Weekly Newsletters — Archive

Weekly Newsletters

Real decisions. Real costs. What worked — and what didn't.

Updated weekly  ·  Newest first

All newsletters
2026
No.36
The Part of Travel Planning We Still Get Wrong→
Even experienced travelers repeat the same planning mistakes.
No.35
How Much Planning Is Too Much Planning?→
There's a point where planning stops helping and starts replacing the actual trip.
No.34
What Do You Do When a Place Disappoints You?→
Not every place delivers what you expected. Here's how we handle it.
No.33
The Lifestyle Has to Fit the Person, Not Just the Budget→
Numbers are the easy part. The harder question is what kind of days you actually want.
No.32
What Happens If You Get Tired of Traveling?→
Travel fatigue is real. We talk about what it looks like and what to do about it.
No.31
We Don't Try to See Everything Anymore→
Letting go of the itinerary pressure changes what slow travel actually feels like.
No.30
Could You Enjoy the Boring Days Too?→
The days with nothing on them are part of the deal.
No.29
How Long Does It Take for a Place to Feel Normal?→
There is a point where the unfamiliar stops being exhausting.
No.28
What a "Normal Month" of Full-Time Travel Actually Costs→
Not the highlights. The actual number.
No.27
Is Full-Time Travel Right for You→
It's not the budget that decides this. It's the person.
No.26
Why We Don't Chase the Cheapest Place→
The number on the listing is only part of what a place actually costs.
No.25
What Three Nights Won't Tell You→
The questions that decide a good weekend aren't the ones that decide a good month.
No.24
The Retirement Budget Line Nobody Wants to Talk About→
Honest numbers include the costs that don't fit a category.
No.23
How Often Should You Reevaluate Your Credit Cards?→
The right card today may not be the right card two years from now.
No.22
What the Dollar Is Actually Worth in Europe Right Now→
And what it means for your monthly budget.
No.21
What EES and ETIAS Mean for Americans Traveling to Europe→
Two new systems. Here is what actually changes and what doesn't.
No.20
Documents to Get Before You Leave the U.S.→
This is what our applications actually required.
No.19
What We Do With Loyalty Points Before They Expire→
One spreadsheet, one monthly check, one rule.
No.18
Every Apartment Has Something — Here's How We Choose→
The photos are always slightly better than what you walk into. Here's how we choose anyway.
No.17
Groceries Work Differently in Europe→
Same errand — different stores, different schedule.
No.16
How We Choose a Town Before We Commit to Staying in It→
The decision starts with the region — everything else follows from there.
No.15
We Kept Our US Phone Plan Abroad — Here's How it Worked→
No new SIM, no new carrier, no new number. Here's what we did — and what to think through for your own setup.
No.14
What Happens When You Actually Need a Doctor in Europe→
Healthcare in Europe costs less than most Americans expect — even when you're paying entirely out of pocket.
No.13
What the CPAM Process Actually Looks Like→
Applying for French national health coverage as Americans on a long-stay visa takes longer than you'd expect and runs entirely on physical mail.
No.12
The Visa Rule That Affects Our Travel in Europe→
A long-stay visa lets you live in Europe. It doesn't mean you can travel freely across it. Here's what we actually have to track.
No.11
Why We Use the Same Credit Card Every Time→
The primary rental insurance built into travel cards saves €200+ per trip.
No.10
How We Decide the Best Way to Move Between Cities→
Trains, cars, planes, and cruises — costs, time, and convenience for slow travel.
No.9
Using Public Transit Apps in France→
How we actually use them day to day.
No.8
Running Into Closed Stores→
What we learned just trying to pick up the basics.
No.7
Using a Rail Pass Between Cities→
How we moved between cities without booking every train in advance.
No.6
How We Choose Neighborhoods for Slow Travel→
What matters (and what doesn't) when we're only somewhere for a few nights.
2025
No.5
Paying for Travel in Europe→
How we've been handling day-to-day purchases.
No.4
Everyday Prices in Lyon→
Why the bakery math surprised us right away.
No.3
Slow in Southampton→
Why we always build buffer days before a cruise.
No.2
Why We Chose France→
Why France won out over Portugal, Spain & Italy.
No.1
Welcome Letter→
What this is and how to use the Coffee Table.