11 Essential Life Changes I Made Before Traveling

If you’re looking to travel long-term or simply want to travel more frequently, you’ll likely need to make some important lifestyle changes and additions to your routine. After spending a few years traveling on and off before eventually transitioning to full-time travel, I had to adjust many aspects of my life to make it sustainable. These changes can be big or small, and you can implement them gradually or all at once.

Personally, I introduced them step by step as I eased into full-time travel, and now that I’m living on the road, I’m so grateful my past self took the time to make these shifts. Of course, not all of these will apply to everyone—it depends on your current routine and lifestyle. I’m simply sharing the key adjustments I made that might help anyone looking to turn travel into a full-time career or just explore the world more often.

So let’s get right into it!

Contacts and Glasses

Let’s start with a crucial aspect of life—eyesight! I’ve been wearing glasses and contacts for half of my life, relying entirely on disposable daily contacts during my “blind life.” When I was traveling on and off, I stuck to my dailies, packing exactly what I needed along with a few extras. However, when I made the decision to travel full-time, I had to switch to monthly contacts. This meant adjusting from tossing my contacts out each night to keeping the same pair for an entire month—a challenging transition since I was so used to the convenience of disposables.

But now, after five months of living out of a backpack, I can’t imagine how much space 10 months’ worth of daily contacts would take up. Although the switch required practice beforehand—getting into the habit of removing them properly and ensuring they stayed clean and comfortable—I’m incredibly grateful I made this pivotal change in my eyesight journey.

Credit and Debit Cards

At the beginning of my travel journey, about three years ago, I finally upgraded the types of cards I was using. At the time, I was only 18 and had no idea which cards I needed, what made the most sense, or how to even get started! Now that I’ve figured it out, let me give you a quick rundown of what I use and why I think these cards are so beneficial.

There are two essential cards I rely on. The first is my Charles Schwab debit card, which I use for ATM withdrawals. This card is a game-changer because it allows you to take out money anywhere in the world without international fees. Plus, you can load as much or as little money as you want, so you never have to worry about keeping thousands of dollars on it while using ATMs abroad. Not only is it cost-effective, but it also adds a layer of security in case your card gets lost or stolen.

The second card I use is the Chase Sapphire, which is an excellent credit card for travelers. It offers so many benefits, such as 5x points on travel expenses, deals with Lyft, and a whole travel portal to book through! Both of these cards make my life so much easier and help me stretch my money further while traveling.

Travel Insurance 

One of the most important things I did before setting off on my full-time travel journey was purchasing reliable and affordable travel insurance. Travel insurance is a must, and I’ve already used mine so many times. Getting sick or injured is inevitable, and without the right coverage, an unexpected medical bill could set you back financially. I’ve used mine for both health-related and non-health-related issues, and it has saved me every time. I actually have a whole article detailing my experience with travel insurance, so be sure to check that out!

Haircut

This next one is more of a personal preference, but it has been a game-changer for me. When I first started traveling, I had long hair, and keeping it healthy and clean on the road was a struggle. It constantly got tangled, caught on things, and took forever to wash and dry. Eventually, I chopped it off, and now, with short hair, everything is so much easier. It takes less time to wash and style, and I use way fewer hair products.

Plus, for those who keep up with hair dye or highlights, this is not only an expensive habit to maintain while traveling, but it’s also difficult to find reliable places to get touch-ups. Again, this is totally a personal choice, but as you’ll see in the next few sections, the way you look becomes way less important when you’re constantly on the move.