Solo Travel or Bust
Solo Travel or Bust: Why Going Alone Might Be the Most Empowering Thing You Ever Do
There comes a moment in every woman’s life when she realizes she has two choices: wait for everyone else to get their schedules, finances, and emotional stability together… or just book the trip for yourself. This is where Solo Travel or Bust is born — not from fearlessness, but from the refusal to put your life on hold for people who can’t commit to brunch, let alone Bali.
Solo travel isn’t just a trend. It’s a movement. A mindset. A declaration that your joy, your growth, and your experiences are too important to delay. And if you’ve ever felt the itch to book a flight alone, consider this your sign to do it.
💛Why Solo Travel Is the Ultimate Power Move
1. You Stop Waiting for Permission
Group chats are where travel plans often go to die. Someone’s broke, someone’s pregnant, someone is waiting to get their work schedule, someone is waiting to see who else confirms first, and someone’s boyfriend suddenly has a lot of opinions.
Solo travel removes the committee. You want to go? You just go. You want to leave tomorrow? Pack the bag. You want to spend three hours in a museum or skip it entirely? Don’t need to check in with anyone.
It’s freedom in its purest form.
2. You Learn What You Actually Like
When you travel with others, you compromise — on food, activities, pace, even sleep schedules. When you travel alone, you discover your real preferences:
Are you a sunrise hiker or a sleep‑in‑til‑10 girl
Do you prefer street food or white‑tablecloth dining
Do you want to sit on a beach and party all day or wake up early for a full day of excursions
Do you want to wander aimlessly or plan every hour
Solo travel is the equivalent of dating yourself… except you actually get to pick the restaurant.
3. You Become the Main Character
There’s something cinematic about walking through a new city alone with your headphones in. You’re not lonely — you’re mysterious. You’re not lost — you’re exploring. You’re not alone — you’re in your independent‑woman era. You get to write your very own Emily in Paris story, and hopefully it comes with a Gabriel.
Solo travel gives you the kind of confidence that doesn’t come from compliments or validation. It comes from proving to yourself that you can handle anything.
4. You Open Yourself Up to Meeting Locals and other Travelers Alike
I think one of the biggest myths about solo travel is that it’s going to feel lonely. I think many don’t realize just how social solo travel can be. When you’re alone, you naturally become more open, more approachable, and more curious about the people around you. You’re not tucked into a friend group bubble — you’re out in the world, and the world responds.
You might meet another group traveling who takes you in as their own and create a lifelong friendship. You may meet a local bartender at this trendy bar you passed while wanderlusting the streets on your own. Your driver to the hotel may give you this great life advice and you still talk about him today. The possibilities are endless.
5. Unexpected Opportunities Find You More Easily
One of the most underrated parts of solo travel is how many unexpected, serendipitous opportunities show up when you’re not tied to anyone else’s plans. When you’re alone, your schedule is flexible, your energy is open, and the universe seems to slide little surprises your way.
You end up saying yes to things you never would’ve considered at home. One of my favorite travel stories is when I ended up hosting an 8-hour trip to the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland over a very big misunderstanding. I played along and just went with the flow—otherwise I would not have made it on the trip, especially if I had a plus one!
Other examples that may inspire you:
· A last‑minute invite to a sunset boat ride
· A cooking class you stumble into because you smelled garlic and followed your instincts
· A local festival you didn’t know existed
· A spontaneous day trip with people you met an hour ago
· A hidden beach a taxi driver insists you “have to see”
· A job lead, creative idea, or life‑changing conversation that happens because you sat next to the right person
Solo travel teaches you to stay open, curious, and willing to pivot.
💛 The Emotional Benefits No One Talks About
You Build Trust With Yourself
When you navigate a foreign place alone, you learn to rely on your instincts. You make decisions without second‑guessing. You become your own safety net — and that’s powerful.
You Heal Faster
Breakups, burnout, friendship fallouts — solo travel has a way of clearing emotional clutter. There’s something about being far from home that makes everything feel lighter, less permanent, less overwhelming.
