Whether you are set on an epic transcontinental journey or a long weekend jaunt to the coast, saving for that trip is easier than you thought.
Everyone knows that traveling can be expensive. Meals, accommodation and plane tickets can really add up. There are countless travel blogs out there with tips on how to save money while traveling. However, few tell you how you are supposed to get the money for that trip to begin with.
Not everyone is cut out for a life of endless travel and working abroad. Some people just want to take a trip every few years or so, balancing a normal job with some adventure. Whether you are set on an epic transcontinental journey or a long weekend jaunt to the coast, saving for that trip is easier than you thought.
Here are six tips to get you started:
1. Stop visiting the drive thru. Those fast food and coffee runs can really add up. The prices seem minuscule by themselves, but overtime, it is no longer that minuscule. For example, if you spent $3.50 on coffee five days a week that’s $17.50 a week, $70 a month, $840 a year. That is more than what I spent for a week-long trip to Washington D.C. Doesn’t seem that minuscule anymore, does it?
It’s not just coffee that busts the bank. Fast food steals from our health and wallets every single time. Ditching the drive thru might be the best thing you can do for yourself financially and physically. Unhealthy food with a constantly rising cost combines to create a Category 5 Life Storm. Take it from someone who used to work in fast food: even the discount menu doesn’t really save you money. Preparing your own food will always be cheaper than eating out, and the costs of medical bills from a bad diet can far outweigh the financial short-term “savings” of the Drive Thru Lifestyle.
Avoid this. Your stomach and checkbook will thank you.
2. Cut down on the junk food. Continuing with the last segment, healthy food costs more initially, but junk food can really add up too. Eating more healthy options can help you lose some fat off of that stubborn waistline, leading to eating less and spending less on food. Many Westerners spend more than $30 a month on soda pop; cut that addiction and watch the savings fill up.
If you must drink, drinking at home is much cheaper in the long run.
3. Avoid convenience stores. Simply put, there is a huge markup on goods sold at these kinds of stores. Even a markup of $2 means you will not be able to spend that $2 on your trip.
4. Reduce going out to eat, learn how to cook. This might be nearly impossible for some, but reducing money spent at the bar and restaurants can save you A LOT of coin. Going out to eat gets expensive and cutting going out restaurant lunch every day will help tremendously in saving for your trip. Spending an average of $8 on lunch five times a week adds up to $40 a week, $160 a month, and $1,940 a year! Try packing a lunch once in a while, because doing so can save you big in the long-term.
5. Don’t buy something you don’t actually need. One appreciation I have gained from living out of two suitcases for a year is that many of us really do not need a lot of material possessions. At some point, some fool concocted a fantasy that the American Dream has to include owning a huge house with a long driveway and filling it all with expensive cars and knick-knacks. You have to make a choice: Do you want great experiences or stuff?
If you picked the first one, ALWAYS ask yourself before a purchase if you really need the item in question. You’d be surprised how high your account balance can soar, and how clean your living space becomes.
6. Shop at thrift stores. Thrift stores can save you boatloads of money. I personally hate spending money on clothes but shopping at thrift stores helps with the pain. Contrary to popular snob fiction, thrift stores DO carry decent pieces of clothing on their racks, and it is always worth a shot to see if someone else’s trash could become your treasure.
Make the changes gradually.
You do not have to become an ultimate cheapskate overnight; just cutting back on a few unnecessary items over time can leave you the money for that adventure you’ve always wanted.
You will be here in no time at all. Monterossa-al-Mare in Cinque Terre, Italy.
Check out my other travel tips!
