Episode Details

Saving for the future matters — but our money should also help us build a life we enjoy along the way. For Henah Velez, creator of the slow travel newsletter Departure, travel is one of the things worth making room for.

In this episode, we talk about how Henah went from a scarcity mindset to reaching Coast FI, why she’s prioritized travel at every income level, and how she balances financial independence with spending on experiences now. We also get into conscious consumerism and her refreshingly simple approach to points and miles — including beginner-friendly credit card strategies, when to use points versus cash, and tools that can make travel more affordable.

✨ Episode Highlights ✨

• [02:00] How working on Money with Katie changed Henah’s relationship with saving, investing, and spending
• [06:00] Why Henah created Departure and how slow, intentional travel became its focus
• [10:30] How travel remained a priority when money was tighter — and how her approach changed as her income grew
• [15:00] Why slow travel can make trips more restorative, especially when plans inevitably go wrong
• [20:30] Conscious consumerism, creating friction before purchases, and deciding what’s actually worth a splurge
• [28:30] A beginner-friendly approach to credit card points and miles without tracking a million cards or obsessing over every redemption
• [35:00] How to use points and price-tracking tools when your travel dates aren’t flexible
• [40:00] Why day trips and weekends away still count as travel — plus ways to explore when a big trip isn’t in the budget
• [44:00] What Coast FI means and how Henah balances financial independence with enjoying her life today
• [47:30] Rapid-fire travel favorites, from repeat destinations to affordable trips and worthwhile splurges

✨ Resources ✨

Connect with Henah:

• joindeparture.com 
• https://www.instagram.com/henah/ 

Credit cards:

• Capital One Venture
• Chase Sapphire Preferred*
• Bilt

Travel tools:

• Max Miles Points Bilt points calculator
• Podcast episode: Bilt 2.0 Rewards Explained (Points, Cards, and Travel) 
• PointsYeah
• point.me 
• Sky Key
• Intrepid Travel
• Going
• Thrifty Traveler
• Google Flights
• Kayak

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