{"id":327,"date":"2016-10-27T13:43:49","date_gmt":"2016-10-27T05:43:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adventurefilledlife.com\/?p=327"},"modified":"2019-11-30T16:00:44","modified_gmt":"2019-11-30T08:00:44","slug":"how-to-save-for-a-vacation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adventurefilledlife.com\/how-to-save-for-a-vacation\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Save For A Vacation (Updated)"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you are reading this you are likely wondering how to save for a vacation. Travel certainly isn’t cheap, especially when you factor in lost wages and the ever-present rent that needs to be paid.<\/p>\n

So, how can the\u00a0average person afford to travel?<\/p>\n

Budget, Budget, Budget<\/h2>\n

This should be the first step for anyone looking to save money. Keeping a budget will help you keep track of monthly expenses and help you identify\u00a0problem areas. Keeping a strict budget will help you avoid overspending. It should be a reasonable budget though – trying to stick to an overly tight budget is the fastest\u00a0way to give up on budgeting.<\/p>\n

Open a savings account<\/h2>\n

Pretty much self-explanatory. Open a new account today if you don’t have one\u00a0yet. My salary is deposited each month into my primary account on the 5th of each month and I transfer everything I don’t need to my savings account on the 6th of each month. Make a habit of this, not for the pitiful interest, but to protect your money from unneccessary spending.<\/p>\n

Cut out unnecessary expenses<\/h2>\n

After you have made a budget (and stuck with\u00a0it for a couple of months!) you should have a clear idea about where your money goes. Identify unnecessary expenses and try to cut back in those areas.<\/p>\n

“You\u00a0spend money on the things you\u00a0value”<\/p>\n

We all use our money to purchase things that make us comfortable and give us happiness.<\/a> For some that might mean a big home in a good neighborhood. For others, nights out at the bar or nightclub. If you have a yearning for travel you might need to consider making big changes in order to accomplish your travel goals. It will take some deep contemplation, certainly. personally I would downsize to a smaller house, or spend my weekends at home, if it meant I could take that month-long backpacking trip around Peru.<\/p>\n

Start drinking water<\/h2>\n

This is the area I struggle with the most. Over the past couple years I have developed a coffee\/tea addiction that has taken money away from flight tickets. Think about the money you spend on coffee, tea, soda, etc, each day. Is it $5? Maybe $10 (2 cups of coffee a day if you frequent Starbucks)?<\/p>\n