Jody Miller talks to author Jen Ruiz on how you can see the world without spending a fortune or giving up your life at home
Travelling the world unencumbered is a dream for many. The thrill of boarding a plane and then stepping foot in an unknown place and breathing in the new sites, sounds and aromas of alien cities, remote villages or ancient ruins with thousands of years of stories to tell for the first time is a thrill like that never repeats itself.
But life can be busy and complicated. For many, the magnetic allure of travel is always tugging at the imagination, but the realities of everyday life make such musings appear impractical to impossible. For some it’s time constraints, for others it’s finances, and for some it is the absence of a willing travel companion. Or maybe life is just not in order and you need to wait for the “right moment”. What if someone told you these are valid concerns, but not the insurmountable hurdles you imagine? And what if this person handed you tools and knowledge to make it happen sooner than later?
Meet Jen Ruiz. An award-winning, Amazon best-selling, TedX-talking travel author and content creator who made her travel dreams happen when living up to societal expectations didn’t. Thanks to a group-tour European vacation with her mother that did not meet their expectations, Ruiz already had gained travel experience and managing arrangements while on foreign soil on her own. While working as an attorney for a non-profit, Ruiz spent early mornings before heading to the office teaching English online to finance her trips, which were usually planned around bank holidays and accrued vacation and time off so she could leave on Thursday, and be back in the courtroom Monday morning.
Like many young women, Ruiz dreamed of finding the right guy and starting a family. She diligently spent evenings swiping on Tinder, going on disappointing coffee dates, and end enduring relationships that went nowhere and left her feeling disheartened and devalued. After a particularly devastating ghosting experience on New Year’s Eve that left her with plane ticket and a broken heart, Ruiz decided to write a book instead of crying into her pillow. And that became her first Amazon best seller.
A few years and more best sellers later, Ruiz quit her day job and is now a full-time author, content creator and recognized authority on budget travel and empowering women to eschew expectations and societal restrictions to live the life they imagine. Her latest book, 12 Trips in 12 Months: Make Your Own Travel Magic, is a smash hit, and as of this writing, is on a multi-city promotional tour. Let’s be clear, Ruiz does not promote a pie-in-the-sky Eat, Pray, Love fantasy. She rarely travels for more than three weeks at a time, and the advice and knowledge is solidly attainable for most people ready for a solo adventure.
Lucire caught up with Ruiz in Dallas before a book-signing event to get the low-down on cheap airfares, where to stay, off-the-beaten-path destinations, and the magic of going solo.
Where are all the cheap flights?
Ruiz’s book The Affordable Flight Guide was a 2018 readers’ favourite winner, so if anyone knows about cheap flight, it’s Jen Ruiz. ‘I have three guaranteed ways to find cheap flights,’ says Ruiz. ‘The first is with points and miles. The fastest way to get them is to sign up for a travel credit card. Get the bulk sign-up bonus and then charge everything on that card. This is why so many people open up lots of credit card accounts. Everything you’re spending money on should be getting new points and miles if you’re paying with a credit card.’
Ruiz recommends making online purchases through your reward card’s shopping portal for extra points and linking your rewards card to things like Uber, food delivery, Instacart, and pretty much everything else you purchase, especially large purchases. ‘So let’s say that you’re going to buy a $1,000 Macbook. If you click through the shopping portal from Jet Blue, you could earn three points per dollar that you spend, so a $1,000 purchase could get you 3,000 miles,’ explains Ruiz.
Ruiz’s second strategy is to use budget airlines. ‘They were previously looked down upon, and people thought they were unsafe or really uncomfortable or a poor flying experience. And really, we’ve seen legacy airlines move to that same model based on everything that you add on, such as your seat, luggage and meals,’ she states. ‘So there’s not much difference now, except for the fact that these budget airlines are offering deals like $99 flights to Paris and $300 flights to Tahiti. So airlines I like to look at include Play, which is the new Icelandic carrier that replaced Wow! Air when it went under. Norse Atlantic Airways is another one that gets you across the pond for $400 round trip. Also French Bee,’ details Ruiz.
The third guarantee Ruiz recommends is signing up for flight alert websites and apps. ‘If you are hesitant about signing up for a fee-based app, I recommend starting with a site called Going because they have something called a freemium model where they send you a portion of their deals for free if you choose not to upgrade to the premium model,’ says Ruiz. ‘But even then the premium model is only about $60 a year, and you save more than that on your first booked flight. So I think the paid versions are worth it. Another program is called Thrifty Traveler, and they’re not just for economy flights or for random dates that you don’t want to travel. They can be for Italy in peak season, or Christmas day flights. It’s just the deals as they come up.’
