Saving Tips For Travel - Lifestyle

Lifestyle


Some useful notes and suggestions on saving without living like a pauper....or a robot...

1. Sell your car or reduce using it so much

- Ok we know cars are expensive which will be a huge bite out of your travel funds. Maybe think about sharing rides with people and cutting down how much you use it. Start walking, cycling around or to work if its close enough - you'll be fitter! If not, start using public transport, you will be when you're travelling anyway so no time like the present to start. It will save on your petrol costs anyhow and more money for your pocket. If you really think you could still function in your day to day life without it - take the plunge and maybe sell it.

2. Exercise without the Gym​

- Monthly Gym memberships will take a nice chunk of your wage each month when you might just go only once a week. If you can't stand exercising outside in the winter, maybe only have your membership active during winter and then exercise outside in the summer - gardening, playing sports, running, cycling, dog walking etc. It could prompt you to join a new sports team or invent a home made gym - I'm sure you have a great imagination to keeping yourself healthy!

​3. Drink Less Coffee or Not At All​

- Skip that trip to the coffee house as each time you go and buy a coffee, it just all adds up which could go towards your travel fund without you even realising it. Make your own coffee at home or drink free coffee where you can. If you really can't give up a take away coffee, cut back on your daily intake -travel adventures are really what you'll be energised by.  

4. Take away food and cook at home rather than eating out

​- Give yourself a treat for a special occasion to eat out but resist doing it often. as food and drink is always more expensive in restaurants. Instead, if you like to eat takeaway food, avoid paying the delivery man and go get it yourself (without the car to save more petrol) and buy your own drinks - every little bit adds up. You could learn new cuisines off friends or as a new hobby. If you're game for a change, maybe go vegetarian to save on the cost of meat...

​5. Bring your own lunch out​

- Much, much cheaper to bring in big dinner left overs than to pay for lunch. Make up large​ batches of food and freeze it. Be imaginative with your resources in making your own lunch.

6. Buy second hand books and visit your local library​

​- If you like to read, buying brand new hardcover books is the most expensive. Rent them from your local library or swap with friends. You can find used books in charity and second hand shops aswell as dirt cheap online at sites like Amazon Marketplace​, Play.com and Ebay ​for that book you've always wanted to read.

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7. Go to cheap Cinema days or buy used DVDs

- Go out to see a new film release at an afternoon showing or saver night when its near half the price with your own snacks. Use the online sites listed above to find some nice DVD bargains and maybe not rent films too regularly to save you some money before your travels. Net Flix could be an option if you're an enthused film buff or find streaming online,

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8. Go Shopping in the Sales

- Try and resist shopping, especially clothes shopping without it having a sale price tag.  Resist spending beyond your personal allowance and only buy when its on sale and if you absolutely love it. Try and condition your spending sprees to things you may need for your travels to Cambodia instead. Another tactic you could try is to unsubscribe to your favourite shops mobile app ​​​​​​and delete already stored bank card detail online ​to prevent automatic impulse purchases and curve that craving to shop! 

9. Cut down on the pub outings

- At lot of people's social life are centred around the hub of the pub. Of course if you find yourself wanting to go out for a drink - leave your bank card at home and take only cash to stop you overspending. If you fancy it, have a dry period. Your real friends will understand and should encourage your travel ambitions. Besides......fun times are to come on the road.

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​​10. Making Staying In the new Going Out 

- Ok of course if you're a gregarious individual, it doesn't mean that just because you're saving for an adventure you have to reduce your social life to zero. Make Staying In fun - go see friends at their houses, invite them over to hang out, host dinner and drinks parties, games nights, film nights, clothes swaps etc- you have a boundless imagination to think this stuff up. In fact you'll probably get much closer with your friendships. Also using Skype to communicate with friends will save on your phone bills.

11. Take up new hobbies!

- Now you're prioritising your spending, you could take up new hobbies to bide your time. Try volunteering, its a good way to obtain new skills and meet with people. Learn that musical instrument, start painting again, socialise in that sports group you now see every week. There are ways to still socialise and spend your free time without blowing a hole in your travel savings pocket.  

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​12. Register for Reward cards and ​E-mail Discounts

- Sign up to your favourite shops, restaurants, past times newsletters - sometimes they'll message you about special deals and events they may have coming up. Reward cards for a shop you regularly visit might be worth a thought too but obviously be disciplined with your spending.

13. Consider Cutting down on the beauty stuff..

'Mirror, Mirror on the wall....'

- C'mon thinking in the grander scheme of things....you'll get a real tan travelling,

so ditch the sun bed sessions, is a nail pedicure more important that the money you would have spent on a safari in Kenya? It's up to you as you know what is more important in your life - but if you want to reach a travel fund target you'll reach it quicker by passing up the frequent visits to the salon. A friend told me you could do hair jobs and manicures at home or just pay the beauty therapist and hairdressers a visit less frequently - they won't miss you! Beauty school students sometimes need models for practicing hair cuts etc. etc and places will do discounts every now again for new customers so maybe hunt around for a bargain......besides hairdressers love to hear about 'ya holidays' hehe...

14. Stick up reminders of your travel destination 

​- Ha, this is a good pyscho-thingy trick you could do if you feel yourself getting low. Post up a picture or notice of your travel destination. This could be on the fridge or on your wall or at work, on your computer or basically anywhere where you'll see it. It will act as a reminder of what you're working towards and could help your mindset of thinking for every hour you spend working - you're another step closer to your travel adventure. Try it.

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15. Make gifts instead of buying them

- Bring out your creative and imaginative side by giving hand made gifts from yourself to your friends and loved ones instead of buying them. They'll be more touched by the effort you've made for them and you could come up with some really cool ideas. Also, instead of receiving gifts, ask for donations towards your travel adventure - people might be quite generous if its a good cause.

16. Most importantly - Give yourself a treat!

- You're not a robot, you're human and working really hard and saving really hard can be exhausting and burn you out.... so give yourself a nice treat or something else to look forward to (besides your travels of course) and a pat on the back for doing a good job. Go on treat yourself.