
The Thought Card: Smart Travel Tips and Travel Hacking For Financially Savvy Travelers
The travel industry makes billions from travelers overpaying. Today we’re exposing the traps that drain your wallet—and how to avoid them. Many of us overspend on travel without even realizing it, falling prey to shiny marketing tactics or getting caught off guard by hidden fees we didn’t see coming. Pauline Frommer knows exactly how the travel industry works and ways the industry gets you to spend more than you should. She’s pulling back the curtain on the travel industry’s pricing tactics, shares how to spot real value, and gives us a smarter game plan for booking great...
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197. How to Take Better Travel Videos (and Must-Have Camera Gear) with Juliana Broste
The Thought Card: Smart Travel Tips and Travel Hacking For Financially Savvy Travelers
Ever come home from a trip with a bunch of random video clips… and no idea what to do with them? 😅 Today, I’m joined by Emmy Award-winning travel filmmaker Juliana Broste (also known as Jules), who is sharing her best tips for capturing better travel videos. We’re diving into shot setup, storytelling, and must-have gear for filming on the go. From beginner-friendly accessories to tips for filming solo—and even how to actually use your footage later—this episode will help you level up your travel videos, whether you’re using your phone or a camera. Read blog post: ...
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196. How To Book FREE Stopovers and Visit Two Cities for the Price of One with Charlotte Gage
The Thought Card: Smart Travel Tips and Travel Hacking For Financially Savvy Travelers
✈️ What if you could visit a second country on your next trip without paying extra? Charlotte Gage joins us to share how stopovers can unlock free bonus destinations on your next vacation. Learn the difference between a layover and a stopover, how to book them, and which airlines offer the best deals — plus insider tips to make the most of your time on the ground. Read blog post: Charlotte Gage is what she calls a “professional traveler.” She helps make travel safer, more cost-effective, and more accessible. So far, she has been to over 50 countries and all 50 US states....
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195. Is Budget Travel Still Possible? What You Need To Know in 2025 Feat. Matthew Kepnes
The Thought Card: Smart Travel Tips and Travel Hacking For Financially Savvy Travelers
Think travel is too expensive in today’s economy? Think again. I’m joined by Matthew Kepnes, a.k.a. Nomadic Matt, to explore whether budget travel is still possible in 2025 and beyond. Read blog post: We get into: Money-saving tips that still work Travel hacks that no longer do Surprising destinations where your dollar stretches way farther than you’d expect Back in 2005, one trip to Thailand changed Matt’s life forever. He quit his job, set off to backpack the world for a year... and never stopped. Since then, he's spent the last two decades helping millions of...
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194. How To Outsmart Thieves While Traveling With Rachel Bloom
The Thought Card: Smart Travel Tips and Travel Hacking For Financially Savvy Travelers
Ever had that heart-sinking feeling when you realize your wallet, phone, or bag has gone missing? You're not alone. Over two million people a year become victims of theft while traveling. Rachel Bloom is the designer of stylish smart bags built to protect your valuables on the go. She shares common ways travelers get targeted by thieves and easy habits to keep your belongings safe. Read blog post: We talk about: Rachel's personal pickpocketing story that sparked her business Easy habits to keep your stuff safe in crowded spaces What most travel bags get wrong—and...
info_outlineTravel can be a transformative experience that helps you learn about yourself and the world, pushing you out of your comfort zone and fostering personal growth.
One of the best times to have a transformational travel experience is during a gap year, in this case, between high school and college.
Erin Lewellen, CEO of Tilting Futures shares her life-changing trip to South Africa at the age of 22, where she volunteered with survivors of domestic violence. This experience deepened her understanding of global challenges, fostered humility and courage.
Through her work with Tilting Futures, learn how stepping outside the classroom can be one of the most powerful ways to shape the future.
Whether you're a young person exploring your purpose, or looking to inspire the next generation, this conversation is packed with insights on the power of experiential learning, the importance of social impact, and the incredible opportunities that await when you embrace the unknown.
Read blog post: https://thoughtcard.com/travel-personal-development/
Learn more about Tilting Futures’ global gap year programs by visiting tiltingfutures.org.
Connect with Erin Lewellen on LinkedIn: @erinlewellen
Other Episodes You’ll Enjoy
- Going To College in Europe is More Affordable - Episode 81
- How To Achieve Your Travel Goals Step-by-Step - Episode 182
- Trips vs Vacations: What’s the Difference? - Episode 179
Connect With Danielle Desir Corbett
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