Tired of going to work? Stressed from everyday life? Perhaps you need a vacation!
What better way to relax than to hop on a plane and travel? It can decrease your risk of heart disease too, according to the Framingham Heart Study.
There’s just one problem—vacations can be expensive. Assuming that you’re going on a plane, you’ll need to pay for flight tickets, hotel, and food! Chances are, the total cost will be in the thousands.
Considering that, it only makes sense that you’d want to save up.
Want to know some simple ways to save money? Then be sure to keep reading—we’ll be sharing some of our best tips below!
Planning a Vacation: 9 Simple Ways to Save Money
Here are a few ways to save money for your next vacation! Remember, a little saving goes a long way.
1. Don’t Eat Out As Often
It’s nice to eat out every once in a while—especially on days when you’re just too tired to cook. Be careful, though, you don’t want to eat out too much. The costs can easily add up!
Have a trip coming up? Consider eating out less often. Or better yet, stop eating out altogether! You’d be surprised at just how much you’d be able to save!
If you must eat out, check to see if there are any deals. For instance, you might be able to save a chunk by using Groupon.
2. Skip the Starbucks Drink
Are you a Starbucks fan? Do you have a habit of buying a coffee every day?
If so, it might be a good idea to cut back a bit. After all, they’re not exactly known for being cheap. Depending on what you get, a drink can easily cost upwards of $5—sometimes more!
Why not brew your own coffee at home instead? You’ll save a lot of money in the long run.
3. Avoid Buying New Clothes For the Trip
Resist the urge to buy new clothes for an upcoming trip. Chances are, you already have what you need in your closet.
If there is something that you need, check to see if you can borrow it from a friend or family member—that way, you won’t have to spend extra cash.
You could also go to clothing swaps or make a trip to your local thrift store. Let’s face it, not everyone has superlotto winnings that they can spend on luxury brands.
Remember, whatever you end up saving you can use while you’re on your trip!
4. Get a Travel Credit Card
A good travel credit card can help offset some of your vacation costs. How do they work? Every purchase that you make with it will earn you points, which you can use for future travel expenses.
Some even offer travel insurance!
Do note, however, that you should only sign up for a credit card if you’re able to pay it off in full each month. The last thing that you’d want is to have more credit card debt!
5. Minimize Spendings on Groceries
It helps to trim your grocery budget a bit.
That doesn’t mean that you have to compromise on quality—you can still buy fresh and local produce. Instead of reaching for say, the kale, however, maybe go for something a little cheaper like mushrooms.
Here’s another tip—never go grocery shopping when you’re hungry. You’ll want to buy everything you see! If possible, go to the store after eating a full meal.
6. Hold a Garage Sale
Garage sales are great for two reasons—you get to get rid of your junk and you get to earn money!
Set aside some of the extra things that you have and determine what’s worth selling. From there, all you have to do is pick a date, put up a few garage signs, and wait for people to come.
Whatever you earn you can add to your vacation fund. Have some stuff leftover? No problem—you can donate them to your local charity.
7. Drive For a Ridesharing App
Do you have a fuel efficient car? Consider driving for a ride-sharing app—it can earn you some extra cash!
There are several of them out there including Lyft or Uber. You can also deliver food for Doordash, UberEats, or Grubhub.
There great thing about driving for these apps is that you can set your own schedule. You won’t need to give up your social life or quit your day job!
8. Avoid Impulsive Buying
Impulse buying is something that you want to avoid when you’re on a budget—even more so when you’re trying to save for a vacation!
That’s not to say that you can’t buy things that you like—you can. Just make sure that you won’t regret the purchase later.
A great way to prevent this is to impose a waiting period. Instead of buying everything right away, wait a week or two. You might find that you’re no longer drawn to the item.
9. Set Aside a Portion of Your Tax Refund
Have a tax refund coming your way? Avoid splurging it on a shopping spree. Instead, put it towards your vacation fund.
You don’t have to set aside the whole thing—even just a bit would help! You’d still be using the money for something fun, just at a later date.
Saving Money For Your Vacation
As you can see, there are many simple ways to save money. Little by little, your vacation fund will grow and before you know it, you’ll be hopping on a plane!
Do you have any tips that you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments below!