Are you Saving for your Travels? Read this First!

This is a collaborative post.

For most of us, the thought of waving goodbye to the daily grind and hitting the open road is a truly exciting prospect. Why? Because travel offers unique life experiences that simply can’t be found on a rainy Wednesday morning commute to the office. People often travel abroad to “find themselves”, with the hope of uncovering a new perspective that could provide a more fulfilling direction in life. However, there is one little speed bump that stands in the way of jetting off to see the world: the cost.

Travel isn’t cheap. There are budget options, of course, but if you want to travel without dredging through the offers and without fear of running low on funds (especially if you want those funds to take you as far as possible for as long as possible), you’re going to need to save, save, save. Here you’ll find some simple ways you can save money before you travel. We recommend putting these tips into practice at least two months before you embark on your adventures.

Get good insurance at a good price

Every traveller will tell you about the importance of travel insurance. You’re going to need something that covers you both medically and if something goes wrong with your trip i.e. your luggage is damaged or lost, or your trip is cancelled. Don’t leave it to chance!

Kerb those little extras

A second bottle of wine, that takeaway you really deserve after a rubbish day at work – we get it, you want to treat and comfort yourself, and no one deserves that more than you! But if you aim to kerb those little extras in the lead up to your travels, then you’ll be amazed at how much you can put away. If there’s food in the freezer, eat that instead of getting that takeaway. Those lovely new jeans you want? Stick to the ones you already have! You can do it.

Clean up your bank account

Did you know that many of us have direct debits that fly out every month that we no longer use and usually have forgotten all about? Whether it’s a subscription to a service, an exclusive online deal, or paid streaming services, all those little amounts add up over time. be sure to have a good look through your accounts and see what you can cancel. Remember, if you’re travelling for three months or more, you might as well get rid of most subscriptions for the duration of your travels.

Use cash

It’s so easy to hand over a debit or credit card and not worry about the amount you’ve spent. However, if you switch to using cash you’ll become more aware of how much things cost and you’ll be more conscious of how much you’re spending. A great way to go about this idea is to withdraw cash and divide it into envelopes for use of specific days. If you know there is a day where you potentially won’t need money (if you have petrol in the tank and you’re planning on taking a lunch to work, for example), you won’t need an envelope for that day. Simple. Give it a try!

Budget

This carries on from the cash-in-envelopes idea. From your weekly food shop to your petrol money, everything you regularly spend money on needs to be budgeted. That way you’ll be in more control of your finances. Make a list of how much money you have on payday, make sure you account for bills and any necessary expenditure, fill up those envelopes, and any spare cash can go straight into your travel money pot. Well, perhaps not all of it…

Make small saving gains

Just like drastic weight loss plans are often unsustainable and zero fun, saving absolutely every spare penny can be rough going and will only make you yearn for something to brighten up your day. The worst part? when you do dip into your savings to pay for a small treat, you’re bound to feel a pang of guilt. But there is a solution – and it’s another envelope. Marked ‘rainy day fund’, allow yourself a small amount of money each week for frivolous spends. Takeaway food mid-week? Colleagues going for a drink on Friday? Are friends having a bring-your-own-bottle party? You’re sorted, without feeling like you’ve scuppered your saving efforts.