The actual numbers behind our recent vacations (a full budget breakdown)

Hey girlies,

You know when you get back from an amazing vacation and everyone wants to hear about it? They'll ask about your favorite restaurant, the tours, the weather — but there's always one question hanging in the air that nobody actually asks.

So... what did you spend? 👀

It's like this weird money taboo where we'll share every other detail about our trips, but the budget part stays off-limits.

Well, that changes now.

In this week's episode, we’re sharing exactly what we spent on some recent trips — Cassidy's dreamy 13-day Italy adventure and Emily’s Utah desert escape.

We're talking about everything: where our money went, what felt totally worth it, what we'd skip next time, and those travel mishaps that definitely weren't in the original budget. Plus, the real numbers behind we spent and our honest thoughts about all of it.

We share all this to emphasize that, like anything else, spending on travel isn’t just a monetary decision. It’s also about what you value.

Some people will stay in hostels but drop serious cash on experiences. 🍷

Others want amazing accommodations but pack sandwiches for every meal. 🏰

There's no right or wrong way, just different priorities. ⚖️

But when we keep our travel budgets secret, we miss out on learning from each other. Maybe that "expensive" food tour your friend loved would actually be perfect for your travel style. Maybe someone's "budget" trip ideas could help you afford that destination you've been dreaming about.

The only way to figure out what works for you? Having real conversations about what travel actually costs — which is exactly what we're doing in this episode.

After you listen, we want to hear from you:

• What's your biggest travel budget question?

• Have you ever been surprised by costs while traveling?

• What's one thing you'll always splurge on versus always try to save on?

Hit reply and let us know!

Until next week, Emily + Cassidy

P.S. We're bringing on a travel expert in a future episode who's going to spill all the secrets about how to travel for less. So if you have any travel-specific money questions, start sending them our way!