You Become Comfortable With Your Own Company
Silence stops feeling scary. Alone stops feeling lonely. You realize you’re actually pretty great to hang out with. This is how you learn to fall in love with yourself.
The Fears Are Real — But So Are the Solutions
“What if something goes wrong”
Things go wrong at home too. The difference is: you’re capable everywhere.
“Won’t I feel awkward eating alone”
Only for the first five minutes. Then you realize no one cares — and you start to enjoy it.
Is it safe?
With research, awareness, and common sense, solo travel can be incredibly safe. Women do it every day. If you’re struggling with this, perhaps try somewhere close first to see how it feels. If you felt comfortable navigating on your own, go somewhere further next time.
The Truth: Solo Travel Changes You
You come home a different person. More confident. More grounded. More aware of what you want and what you deserve.
You stop shrinking yourself. You stop waiting for others. You stop apologizing for wanting more.
Solo travel teaches you that the world is big, life is short, and you are capable of far more than you ever gave yourself credit for.
✈️ Girl Math: The Unofficial Financial Philosophy Powering Women’s Travel Trips
Girls trip to Tulum
If you’ve ever justified a plane ticket because “future me deserves this,” or declared that a hotel upgrade is “basically free” when split four ways, congratulations — you’re already fluent in Girl Math, the playful, logic system that makes travel feel more joyful and a lot less guilt‑ridden.
Girl Math didn’t appear out of nowhere. It grew out of a generation of women where everything — housing, groceries, travel, even basic fun — costs more than it ever has. And let’s be honest—we’re no longer marrying men to help out with our financial situation. It’s our way of saying: If the world is going to financially screw me anyway, I’m at least going to find a loophole to enjoy where I can.
Girl Math isn’t about ignoring financial responsibility. It’s about reframing spending in a way that aligns with how women actually experience travel: socially, emotionally, and with a healthy dose of humor. And honestly, it works.
Let’s break down how Girl Math shows up on female or solo travel trips — and why it makes those trips even better.
💄 1. The Pre‑Trip Purchases That Don’t Count
According to Girl Math, anything you buy before the trip is an investment in the experience — and therefore not a real expense.
New swimsuit? “I’ll wear it for multiple trips and summers to come, so it’s basically free.”
Matching vacation outfits? “Memories and the cute photos are priceless.”
New luggage? “Purchasing a new carry-on saves me time and money from checking in.”
The logic isn’t about denial; it’s about acknowledging that preparation is part of the fun. Women often bond through planning, and Girl Math turns that bonding into a guilt‑free zone.
👗 2. The “Save Here, Splurge There” Equation
Girl Math thrives on balance — or at least the illusion of it. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way women prep for travel. We’ll hunt down $12 SHEIN dresses, $6 sunglasses, and a $9 bikini set… all while boarding a $10,000 vacation like it’s nothing.
Because in Girl Math, outfits are temporary, but the experiences are forever.
It’s not hypocrisy. It’s prioritization.
Cheap outfits = “I’m being financially responsible.”
Expensive trip = “I’m investing in my happiness.”
A once‑in‑a‑lifetime excursion = “You can’t put a price on memories.”
We want to look good, but we want to feel even better — and that feeling comes from the trip itself. The laughter, the late nights, the beach days, the inside jokes, the photos we’ll scroll through for years. The clothes are just props; the moments are the main event.
Girl Math says: If I save money on the little things, I’ve earned the right to splurge on the big things.
🧮 3. Cost Per Wear… But Make It Travel
Girl Math loves a good cost‑per‑use calculation. On trips, this becomes cost‑per‑memory.
A $200 excursion? If you talk about it for the next five years, that’s practically pennies per emotional return.
A $50 beach hat? If it appears in 12 photos, the cost per Instagram moment is unbeatable.
A new $2,000 Louis Vuitton bag that I’ve been obsessing over? I will be wearing it for life and I saved $400 getting it tax-free overseas! And the stories that will surround this special purchase… priceless. It’s not just a bag, but the bag I got at the flagship, two-story Louis Vuitton store in Paris strolling along the Champs-Elysees.
Travel isn’t just about the activity — it’s about the story you’ll tell later. Girl Math simply quantifies that truth.
