Traveling, seeing the world, experiencing life in different places and getting to know people from different cultures is eye-opening and essential for a well-rounded world view. It’s exciting. And thrilling. It makes you feel alive and everyone deserves the opportunity to try it.
I know many who would like to travel, but say they just can’t afford it. I don’t think it’s an excuse. I really DO think they believe that, but it doesn’t have to be true. You change your perspective to change your situation. You have to DO something. It really depends how important travel really is to you.
If you make traveling a priority, an important goal in your life, and then take the necessary steps – you CAN make it happen.
A little sacrifice now can help you travel later.
So, if travel is important to you, here are 9 easy ways to save the money to make it happen:
1. Ditch Starbucks. Or Dunkin’ Donuts. Whatever your go-to brand. Those four-buck-lattes add up, so make your own coffee at home with a French Press or Bialetti.
2. Ladies – skip the mani/pedi. Learn to do your nails at home. Or keep it simple – neat, trimmed, filed and moisturized. Save even more by coloring your hair at home instead of the salon. Splurge on a good haircut though.
3. Cut the Cable Cord. I did this recently and I save over $70 a month. HELLO, that’s nothing to sneeze at.
4. Instead of a full three-course meal and bottle of wine at expensive restaurants – treat yourself, but find cheaper alternatives. Think Mexican, Indian, Chinese, Burger Joint, Sushi or Pizza. If you must do the fancy restaurant thing – why not have a glass of wine at home and order just an appetizer or entree? Also, seek out happy hour deals in your area.
5. Skip the movies. Instead, rent DVDs for free from your local library or grab a Redbox movie.
6. Round-up all of your loose change (check the car, sofa cushions, pockets, zippered compartments in old purses), bring it to the bank and deposit it right into your vacation fund! Make it a habit by keeping a collection jar and cashing it in when full.
7. Use less fuel. Either bike or walk when you can, schedule your errands into one trip, carpool to work with coworkers – there are lots of ways to save on gas! Go a step further and examine your auto insurance. You may be overinsured and can save money by stepping down coverage and lowering your premiums.
8. Don’t ‘shop’ as a hobby. Stop buying stuff you don’t need, and make do with what you have. If you do need (not want) something, try buying used instead of new. This includes things like – the latest miracle skin potion or the tech gadget of the moment (I’m talking about you Google Glass and Apple’s iWatch). And for the love of GOD– please unsubscribe yourself from daily deal sites like One Kings Lane, Zulily etc.
9. Sell stuff you already own. There are tons of things you can do without or that you don’t use. Why not round-up things you don’t need or have duplicates of and sell them on Ebay, Craig’s List or have a yard sale? All the proceeds can be used for a vacation – and you get the added benefit of decluttering your house at the same time!
Doing only one of these things isn’t going to pay for an entire vacation – but combine them and you’ll see it all add up over time. It’s fun to track your progress and watch your money grow. Get the kids involved too!
In time, you’ll be able to start planning that trip you think you can’t afford.
What are some ways you have saved in order to travel?