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How To Save Money for Any Vacation You Want

Everyone needs a break now and again, but individuals with terrible credit particularly. Financial strain might become so great that it impairs your judgment and prevents you from taking the necessary actions to repair your credit.

Taking a vacation could help you get back on track. All you need to do is plan well. You may use specific methods to finance the vacation you deserve while still saving money.

Maps and a camera serve as travel inspiration (photo: Annie Spratt)
Travel inspiration (photo: Annie Spratt)

Steps to Save

To visit the place of your dreams, you'll need money. Here are some tips for increasing your travel funds.

Set a Trip Budget

You should figure out how to budget for your trip. Learn how much it'll cost to travel to the destination(s) and how much cash you'll probably need each week (taking into account local transportation, accommodation, food and drink, and leisure expenses).

When you know the amount you'll need, look at your monthly budget (or make one) to determine how long it'll take to accumulate the funds. If, at first, it seems as if you won't be able to save enough money, don't worry.

Consider a Travel Loan

Although it'd be nice to pay for your trip entirely in cash, it may not always be feasible. With a vacation loan, you can take your getaway sooner rather than later.

For trips, several lenders provide short-term loans. Because they often have interest rates lower than those of a credit card, they aren't prohibitively expensive. Some firms may offer you a $10,000 credit card with no credit check for a trip, but credit rates can be quite high.

Additionally, many cruises, resorts, and other holiday spots offer packages that incorporate financing to make your trip more affordable.

Cut back on streaming services to save money (photo: Glenn Carstens-Peters)
Cut back on streaming services to save money (photo: Glenn Carstens-Peters)

Cancel Unused Subscriptions

Take a close look at your monthly subscriptions and consider the following points. Are they essential? It may be time to stop paying for cable TV if you spend most of your time watching Netflix.

Do you use these subscriptions often enough to justify keeping them? A gym subscription comes to mind as one example. If you're only going once every few weeks, consider canceling it and working out another way (such as bodyweight exercises at home).

Work With a Travel Agent

You'll probably spend less on your vacation than you would if you booked it yourself if a travel agent can get you significant discounts. This is particularly true if the consultant earns fees from the airlines and hotels rather than you as the client.

Swap and Lend

Maybe you don't have to possess or purchase the thing you desire. Why spend money on a dress for a party you'd probably only wear once when you can borrow one from a friend?

Consider getting rid of items you no longer use and receiving new ones without spending any of your hard-earned money by planning a clothes exchange party with friends.

When you can get by with borrowing instead of buying, it makes little sense to shell out cash for something you won't use often.

Instead of going to a garden center to purchase something you'll only use a few times a year, ask your neighbor if you can borrow their hedge trimmer. 

Make a game of finding ways like these to save money, and it can become fun.

Bartending is a popular way to make extra money for travel (photo: Andrey Grodz)
Bartending is a common side-hustle (photo: Andrey Grodz)

Earn More Income on the Side

Everyone wants to increase their income. Although money doesn't sprout on trees, there are ways to get additional cash even if you already have regular work.

Find a side business that you can engage in. Perhaps as a waiter, bartender, cashier at a grocery store, etc.

It's not necessary to perform an outstanding job! You're just picking up some extra short-term work to increase your income. Explore what part-time jobs fit your skill set and abilities by doing some online research.

Selling handmade goods on Etsy, frequenting garage sales, selling used items on eBay, caring for others' pets on Rover.com, tutoring kids in English, babysitting, transcribing videos, and selling your plasma are all creative ways to earn extra money.

Reduce Your Spending and Use the Savings Toward Your Vacation

Although it makes sense, we'd be negligent if we didn't advise it. Put a stop to impulsive purchases and dining out for the time being, and start putting part of that money into your vacation fund.

Travel Savings

Here are some travel tips to help you spend less once you leave home.

Walking through Montmartre, Paris (photo: Jeff Frenette)
Walking through Montmartre, Paris (photo: Jeff Frenette)

Walk

Walking everywhere is the best way to get to know a new city. The fact that you'll save a lot of money on taxis and rideshare apps is a welcome bonus.

When you need a lift, look to cheaper public transit first, and be aware that multi-trip tickets and cards usually offer savings over single ticket rates. Examples of these cards are the Oyster card in London and the Octopus in Hong Kong.

Souvenirs

Some travelers consider shopping for souvenirs to be a necessary experience on any trip. But 62% of families don't buy gifts for home because they expect it will be expensive.

Often, mass-produced souvenirs are overpriced, meaning your purchase of them can eat into your budget. Take plenty of digital photos, and save small mementos like admission tickets.

Avoid Summer Travel

If you can visit your preferred destination at any other time than summer, you'll probably discover lower prices since fewer people will be going.

Who says a vacation has to take place in the summer, after all? The essential element of most vacations is to relax and have fun, so don't risk running out of money before you get home. You'll enjoy your trip more if you save for it and spend less on it.

Take Advantage of Free Admission Days

Typically, museums, galleries, and some parks offer free admission on specific days of the week or month.

For example, on the first Sunday of each month, several Italian art galleries, including the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, provide free admission.

The Louvre in Paris is free on the first Sunday of every month, but only from October through March.

The Gold Museum in Bogota is also free every Sunday. However, free admittance sometimes means longer lines, so plan accordingly.

Bottom Line 

Take these tips into account if you dream of going on a trip but don't have a lot of money.

There is no need to be afraid to go to a new place simply because your financial well-being is not as great as that of others.

Traveling is not always expensive, but it is better to know how to save money to feel financially secure.

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This story is brought to you in partnership with Fit My Money.

Planning a trip? Go Backpacking recommends:

Lisbeth

Thursday 22nd of September 2022

Some of this advice is sound, but some of it absolutely not. Saving money, finding a side hustle, selling things you no longer use, borrowing instead of buying, walking or using cheap transportation are all great ideas. Taking out a loan is definitely not. Avoiding traveling in summer applies to some destinations but not all. Dubai is a lot more expensive in December than in July. The secret is to do your research well ahead of time to find the best options. This includes engaging with online communities. Advice from locals or people who have already visited your chosen destination can save you a lot money.

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