There are numerous newsletters Ruiz recommends you sign up for to get alerts on low fares and expert advice. ‘To get the biggest bang for your buck, a newsletter like Roame teaches you how to best spend those points with transfer partners and sales and things of the like,’ Ruiz notes. ‘There is also Watchdog which allows you to set flight alerts from you home airport. Travel Zoo is also a great resource.’
Ruiz also encourages checking out airline passes such as the Go Wild Pass with Frontier Airlines or the Southwest Airlines Companion Pass. Most of the newsletters and alert apps will notify you of new and existing pass programmes. Flexibility is also key when choosing your departure or arrival airport. ‘I think you should be really flexible on your departure and arrival airport. So even if you’re in California, I would still look for flight deals out of New York, because if the flight deal is good enough, you can always get yourself to New York,’ advises Ruiz. ‘I saw a deal once of $730 non-stop from Pittsburgh to Tokyo. If I hadn’t had my flight alerts open for alternative airports, I would have never seen that deal, and for $730 I can easily get to Pittsburgh. Not a problem. So I think people makes a mistake of narrowing it down to their closest airport.’
Under lock and key
Solo travellers often wonder if a hotel, hostel or Airbnb is the best option. Price is always a factor; however, location and proximity to local attractions and social opportunities are a major consideration. For Ruiz, all options are fair game, though she has one non-negotiable. ‘I don’t think that there’s any one uniform better option, because I think it’s really going to vary on where you are, such as the price point and neighbourhood. My criteria for an accommodation wherever I’m staying is that I have a private room with a deadbolt between me and the rest of the world at night,’ she claims. ‘So I could stay at a hostel as long as it’s a private room. I could stay at a home or with a family as long as I have a private room with a deadbolt, not just a room in a house, but something with an en suite bathroom and entrance.’
For Ruiz, the ensured privacy is what really matters. She advises others to find a place where no one can come in and steal your things or barge in without warning. ‘As long as I have those things it doesn’t matter to me where I stay, and I will look at all possible accommodations to see where I can meet that criteria.’
The roads less travelled
Many travellers go on the hunt for that hidden gem that hasn’t been cursed with hoards of tourists that is still a great value. Ruiz admits most of Europe is pretty well trekked. ‘Not much is off the radar in Europe any more. Every place is known now,’ she says. ‘I would say, consider going to Europe in the off-season. I was in Italy in January and February, and that’s a great time to see all of the same things at more reasonable prices without the same lines and tourists. Beyond that, if you’re looking for more secluded destinations, generally the islands of Portugal and Spain are a great option.’ If you are considering Eastern Europe, then Ruiz recommends looking into places such as Albania, Romania and Montenegro if you want to stretch your funds further and avoid the crowds.
On the other hand, Latin America is a treasure trove of amazing destinations, many of which are less familiar to foreign visitors. While Colombia and Peru are among the most popular, Ruiz highly recommends Ecuador and Bolivia for their combination of history and natural wonders. ‘Peru and Colombia are very popular, but right next to them is Ecuador, which has a lot of the same things to offer,’ says Ruiz. ‘It’s not as widely publicized because their government doesn’t put as much effort into tourism. Ecuador is a wonderful place. So is Bolivia, where they have the salt flats. Or Argentina, especially if you want to do some wine tasting and have great steak. There are so many things to do in South America.’
Same goes for Central America. From volcanoes to ancient ruins to colourful colonial towns and pristine beaches, Central America should be on everyone’s travel bucket list. ‘I’ve had pizza cooked on a volcano in Guatemala,’ recounts Ruiz. ‘You can dive in the world’s second largest barrier reef in Belize—you don’t have to go all the way to Australia to have that experience.’
Don’t spend it all in one place
When all is said and done, Ruiz urges people to get those mileage points and follow those flight-alert programs so you don’t spend all you saved on airfare. ‘If you’re not spending your entire budget on flights, there’s affordable places to stay, there’s affordable food everywhere that you go. You can have a day where you spent only $30 and you saw a museum and had breakfast, lunch, and dinner,’ she advises. ‘There’s ways to have fun for less in every city. It’s getting there that is most cost prohibitive for most people.’
Also keep in mind there are airlines, such as Turkish Airlines, Finnair, TAP Portugal and Copa Airlines that offer free layovers in their respective hub cities. This is a great way to get more for your money and see another destination at no additional charge.
And finally, Ruiz recommends connecting with others via social media groups, such as the Solo Female Travelers’ Network, to connect with like-minded women for advice, tips, lodging options and travel companions and connections around the world. Travel magic is all about making things happen and the people you connect with along the way.
For the latest news on Jen Ruiz, visit her website here. To purchase one of her books on Amazon, click here. Visit her popular TikTok page here.
