You have researched your top 10 destinations, earmarked your favourite pages in the travel brochures, and even started learning some basic Thai but here comes the tricky bit- how do you save up for the trip of your dreams? Travelling can be expensive, but luckily for you we have come up with 7 top tips so you can add a new stamp in that passport as soon as possible.
1) Ditch the Starbucks
It might seem obvious but so much money is spent on buying food and drink at work. It’s easy to grab a coffee to go for the journey in, then visiting the local Italian deli for lunch but the next thing you know you have spent a small fortune on food and drink all in one day. Instead pack home made lunches, and save the cash – ditching your local coffee could have you visiting the coffee plantations in Colombia in no time!
2) It’s all about the piggybank
Collect those pennies. Seriously. How many times have you paid 4.99 for something and just left that lonely penny floating aimlessly in your wallet. Getting a piggybank is a great way to round up all the loose change you have at the bottom of your bag- and once you have filled it just take it to your local supermarket (slight fee but it sorts it for you) or your local bank branch and you will be surprised at how much you have saved.
3) Be a savvy shopper
With websites like Groupon, LivingSocial, and Time Out there is no excuse to be paying full price for anything. Your eyebrows look like the overgrown Amazon rainforest but you don’t want to break the bank at your local salon? Or maybe you have your anniversary coming up and want to take that special person somewhere nice. Keep an eye out for the regular deals that appear on these offer based sites so you can still enjoy your luxuries whilst saving for your flight.
4) Harass family/friends/neighbours
Ok not too much. But if you let the people in your life know about your passion for an adventure you can try and steer this direction for birthdays/Christmas/Valentines. Advertise your skills too. Maybe not the skills you employ on a Friday night (save the tequila for Mexico) but offer babysitting services, cleaning / dog walking as an extra way to earn some cash.
5) Got a spare room in your house?
Rent it out. This is especially the case if you are lucky enough to live in London and somewhere on a tube line. Think about how much you want to travel – now think about how many people want to travel here. Try AirBnB for short term rentals, or maybe a travelling student lodger – either way it’s a great way to save for your own adventures whilst being able to accommodate someone on theirs!
6) Text alerts.
Now if you are like me you sometimes get that mild fear of terror when you have to check your bank account- especially when it’s coming to the end of the month. Although it’s initially depressing to wake up to a message from HSBC on a Monday morning overall it’s not a bad idea to sign up for text alerts from your bank. You can track how much you’re spending and be aware of how much you have left to put in the ‘Lake Titicaca Fund’. Just don’t get too disappointed if you’re expecting a text from someone and it turns out to be your bank balance.
7) Book on a budget!
It shouldn’t have to cost you the world to see the world. Keep an eye out for offers, and specials so you can visit the places you want without having to remortgage the house. Tucan Travel have a great range of budget expeditions for 18- 35 year olds as well as a load of other offers so you can be weaving round the markets of Delhi or travelling via tuk tuk in no time at all.
About the Author: Rosanna is on the Marketing team at Tucan Travel. She has travelled independently and on group tours through South East Asia, and Europe. You can find her on Twitter here
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