“Travel is the only thing you buy
that makes you richer.”
You don’t have to be rich for taking a vacation, but you need to be creative about saving money while you plan to travel. Most of us wonder how we’ll save up for our dream trip but trust us; we know how difficult it is to save money for travel.
With the cost of living rising each year and unexpected expenses coming our way, it makes a challenging situation to think about a vacation.The paycheck amount seems to
disappear as soon as we get paid; this happens more when we don’t track our
expenses. There are so many budget-savvy ways that help you save money, and you
can easily take advantage of them. Saving for a holiday can be overwhelming if
you don’t know where to start, but don’t panic, as this article will take away
most of your worries.
Tip 1: Design a weekly or monthly
budget: Make a spreadsheet and split the expenses
into bills, grocery expenses, eating out/takeaways, and other expenses. Some
expenses can be given away, and don’t force yourself to cut out on everything
but only the amount which is not hard on the knees.
Try not to spend much on vices like
alcohol, cigarettes, and coffee. Check out your entertainment expenditure on
movies, books, music, sports, dates, etc. Things are much easier if you
approach saving with the right attitude and see your financial situation right
in the eye.
Tip 2: Budgeting your trip: It’s essential to work out how much your trip will cost you and
affix a travel budget per day. An ideal long-term budget will require you to
spend at least $1500 per month, including your accommodation and Cheap Flights
to your selected destination.
If you choose to travel in the
off-season, i.e. winters or summers, the cost will drastically decrease even if
you choose to fly on an off-peak day; that will save some dollars to be
utilized on the trip.
Tip 3: Constantly transfer money to
your savings: Choose an account in which you
can transfer the money saved constantly. You should not touch the money and get
to the baseline amount you need for travel purposes. As soon as you earn or
save extra money, transfer it to your savings account.
Tip 4: Develop habits that help you
save money:
- You can get up a little earlier, skip the bus, and walk/ride to
work instead.
- Look for ride-sharing options which can save you a couple of
dollars every day.
- Learn to cook your meals instead of buying them; this habit can
save you thousands of dollars every year.
- Prepare excellent coffee and delicious avocado toast yourself and
save money.
Tip 5: Cut on Accommodation Expenses: This may seem to be an extreme step in saving money, but it’s a
highly effective one. If you think you’re paying more on the place you’re
renting, you can move into a smaller apartment or cheaper neighbourhood. You
can even ask a roommate to share the rent and bills.
Other travellers we know moved in
with their parents to save money and rented out their homes to earn a few
dollars. You can also list your home on Airbnb or VRBO or swap on Home
Exchange. A trip planned for SE Asia helped them make more as travel costs were
meagre, and they rented out their NYC apartment.
Tip 6: Checking on your utility
bills: The significant chunk of the expenses
spreadsheet will reflect the amount spent on the utility bills. They may seem
to go northwards every time, but you have an option to swap between the
providers. You’ll find many utility providers for gas, electric, and Wi-Fi
services, and if you swap them, you may be able to save some dollars.
Also, keep a check-hand on the money
spent on the gym membership, and if you’re able to train yourself at home, you
may be able to save money by skipping it for a few weeks. Check out your
expensive TV package, and if you can think of some option to fill your time,
why not consider it is cancelling it for the time being?
Tip 7: Shopping around for
Blockbuster Travel Deals: Many travel hacks exist which
help you make your travel cheaper, and one of them is travelling in a group.
Group travel helps you layout most of the expenses in advance, and you tend to
see the bigger picture! You need to pay a lump sum at the beginning, covering
most of your activities, including your meals and accommodation. You can
estimate your extra costs and plan efficiently. What’s more beneficial is to
tag your friends in the group travel with lesser costs!
More Information: Flying to California! Get Cheapest Flight Deals to California