If you are a person that loves to travel, this is an activity that can change your world. Because of the unparalleled benefits that come with traveling, you should always find a way to include it in your life. The only way that you can do this is by making it as affordable to you as possible. The more money you can set aside for a trip, the more you will be able to enjoy all of the rewards that travel brings.
Below you can learn more about saving for a vacation so you can travel without it becoming a burden to your life.
1. Create a Bank Account for Your Vacation Savings
The first thing that you should do is create a bank account that you use strictly for your travel money. This way, all of your money goes to the right place and you won’t run the risk of spending it all or avoiding saving.
It’s easy for your money to burn a hole in your pocket if it’s all coming out of your spending account. Separate your accounts and saving for a trip won’t be nearly as daunting.
2. Forego One of Your Frequent Pleasures
The thing about saving money is that it starts by knowing where you spend too much.
If you’re like most people, you likely have a frequent pleasure that you spend far too much money on. The reason this happens is that it does not feel like you are spending too much money on it.
That $5 coffee that you get every morning will quickly add up. By forgoing it, purchasing your own coffee to brew at home, or finding a cheaper spot, you can set aside more money that can go toward your dream vacation. If you have an unhealthy vice that you’ve been meaning to quit for a long time, the financial incentive gives you just as good a reason as any.
You can kill two birds with one stone and not have to stress out so much about being able to afford your next big trip.
3. Make Stashing Aside Your Spare Bucks a Game
Your mindset is everything in life. Things are only difficult when you have trouble mustering up the enthusiasm to do them. There’s nothing sexy about saving money on the surface, but what if you turned it into a game?
When you challenge yourself and gamify the idea of stashing money aside, you can quickly generate enthusiasm for it to the point that it actually becomes fun. Regardless of how much you would like to save, tap into what would make it fun for you.
Some people might want to rack up a bonus points system, while others use colorful charts and graphs to track their progress. Whatever works, go for it.
4. Take a Specific Amount Out of Your Check Whenever You Get Paid
Consistency is king. It’s hard to save for a dream vacation not because you don’t have it in you, but because the trip is so far off. It’s easy to slack on your savings one day or week because the trip is a year or more off.
The problem is that this turns into multiple weeks, and before you know it, you aren’t saving money at all.
Have a set amount of money for your vacation savings and stick to it, no matter what. When you can put your vacation savings on autopilot, it won’t be difficult at all to get the amount that you are dreaming of.
5. Save Your Change in a Jar
Believe it or not, all that pocket change you have lying around your house can add up.
Set aside a savings jar for your vacation and label it as such. You could even decorate the jar with the name of the place that you plan to travel to, including pictures of the hotel or attractions in the area.
Throw your change in the jar without thinking about it and before you know it, you’ll have plenty for your vacation.
6. Cook at Home More Instead of Eating Out
Eating out is also a culprit that eats away at a lot of people’s savings. It’s so convenient to hit a drive-thru restaurant when you don’t feel like cooking.
With time management and creativity, you can get healthier, while also saving money.
7. Keep Cash On You Instead of Swiping a Card
Taking it upon yourself to spend cash instead of using a debit card comes with a wealth of benefits.
There’s a mental shift that happens when you spend cash instead of swiping a card. When you have cash in your hand, you know exactly how much you have to spend and have no way of going over it. This gives you a false sense of reality that can make you less disciplined with your spending.
When your paycheck hits, take out what you need for a week or the next few days in cash, and use that for your expenditures. This alone will help you curb your spending and save more money for your vacation.
Now that you have some vacation savings ideas, get your friends in on it, too. Putting your heads together with your friends will make you all more enthusiastic about the trip and empowered to save money.
The more you put your heads together, the more you will find creative ways to cut out wasted spending in your life. Call up your utility company to see if you can lower your utility bill each month.
Saving for a Vacation Made Easy
As you can see, saving for a vacation is entirely possible when you use the tips presented in this article. Set aside enough money for your dream trip, as you also get your finances in order.
Check back with us for all of your personal finance and travel information.
