Life on the road as a travel therapist means keeping track of more than just your work schedule. You may be figuring out where to live for your next 13-week contract, planning a cross-country drive, watching your gas budget, or looking for ways to meet people in a new city. The right apps can take some of the guesswork out of those everyday details, giving you more time to focus on your work and enjoy where you are. Here are five apps worth having on your phone before you hit the road.
Driving to a new assignment is part of the travel therapy experience, especially when you're moving to a different state every few months. Roadtrippers can help you plan the route while finding interesting stops along the way, from restaurants and roadside attractions to parks and scenic spots. Instead of treating a long drive as something you simply have to get through, use the app to see what’s worth stopping for along your route. You can also use it once you're settled into your new assignment to plan weekend trips and explore places within driving distance.
Bonus tip: Before you leave for your next contract, map out a few stops you'd genuinely want to make. You don't have to turn every move into a road trip, just knowing what's along the way can help you make the most of the drive when you have the time.
Finding a place to live for a 13-week contract comes with different considerations than finding a traditional year-long lease. You may want to stay close to your facility, keep your housing costs within your budget, bring a pet, or avoid buying furniture for a home you'll only be in for a few months. Furnished Finder connects travelers with furnished, short-term rental options in cities across the country. You can search by location, compare listings and look for features that matter to you, such as pet-friendly housing. Take some time to research the area around your facility, too. A housing option that looks affordable may not be as appealing if it comes with a long commute or puts you far from the things you want to do outside of work. Your housing is part of your overall experience, so consider the full picture before choosing a place.
Whether you're driving to your new assignment or commuting to work every day, fuel can become a noticeable part of your travel budget. GasBuddy helps you compare gas prices nearby so you can find less expensive options when it's time to fill up. That's especially useful when you're traveling through unfamiliar cities or states and don't yet know which stations tend to have better prices. Over a 13-week contract, small savings on regular fill-ups can add up.
Pro tip: Use GasBuddy when you're planning a longer road trip, too. Checking fuel prices along your route can
Travel therapy can mean keeping track of more moving pieces financially, especially when you're working in a new location every few months. Rocket Money can help you keep an eye on recurring expenses, subscriptions, bills and spending in one place. That can be helpful when you're moving between contracts and your monthly expenses change. Maybe you're paying for a storage unit between assignments, picking up a new gym membership in your temporary city, or realizing you're spending more on takeout than you expected because you haven't unpacked your kitchen yet.
Pro tip: Set spending alerts or regularly review your transactions so you know where your money is going. You don't have to track every coffee to enjoy travel—just having a clear picture of your spending can make it easier to plan for your next move, trip or financial goal.
One of the biggest adjustments to travel therapy can be arriving somewhere where you don't know anyone. Meetup can help you find local groups and events based on your interests, whether that's hiking, running, trivia, board games, volunteering or something completely different. It's worth searching for groups soon after you arrive rather than waiting until you feel settled. Having something on your calendar outside of work can make a new city start feeling familiar much faster. You can also look for professional events if you're interested in meeting other healthcare professionals in the area. And don't underestimate the value of finding one or two people who are into the same things you are, you don't need to build an entirely new social circle in 13 weeks for a place to start feeling like home.
If you haven't downloaded ProVenture yet, it's built specifically to help Jackson Therapy Partners clinicians manage their travel therapy careers. You can search for jobs, receive job alerts, keep track of your credentials and timesheets, monitor pay and stay connected with your recruiter, all from your phone. It's especially helpful when you're balancing the logistics of a new contract with everything else that comes with living somewhere new. Having job information, career details and communication with your recruiter in one place means less time digging through emails and more time focusing on your next move.
Before you head to your next travel therapy assignment, make sure your phone has the tools you'll actually use. A few well-chosen apps can make everything from finding housing to planning your weekend a little easier—and give you more time to enjoy the reason you chose travel therapy in the first place: getting to experience somewhere new while continuing your career.