With social media being such a huge part of everyday life now, it’s hard not to log in, see a trip that someone is on and automatically get jealous or feelings of wanting to plan your next trip. Trust me, I’m the same way, so I can definitely relate. I’m constantly dreaming of where I am going next, but a lot of the time, my wallet tells me “no” the second I consider going somewhere – it’s very unfortunate. But, this year, one of my goals is to save in advance for travels and learn how to make my wallet finally say, “yes!”
Expert Vagabond says, “There’s a popular myth floating around that travel is an expensive hobby. Certainly people who travel a lot must have rich parents, lucrative lottery winnings, or work high paying jobs… right?
Normal people can’t afford to travel! It’s far too expensive for the rest of us…
Don’t worry, I understand where you’re coming from. I used to think that way too. As an American who didn’t even know what a hostel or GAP year was, I thought international travel was only for the rich and privileged.
But after travelling the world extensively for the past 7 years, I’m here to tell you world travel is possible for the rest of us too.”
Here are a few ways that I am going to save on my travels:
Track Your Spending
Okay, the first step to reducing your spending, managing your income, and saving is to track your spending. You need to figure out exactly where each cent of your money is going. This way, you can figure out where you can cut back or even totally eliminate your spending. I know for a fact that you will probably be surprised when it comes to where your money is going to. For example, if you are paying $5 for a coffee each day at Starbucks, or another local coffee shop (or more, depending on what you are getting and where you frequent), that is $150 a month or almost $2,000 a year that you could be saving. Depending on the location and style of your trip, that $2,000 could go a long way – maybe even as much as a full trip! So, my challenge to you is to start tracking your money. Write down what comes in and write down every single thing that comes out of your wallet, as well. Even those small expenses like tampons, coffee, or a bottle of water. You can never track too much!
Budget, Budget, Budget!
Now that you know where you money is going, you need to set up a budget for yourself. What can you cut back on or eliminate completely? Can you start making your own coffee at home? Do you really need to go out to dinner with friends 3 nights a week? Are you using your gym membership? Figure out how you can fine tune your budget and make it happen. The first step to this is writing down all of your necessary expenses. These are things like your rent or mortgage, utility bills, and food that you absolutely need and cannot change. After that, make a list of all the unnecessary expenses in your spending and figure out how to limit those. Give yourself a limit – like one coffee each month, to create boundaries for yourself. Then, create a savings goal. Figure out how much you need to save each week, or each month, in order to reach your goals and then make it happen. Once you have everything written down, put your plan into action – don’t wait a day, or a few days, start that day.
Consider Making Extra Cash
Located in the Buckhead area of Atlanta, Georgia, Chapes-JPL is a company that offers low-interest 30-day collateral loans on jewellery, gold, watches, diamonds, cars, and handbags. In addition, they also purchase jewellery, in any shape, so you have options and can compare options between getting a loan or selling your items, in order to make extra cash. In business for 38+ years, Chapes-JPL has built their reputation because of their trust and security, experience, fast cash, discreet and confidential location, and their amazing interest rates (as low as 3%!).
When you sell your jewellery in Atlanta, you have plenty of options. Chapes-JPL says, “You could either sell it yourself online or take it to a typical pawnshop, gold buyer, or jewellery store. Selling it online has its drawbacks. You have to photograph it, list it, wait for a buyer, ship it, wait for payment, and lastly, hope that the item doesn’t get returned. If you want cash for your jewellery immediately, we can help.”
So, if you are in need of extra cash to fund your travels, check out Chapes-JPL and see how they can help you reach your financial goals.
Find Travel Deals
Last but not least, finding travel deals is a great way that will allow you to travel more. Sign up for airfare deal websites such as sky skipper or airfarewatchdog. These websites will alert you when there are great flight deals and can result in huge savings. You can also find deals for hotel rooms and tours, as well. Search and search again until you find a deal that your wallet can handle. Never pay full price for a hotel or flight again and your money go further along in your travels.
PIN IT FOR LATER
Disclaimer: This is a collaborative post.