Common Travel Excuses Busted - National Storage Australia

Travelling the world is an item on many a bucket list, but not everyone gets around to ticking it off. Whether it is work, money or possessions, there are several life factors that hold people back from pursuing their dream of touring the world.

Let’s take a look at the most common excuses for putting off travel and why you shouldn’t let them stop you from buying that plane ticket.

“I can’t afford it.”

While travelling abroad can be expensive, you don’t have to be on a huge salary to afford your journey. Yes, rent and bills are a constant expense that can make saving for a holiday feel like an endless uphill battle, but it’s all about prioritising your funds.

Do you really need to buy a coffee every day? Or go out for dinner and drinks every weekend? You’ll be surprised how much extra cash you have on your hands when you start to compromise these little luxuries to save for your travel plans. Is an Italian adventure worth more than a hundred caramel lattes? Yes. Yes it is.

Here are some great comparison examples to motivate you:

150 Friday night beers = return flight to Italy ($1,200)
20 trips to the cinema = 5 nights in Phuket ($300)
10 Sunday brunch meals = bungee jumping in New Zealand ($195)
25 coffees = 2-day pass to Universal Studios Hollywood ($119)
10 big nights out = 9-day South African safari tour ($1,300)

“I can’t leave my house unattended.”

Does the thought of your empty, defenceless house make you uneasy about leaving town? Alleviate your concerns with our handy list of things to do before you leave your home unattended:

Purchase a programmable light switch timer that automatically turns your lights on and off, deterring thieves by making it look like there is someone home to flick the switches.
Arrange for your mail to be diverted to a friend or family member’s home to ensure you receive all important mail and documents and nothing gets lost in your absence.
If you have a pet and no friend or family member to take care of them while you’re away, book them into a kennel or cattery. They’ll love having their own little holiday, too!

Give yourself extra peace of mind by advising your neighbours of your travel plans and asking them to keep an eye on the place. As for watering your plants – what are friends and family for?

“I have too much going on at work right now.”

Let’s face it: work is always busy. There’ll never be a perfect, work-free week for you to take off for a holiday. While you may think travelling just means you’ll have an extra week of work to attend to when you get back, it also means you’ll be coming back refreshed and rejuvenated. And that feeling more than makes up for the couple of deadlines you had to push back to make time for your annual leave.

Who knows? Travelling may open your eyes to an entirely different industry you hadn’t considered before. You might even return from your holiday and realise that it’s time to quit and pursue new interests (but it’ll probably just make you wish you were a travel blogger).

“I have nowhere to store my valuables.”

Before embarking on a long-term holiday, it’s a good idea to put expensive items out of plain sight. If you’re concerned potential thieves will peek through your windows and spot your jewellery, computer or flat screen TV, it is best to keep them hidden away.

If your cupboards are already overflowing and you don’t have a friend or family member to store your valuables for you while you’re away, consider hiring a self-storage unit for a month or two and keep your possessions safe and secure until you return.

You may think there is no perfect time to embark on an overseas adventure, with life and all its obstacles standing in the way. But if exploring foreign lands is important to you, you will make the time. Now we have busted the most common excuses for not travelling, it’s time to buy that ticket!