Creative ways to save money for travel

I know I have said this a hundred times.. but the most common thing I am told is “I cannot afford to travel.” That’s not entirely true. I am here to tell you that you can travel and I am going to show you how.

Here are some creative ways I have saved money when planning for a trip:

1. Don’t eat out. The most expensive thing I was spending money on is food. Lunches are killer and can cost you $50-$100+ a week. That right there is a great weekend trip locally. Don’t underestimate food costs – be frugal and eat as much as possible at home or pack a lunch.
2. Find a side job. I have a few side gigs that I do to bring in some extra income. It could be babysitting, freelance work in your field, doing chores for people you know, or even running errands. Don’t be too proud to work hard for what you want.
3. Cancel your gym membership. I mean, are you even using it? You can get a workout in from free videos on the internet or from just being outside doing things. You don’t have to belong to a gym to get exercise.
4. Trade in your morning coffee runs for free coffee at work or make your own at home. Either way, it will either be free at work or much cheaper at home. $2-$7 a pop is expensive each day.
5. See if any of your monthly bills can be lowered. For example, your car insurance. Shop around if you have a good driving record and see if anyone is offering better rates. You can even raise your deductible to put more money in your pocket now – the caveat to this would be to make sure you have at least your deductible saved in case something does happen. I don’t want to steer you in the wrong direction.
6. Be creative with activities around home. If you are saving for a trip, quit paying to do things. Find all the free things to do in your area and take advantage of them. Don’t forget to pack a picnic.
7. Quit purchasing books online or through your e-reader. Last time I checked, the library is still free. They may not have the book you need immediately, but instant gratification isn’t going to get you on the road to your trip any sooner if you give in to this.
8. Use less gas in your car. Take a bike or walk wherever you need to go. I realize this is not always possible, but switching it out a few days a week can add up – and you get that fitness in.
9. Cancel your cable. Am I crazy? Yes. However, I don’t really watch much TV and when I do, it’s Netflix – which is only about $8 a month. Cable can run upwards of $60+!
10. Cancel magazine subscriptions/quit renewing or purchasing them. You can find most of this stuff online for free anyway. I know they typically don’t cost that much over the year, but every cent helps!
11. Quit paying for manicures and pedicures. I know ladies, we love them – but $30+ for a pedicure and I don’t even know what a manicure runs .. but every week or every other week – adds up. Head over to CVS and pick a color you love and do it yourself every week.
12. Quit being lured in by coupons. Are you shopping because you are saving money? You still have to spend to save the discount. Kick that bad habit to the curb.
13. Give up smoking. No explanation needed.
14. Cut happy hours to once a month.
15. Don’t pay for a car wash. This is something you can do in your driveway (if you have one). This should cost you less than .50 cents at home.
16. Try and bring someone in on your cell phone contract to distribute some of the costs.
17. Get a roommate. They can help with rent and utilities.
18. If you need new clothing items, only buy what you need and buy off clearance racks. Hello, Target!
19. Sell items that you no longer use. Thanks to Ebay, Amazon, online garage sales, and even in person garage sales – you can now unload items you don’t use. Might as well make money from your old items.
20. Quit shopping at high end grocery stores or purchasing delivery meals online. There are plenty of places like Trader Joe’s with high quality products at a fraction of the cost.