I am frequently asked my friends and family, “aren’t you scared?” or “how do you do it?” when it comes to traveling solo, and traveling to places I’ve never been. I’m often told that people are afraid of traveling alone, and my response is always this: If you are going to wait for someone to come travel with you, you’ll never do it.

Especially at my age. I will be 34 this year. Friends around my age are buying houses and starting families. They have careers and social lives. If this sounds like your peers, and you’re waiting for the perfect moment where the stars align and your schedules and their schedules and budgets and timelines allow for travel together, it’s likely never going to happen. So just do it!

I’m not special. I don’t carry some magic “bravery” gene that allows me to travel on my own. I do it because I can and because I want to. And so can you.

I can understand that the world might seem like a really scary place, especially with what the news media puts out there. But I can tell you from experience, the world is not as scary as it seems to be. Israel is not any more dangerous than Los Angeles or Detroit. You’re more likely to die in a car accident on your way to work, than you are of dying in a plane crash. As long as you do your research and use your common sense and take precautions, traveling internationally isn’t any more scary than traveling domestically, even in your own town.

Here are five common excuses I hear for choosing not to travel.

1. “Money is tight and traveling is expensive.”

There’s some truth to that, I’ll admit. And I can empathize with adult responsibilities like rent/mortgage, car payments, insurance, groceries, etc. Especially when you live somewhere with a high cost of living like Southern California. So I get it.

But even putting small amounts of money away in a special travel account will quickly add up. Even something like $20/week, you’ll have over $1,000 saved in less than a year.

I recently did a review of my January expenses and found that my daily Starbucks coffee habit was setting me back about $100/month. I know what the math is, but I don’t want to think about how much that adds up to every year. There are many little tips and tricks you can do to save a little bit of money here and there to help save up for a trip.

Traveling is expensive, but there are some travel hacks you can take advantage of to cut some costs. There are apps like Skyscanner and Momondo that will help you figure out the cheapest way to fly somewhere. Sometimes it’s taking a flight somewhere completely different and simply not making the connecting flight (it’s not very complicated but something maybe for another post).

There are always deals out there on hotels, resorts and airfare; you just need to keep your eyes open! I subscribe to a couple email subscriptions like TravelZoo and nextvacay where I get periodic emails with flight mistakes airlines have to honor or discounts on hotels or all-inclusive resorts.

The internet is your friend.

2. “There’s no way my parents would let me.”

At some point in your adult life, you should do whatever you feel you need to, whether your parents agree or not. I know it’s easier said than done; I’m still afraid of my mom sometimes (especially when I get new tattoos). But at the end of the day, you need to do what you feel you need to do to live a fulfilling life. YOLO, right? I would rather live with a ton of “oops” than “what ifs”.

Honestly, your parents are probably just worried about you, which is expected; that’s their job!

What I’ve found helpful in quenching their fears, is inviting them to be a part of your journey.

My travel bug started domestically, and I would constantly be taking road trips. San Francisco, Arizona, etc. One particular weekend road trip I was planning, I mentioned to my mom that I was staying a night in Fort Bragg, CA. A light bulb went off in her head and she said that there was a steam locomotive that started in Fort Bragg that she always wanted to take. I invited her on this trip, which was taking me almost to the border of California and Oregon.

I did all my usual planning with routes and accommodations and stops, and added in the steam train for my mom. My mom got to see everything I put into the trip, the kind of hotels I stay at, the attractions I visit, and my actions when walking around the different sights. She told me one night that she was glad she came with me. My mom was relieved that even though I stayed in budget hotel/motels, they weren’t in crummy, shady neighborhoods. She said she felt that she didn’t have to worry about me traveling anymore. Score!

Another way I keep my mom involved, in addition to giving her an itinerary before I leave, is checking in with her every night before I go to bed. She doesn’t concern herself too much with my domestic trips because she knows she can reach me by phone. On international trips, before I go to bed, I email my mom and tell her what I did that day, where I’m staying the night, and where I plan on going the next day. That way, she not only knows that I’m safe, but she knows (generally) where I’ll be on any day of my trip. It doesn’t need to be as involved as I get in my emails, but just drop a line letting her know you’re okay. It’ll take like 30 seconds.

3. “I don’t know where to start.”

Me neither. Haha… The world is so big, and I’ve seen so little of it, I’m always thinking “where to?”

Don’t let indecision prolong your opportunity to travel. Prioritize your trip. Do you just need to get away and relax in one, nice location? Are you a foodie who just wants to go eat authentic foods? Do you seek adventurous in the great-wide somewhere? Are you a history buff? What interests you?

Figure out what you want out of your vacation and start from there. Check out Pinterest and travel magazines at Barnes and Noble for some inspiration.

4. “I don’t think I can do it.”

Well then you’re half way there. Like I said, I don’t carry a special “bravery” gene that allows me to do anything that you couldn’t do either.

It’s totally possible for you to plan a trip on your own terms. If you have social anxiety, you don’t have to participate in activities that require you to talk to people. On the other hand, if you want to meet people, you can totally opt to stay in hostels and visit touristy clubs.

You are capable, and you can do it.

5. “Is traveling alone safe?”

It’s as safe as you make it. It’s understandable you’d be concerned about safety, since that’s probably the biggest reason your parents or loved ones are concerned about. But as long as you take reasonable precautions and do what you can to stay out of trouble, you’ll be fine.

Research the neighborhood your hotel/AirBnB is in. Take extra precautions at night. Let people know where you’re going to be.

Another option if you’re not ready to travel alone, is to go on a group trip. I don’t personally think I could have gone to Israel on my own, but had the opportunity to go with a group through GTi tours and was able to meet a bunch of amazing people, in addition to visiting a country on my bucket list. There are many tour groups out there. I’ve never personally used Intrepid Tours or Contiki, but I’ve heard good things about them.

Was I able to encourage you to travel at all? Did I quench any of your fears or hesitations? Have you ever talked yourself out of a trip? I’d love to hear your thoughts and stories!