I have a confession...I'm a serial over packer. Like I have a serious problem. I don't really mind packing (minus the fact that I ALWAYS feel like I'm forgetting something!) But my strategy for most trips is to just grab whatever looks cute out of my drawers and closet and throw it in a big pile on the bed. But this time around, since I was showcasing my suitcase to the world, I tried to be a bit more strategic about what I was bringing and plan specific outfits for each day based on our itinerary.

Since it is our second time to the islands I had a much better idea of what I would need this time around. As I've mentioned before we are super active on our trips (hiking, biking, snorkeling, etc.) and on our last trip I quickly ran out of active wear. Another lesson learned was how laid back the island life really is. We did go to a few nice dinners and nighttime activites but even at the nicer restaurants you'll blend right in with a sundress and sandals.

Some of our planned activities include:

• Hiking
• Snorkeling
• Golfing
• Sunset boat cruise
• Whale watching boat cruise
• Mountain tubing
• Sightseeing, shopping, dinners, etc.

Another thing to keep in mind is what to actually pack your stuff in. Sadly Southwest (and their two free checked bags) don't fly everywhere we want to go. But my husband and I always try to still save a few bucks when traveling together. On this trip we plan to fit everything into only one checked bag, two carryons and our personal bags which saves a couple hundred dollars in baggage fees. Well, let's get packing!

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.

My husband and I are gearing up to head to Hawaii for the second time and we can hardly wait! We went for the first time in August 2017 for our honeymoon and visited the islands of Oahu and Maui. Upon stepping off the airport we immediately fell in love with the island life and knew we would be back. I think Nate would move there if I let him ;) So we started saving and planning and we couldn't be more excited to be heading back to Kauai and Maui for 10 days at the end of this month. Be prepared for lots of blogs and photos to come!

Recently, as I've been talking to people about our upcoming trip I've heard a lot of comments such as "Isn't Hawaii so expensive?!" and "You're going back again..how can you afford that?" It was those types of comments that sparked the idea for this post and I thought I would share some of the tips and strategies we use to save extra money for traveling. Now, keep in mind this is certainly not an all-encompassing list. My husband and I are both blessed with careers we love in the marketing industry and are currently living the DINK life (dual income no kids) so we automatically have a bit more dispensable income.

With that being said, YES Hawaii is a more expensive place to vacation than most other places and may not be possible for everyone. But I hope you can take away at least one or two tips from this list to help you save for your next adventure - even if it's simply a weekend getaway in your home state!

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.

I've lived in Michigan all my life and I still think "up north" is one of the most magical places on earth. It's seriously like a whole other world just a few hours drive from where we live. If you haven't had the chance to experience it yet I highly recommend adding it to your travel bucket list. Of all the times I've traveled north, it always seems to be during the summer and fall months. Check out my Traverse City guide from our anniversary trip last summer. And while both of these seasons are gorgeous in their own special ways, I was excited to be able to head north during the winter. My college friends and I decided to plan a ski trip to ring in the New Year. There are SO many great ski resorts to choose from but after doing some research, and taking lodging into consideration to fit all 10 of us, we decided on Trout Creek and Nubs Nob!