Huh?  Aren’t they one in the same? No, not exactly. Today many “travelers” pride themselves in having wanderlust; the ability to pack up all their belongings and hit the road regardless of having a mapped out plan. They wish to delight in the experience of their journey and take joy in the immersing of a new cultural encounter. A “traveler” wants to expand horizons, discover new cultures and gain a tremendous amount of perspective of the world in which we live hoping to evolve, grow and understand.
The “vacationer” on the other hand, tends to plan a trip to a particular destination to revel in the luxury of relaxation. Sure, they may schedule activities and visit a few nearby attractions, but mostly a vacation is a respite from one’s day to day stresses which allow them to enjoy some free time.  The goal is to be stress-free at a beautiful location, filled with fun, great food and lots of relaxation.
Whether you are planning to “travel the world” or relax on a vacation, having a realistic budget for each is highly recommended. Here are a few money tips for both the traveler and vacationer:

• Create a real, detailed budget and stick to it!

• Be flexible – consider alternate airports the savings may be worth the diversion.

• Do some research online to find the lowest fares and hotel discounts through sites like Booking.com, Airbnb, Kayak, and Momondo

• Sign up for a credit card with loyalty rewards programs; use accumulated points to book a flight, pay for a room or receive upgrades. Be sure to use this card wisely – pay entire bill each month to avoid interest charges.

• Sign up for hotel and airline rewards programs and receive discounts when you book directly with the hotel or airline.

• Travel during the off-season when discounts are widely available, this may help you save $.

For the traveler:

• Couch surf or check out hostelworld and sublets for gypsys on Facebook

• Find volunteer work that provides room and board on websites like workaway.info

• Exchange services for food and a place to stay check out woof.net or help.net. Be sure to check the reviews!

Whether you choose to “vacation, travel” or combine both, look for new ways to keep the costs low and the experiences high. Remember you can “vacation” or “travel” in any city or country, sometimes just wandering the streets can be an adventure. The difference is in the experience you seek.
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