If you’re like me, you probably have at least one destination (or several) that you’re currently dreaming of visiting. But, the reality is taking a vacation costs money and for most of us, money is not a limitless resource. Besides the classic money saving tips like: creating a budget, setting financial goals, tracking your spending, etc., I’m going to let you in on some of my own creative ways to save for your next vacation!
1. Invite friends over for a fun (inexpensive) night in instead of meeting up for an expensive night out
2. When you do go out with friends, have water or stick to just one drink
3. Maximize happy hour deals on drinks and appetizers
4. Take advantage of free events in your neighborhood
5. Leverage borrowing books from your local library instead of buying the latest book you heard about
6. Buy generic instead of name brand products
7. Buy things in bulk to reduce the overall cost
8. Use a refillable water bottle instead of buying plastic water bottles
9. Sell some unneeded stuff
10. Set your thermostat a degree or two warmer or colder depending on the season to save on utility bills
11. Use cold water instead of hot water to wash clothes
12. Cut back on cable or subscriptions like: Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, etc.
13. Cancel unnecessary memberships or services
14. Pay for things like car insurance in six month increments instead of monthly for the added savings
15. Create a grocery list and use a delivery service like Shipt to stick to it – helps to avoid impulse purchases
16. Cook dinner at home instead of eating out and pack your lunch for work
17. Buy gently used items instead of buying everything brand new
18. Start a vegetable and/or herb garden
19. Stretch out the time between salon/spa appointments
20. Make simple homemade cards instead of buying them from the store
Travel has always been a HUGE priority for me personally, and my husband can tell you that I’m constantly weighing the cost of a potential purchase we're considering to a trip – saying things like “That’s the cost of a plane ticket to [fill in the blank]! Or “We could go to [fill in the blank] for that!”
I think one of the biggest tricks for saving money to go on vacation is to stay inspired. Keep your travel goal(s) front of mind. Picture yourself on your vacation and imagine enjoying all of the wonderful experiences you’ll have. Maybe even print/cut out some beautiful pictures of your dream destination and hang them up in your home. Having visual reminders like these will help you stay focused on making your travel dreams a reality!
