Whether you like to travel often or just enjoy it when you can, you realize it’s something you’ll need to fund. The amount of money you need for your vacation will depend on a variety of factors, such as where you’re going, what you plan to do there, how long you’ll be staying, and more. However, no matter if you’re planning an exotic getaway or just a trip to a flyover state, you’ll still need to save money. If you’re living paycheck to paycheck, a vacation fund can still be in your future, and here’s how.
Have a budget.
Before you even start to save money for your trip, you must first have a budget. This means you need to figure out exactly how much it will cost you, from travel expenses, to dining, to accommodations, to sightseeing, to souvenirs, and more. This way, you’ll have a general idea of what you’ll need to save in order to take the vacation you’re hoping for. Plus, knowing how much it will cost will let you have an accurate assumption of how long it will take you to save for it.
Sell you unused items.
Making extra money is always the best way to save for a vacation, and sometimes the easiest way to do this is to sell your unused items. For instance, go through your storage areas and closets and see if you have items you can sell for cash. Clothes, gently used baby items, old electronics, and household furnishings can usually get you a good deal of money. In addition, you should also look at any old vehicles you no longer use, whether a car or even a motorcycle. Even if the car is in poor condition, there are many junk yards out there that will buy any car and give you some cash for a vehicle that doesn’t work. This extra cash is better than nothing—just be sure to put all your extra earnings into a vacation fund.
Round up your spending.
Thanks to our technology-driven world, there are apps that can help you save for a vacation. For instance, apps like Digit allow you to connect your debit card to the app. When making a purchase, Digit will round up your spending to the nearest dollar and put that extra money into a savings account. It may not sound like much, but all the extra cents will add up over time, and you’ll have a decent chunk of savings without even thinking about it.
Ask for funding.
If you have events coming up where you would get gifts, such as your birthday, holiday, wedding, graduation, or other special event, you can create a vacation account and ask friends and family to donate money to it instead of giving you other gifts. You can do this through sites like GoFundMe, making it easy for you to get the cash you need for the trip you want to take.
Cut back.
Sometimes living paycheck to paycheck means you’re spending money on things you don’t need, and this doesn’t allow you to have a savings account or any wiggle room. Instead of assuming you can’t afford the vacation, take a good hard look at your budget and your spending. If you notice that you’re spending money on things that aren’t a necessity, such as a lot of fast food, a gym membership you don’t use, or cable TV you don’t watch, you need to cut back on those expenses. By doing this, you can then ease up some money and put a little bit toward your vacation every month.
Get creative.
Saving money sometimes requires you to be creative, and this can often have the best results. For instance, maybe you need to think of your skills and start charging people for it. For instance, if you’re good at photography, maybe opt to take some family photos on the weekends for extra cash. You can also opt to use cash only instead of your debit card, as spending cash often requires you to think harder about the purchase. Plus, if you use cash, you can get creative with your spending and save any change you receive or any $1 bills you receive. This creativity makes it fun for you to save and also provides you with a decent vacation fund.
A vacation can still be in your future even if you have a tight budget. Just use these tips, think outside the box, and have an enjoyable vacation.