Harris Financial Coaching Blog

Sometimes the best part of a trip is not the big-ticket attraction. It is the place you wander into for food, then end up staying because every corner has something different to see. That was Ponce City Market for us in Atlanta. We visited three times during our three-day trip because it was close to everything and gave us a little bit of everything: food, desserts, local shops, rooftop views, vintage finds, and easy access to the Atlanta BeltLine.

Tybee Island is just outside historic Savannah and is known for its beaches, lighthouse, seafood, and coastal feel. The official Tybee Island visitor guide describes it as a coastal escape with several beach areas, including North Beach, Mid Beach, Back River Beach, South Beach, and Little Tybee Island. For this trip, we spent about $500 total for a four-day getaway, and the biggest reason it worked was that we planned before we packed.

Military families often know how to stretch a dollar because they have had to. Between moves, deployments, family visits, school schedules, and tight vacation windows, travel is rarely as simple as picking a destination and booking the first price that pops up. But here is what I have learned as a veteran, military spouse, financial counselor, and someone who loves to travel: many military families are paying full price while earned benefits sit unused.

Planning your next vacation presents a critical financial decision: hire a travel agent or manage the logistics yourself?