Travelling requires a good amount of money for travel expenses and for personal needs, but knowing how to save for travelling can be a huge challenge for most people.
You’ll always find it easier to spend than to save money, especially if you live in a culture of consumerism where the temptation to buy things and go to parties can be very strong.
This doesn’t mean that it is impossible to save money for travelling; there are practical tips that can help anyone save enough money for his or her travels. Although you’ll have to make a lot of sacrifices, you can save the amount of money you need for your most favourite travel destination in no time if you are mindful of the following tips.
Start by Setting a Goal
Motivation comes easily when there is a realistic goal to achieve. The first thing to do would be to choose your travelling destination. With a goal, you will be able to measure your progress. Be realistic with your goal. Choosing a destination that you cannot afford isn’t just insane, but demoralizing.
What happens when your goals are not realistic is that you soon find out that you’re too far from achieving them which makes you consider giving up. You should be able to set a timeline for your goal and determine how much you can save per day, per week, and per month. With a clear goal in mind, you’ll find a lot of motivation to assemble all the resources you need to save enough for the trip. Open a savings account specifically for your travels – a lot of people use the Halifax for this service.
Set Reminders about Your Goal
It’s easy to forget about your plan to travel especially when other alluring things to do suddenly come up. But if you set reminders, you’ll constantly think about your holiday destination which is motivating. One of the ways to be reminded about your holiday destination is to keep pictures and images of the place around you. You can also put some of these pictures on your computer and cell phone screens. By constantly seeing things that remind you of the destination, you’ll be reminded of your commitment to save for that dream trip.
Manage Your Money efficiently
You’ll need a lot of discipline to be able to save enough for your travel destination. But this can be very easy if you’re realistic about your budget. You just have to figure out how much you need to spend every week, and put the rest aside for your savings.
One way to manage money better is to take advantage of discounts when buying things you need. If you check this out and find a discount applicable to your shopping then by all means use it as it can help minimise expenses. This tactic is often used when grocery shopping but can be applied to other areas such as buying clothes, home improvement equipment, or gifts for birthdays and holidays.
You could also make use of online resources like this article over on Romeo’s Fuel to see if there are small changes you could make to the way you use utilities like heating in order to save money on these that can then be put towards your travels.
Another way to manage money better is by choosing to forego on certain luxuries. If you have the habit of partying every weekend, you can decide to party just once a month. The money you would have spent for the other three weekends can then be saved as budget.
If you’ve got a credit card, consider a credit card transfer to avoid paying interest as well. All these tactics are just a few ways to manage money better and save for your trip.
Consider working for Extra Income
There are many opportunities for you to earn extra income online. You can join platforms where there are clients looking for the kinds of skills you have. Working as a freelancer designing websites, writing articles, or teaching a language online are perfect examples of things you could do to earn more money.
Do It One Step at a Time
The importance of breaking down big goals and dreams into little chunks or walking towards them step by step has been emphasized a lot by professional life coaches. You do not want to fall into the temptation of thinking that you can save little this month and then save more next month. You do not want to feel overwhelmed by the challenge. Focus on being faithful to the plan, else you may save too much in one month and break into your savings the next month.
You Can Increase Your Working Hours
Extra hours of work always mean more income. If you have no plans of letting go some of your conveniences and expenses, then you should continue working more hours to have enough for your savings. Even when taking extra work, it is advisable to always think about your strengths and limitations. Extra working hours can also come with a lot of stress and you want to avoid not being able to save due to the fact that you were sick and was unable to work as you should.
Cut Down Your Cost of Living and Your Bills
You’ll end up with a lot of money to save if you cut down your cost of living. For instance, if you have the habit of buying food in the office, you can start packing your lunch. You can choose less expensive toiletries, and cheaper transportation to and from your office. You can also save more money by cutting down your bills.
If you turn off your computer instead of leaving it on and if you choose shower to warm baths, you’ll cut down your electricity bills and have more money to save.
You’ll be able to save a lot of money for your most preferred travel destination if you can use these tips.
