A well-planned trip saves you money. How? Careful planning involves looking for reasonably priced alternatives like accommodation, routes, tickets, etc. well in advance when prices are not that high. And when you save money, you can enjoy so many other things. But what about saving enough so you could go on your dream vacation? That too requires you to plan for it for a long time. Here’s how I manage it…
Financially Responsible
The day I decided that I wanted to travel the globe was the day that I instilled a sense of financial responsibility in myself too. Because there is no other way in which I can fulfill my dream of traveling than acting responsibly. However, no one learns how to manage their manage unless they have to. So, do not worry if you do not know the art of managing your funds. Money management is indeed a learned art.
You need to have a close look at your money spending habits and iron out the ones that are damaging your bank account. A few months ago I started opting for things that wouldn’t cost too much. I started off by scrutinizing my spectrum select package and switching my plan to a more economical one. However, keep in mind that it’s not easy to stick with this kind of lifestyle. There will be times you want to be extravagant. Stay strong. Let your travel plans be a constant source of motivation for you to save.
Track Spending
In order to be a financially responsible person, you will have to track your spending. To be honest, money management is not stressful but the idea of peeking into your bank balance is. What if the money left is not the figure that you had in mind? What is all your money spent on? Thoughts like these trigger stress.
But there is a simple solution to this problem. Just spare a day for your calculations this weekend. And calculate the total amount that you have after adding all your bank accounts’ balances. That is the money that you will begin your money management and tracking journey with. From there onwards, make it a habit to write everything that you spend money on down.
Also, become cautious about where and when you spend your money. However, you cannot keep saving unless you have an amount in mind that acts as a benchmark. And for you to have an idea about the amount that you will need for that particular year’s travel plans, the next tip will help sort things for you.
Travel Planning
You will have to do that well before time. However, you cannot plan until you have a destination in mind. Everything has a prerequisite here. Anyhow if you are planning to travel, the chances that you already have a list of places in mind to shortlist from are high. Once you are done shortlisting the destinations. It is time to get to the serious stuff. The money bit of it.
You can take help from friends and colleagues who have already traveled to the destination you have in mind. Or you can become a part of travel bloggers’ groups on Facebook. This will help you to find answers to queries like the basic costs that you will incur. For example, the costs of tickets, accommodation, food, and commute. You will also find great pieces of advice in these groups regarding how to save money.
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People will also suggest you regarding the dates that you should be traveling on and then locations that are worth visiting. Once you have collected all the information, you can set your money-saving goals accordingly. You might have to book your trip well in advance so that you can get your hands on cheap tickets.
Sell Your Crap
Every time I think that the saved money would not be enough to meet all my traveling plans, I put a thing or two from my belongings on sale. Relax, you do not have to sell your most precious and priced belongings. Just look around and see what is it that you do not use any more. If you think that you can do without those products or clothing pieces, sell them.
But this does not imply that you spend the earned money elsewhere. Promise yourself that you will add it to your traveling fund.
In case, you think that all these habits aren’t doing you any good. See other things that you can possibly save on. For example, I give Cox complete care number a call every now and then to ask about the most recent promotions. Other than that, you can also try cutting down on your electricity bill and other such related costs.