👯 4. Splitting Costs = Everything Is Cheaper
One of the greatest gifts of women’s group travel is the communal approach to spending.
A $400 villa split among six friends? “Practically free.”
An upgrade from Garden to Ocean View split between friends? “No brainer.”
Shared Ubers? “Cheaper than staying home.”
A charcuterie board for the table? “Group expense — doesn’t count.”
Girl Math thrives in community. When women travel together, the financial load becomes lighter, and the emotional payoff becomes bigger.
🙋♀️ 4. Investing in Future You
One of my favorite and most-used forms of Girl Math is the art of spending today so future you can thrive on vacation. It’s not delusion — it’s long‑term financial strategy with a side of serotonin.
· Pre‑Booking an All‑Inclusive = Future Me Lives for Free. There is no greater Girl Math high than stepping onto an all‑inclusive resort property and realizing everything is already paid for. Suddenly, every meal, every drink, every poolside snack is “free.” Honestly, I’ve spent less on a week at an all‑inclusive than I have on groceries, gas, and random Target runs at home. That’s not a vacation — that’s financial optimization.
· Gambling for Future Discounts. Is it risky? Sure. Is it Girl Math? Absolutely. If you gamble enough on a cruise or at certain hotels, you can qualify for discounted or even free future trips. So yes, go play that roulette, sis — you’re not losing money, you’re investing in future vacations.
· Loyalty Points: The Girl Math Retirement Plan. Hotel chains and airlines practically beg you to earn points, and Girl Math says it would be irresponsible not to. The more you travel, the more freebies you unlock — room upgrades, lounge access, bonus nights. It’s like a rewards program for being fabulous.
· Travel Credit Cards = Future Flights in Every Purchase. If you’re not earning points on every coffee, grocery run, or impulse buy, you’re leaving future vacations on the table. Travel cards turn everyday spending into flights, hotels, and upgrades. That’s not debt — that’s an investment to future joy.
· Booking Your Next Trip Before You Leave. One of the most powerful Girl Math moves: booking your return trip while you’re still on vacation. Resorts and cruise lines often offer massive discounts if you book before you leave. And honestly, what better time to commit to another trip than when you’re sun‑kissed, relaxed, and convinced you’re moving abroad permanently.
🍹 5. Vacation Calories and Vacation Dollars Follow the Same Rules
Just like vacation calories “don’t count,” vacation dollars operate in a parallel universe.
The $18 cocktail is part of the ambiance and support of the local economy.
The overpriced airport snack is a survival tactic.
Ordering the region’s signature dish isn’t indulgence — it’s research. You’re educating yourself about other cultures. That $28 entrée? A tuition fee.
The souvenir bracelet is a future heirloom.
The rooftop bar is an ROI on excellent photos.
Travel Girl Math says: if it enhances the vibe, it’s worth it.
👜 6. Time Is Money — And Girl Math Values Time Highly
Women often juggle work, caregiving, emotional labor, and social commitments. So when they finally take a trip, time becomes the most precious currency.
That’s why Girl Math justifies:
Paying extra for a direct flight—Bonus Girl Math: If you take the red-eye flight, you pay for one less hotel night and increase your time abroad by having a whole extra day!
Upgrading to a hotel closer to the city center—Bonus Girl Math: staying in the city also saves you money by paying less on transportation if it’s a walkable city.
Booking the spa appointment instead of “roughing it”.
It’s not indulgence — it’s efficiency.
🌍 7. Experiences Are Assets
Girl Math reframes travel as an investment in personal growth, friendships, and mental health.
You don’t “spend” on travel. You gain:
Confidence
Connection
Perspective
Joy
A camera roll full of serotonin
In this framework, travel isn’t a luxury — it’s a form of self‑care.
💖 Why Girl Math Works for Women Travelers
At its core, Girl Math is a playful way of acknowledging something deeper: women deserve rest, adventure, and pleasure without apology.
It’s not about ignoring budgets. It’s about giving yourself permission to enjoy the life you work hard for.
And honestly? If Girl Math is what gets you on that plane with your best friends, it’s worth its weight in gold.