Vacays are supposed to be fun and relaxing, but it is very hard to stay calm when you are constantly thinking about how you will pay for it all. Any other possible hidden expenses can ruin your entire vacation. With winter break nearly upon us and cruises, road trips and much needed getaways, now is the perfect time to start saving up for that few days you were dreaming of all the time. We rounded up some easy tricks and tips to bulk up your bank account and be ready to hit the road in style, without going into debt to do it.
First write down all your set expenses: school payments, insurance, cell phone, cable bill, car payments, rent/mortgage, etc. Then continue with your discretionary spending (shopping, drinks, movie nights, food, cigarettes, sport tickets, etc.) If you don’t have a clue where your money go, track your expenses for a two-week period. You probably will get a large sum of money, as a dollar here and there adds up. And the main reason why you are not on the road is money. Most of the expenses you can’t cut, such as rent and health insurance, but if we cut the extra expenses, we will save for our next travel much more quickly.
QUIT SMOKING
Smoking is harmful, and it doesn’t kill only you, but also your wallet. If you spend $10 per day on cigarette, then this means that you can save $3650 a year if you stop smoking. Even if you don’t want to stop smoking, half that amount would still yield enough money for close to 2 months in some exotic place.
EARN EXTRA MONEY
Think about ways to earn extra money on side. For instance, you can lead personalized tours through Vayable, cook dinners on EatWith, drive with Lyft, or rent your spare room out on Airbnb. There are many blogging platforms on Internet that also give you an opportunity to earn money from home. Use these websites to earn extra cash, boost your savings and travel cheaper.
LEARN TO COOK
We all need to eat, but if you spend a fortune in some expensive restaurants you won’t have money for your winter break. To keep your food bill low, you need to cook more often. Even if don’t have skills, there are so many cooking sites that will teach you how to cook healthy meals quickly.
CUT THE COFFEE
You may love the popular Starbucks, but the truth is that Starbucks loves your money too. You spend lots of money on coffee without noticing. A cup of coffee may be just $5 but if you drink at least one cup of coffee every day that is $1800 per year. What do you prefer: to drink coffee or to spend two months on some mesmerizing beach in Thailand? It is time to give up the coffee and switch to water, tea or brew your own cup.
REPLACE THE LIGHT BULBS
Electricity costs money, and if you want to cut the expenses on electricity you should use energy-efficient light bulbs. Fluorescent light bulbs cost around $2.5 for a pack of two. This means that by replacing 5 bulbs you can cut $75 per year on your electric bill.
STOP DRINKING
Cutting down the amount you drink is going to have a big impact not only on your health, but on your budget as well. If you love clubbing and getting drunk, then you can drink two or three glasses of wine at home and then going down-town with your friends. Alcohol is expensive, and this way is considered an easy way to save money.