#travelhack :wanna save money for travels? here's what I did.
One of the most common questions I have been asked is how I am able to fund my international travels.
The answer…?
STOP. (mindlessly). SPENDING. YOUR. MONEY.
Now before you roll your eyes and exit out of the window, hear me out...I know you can’t just stop spending money, but you CAN cut back WHERE and HOW you spend your money.
When I decided I wanted to travel indefinitely, I realized very quickly that I had not so big of savings & my typical spending habits would have to RADICALLY change. like yesterday.
So I started going through my expenses and seeing what I could cut out. Easier said than done. Everything I spent seemed so vital to my existence. It was soon clear this was going to be harder than I thought.
But I didn’t give up, obviously…or I wouldn’t be wiring this...
And if you’re anything like me, I’m sure you’re dying for me to get to the point already.. soo that’s it for story time... because I’m going to take you through some of the TOP services I cut back on that helped me save me A TON of money and bulk up my travel fund!!
STOP MINDLESSLY DRIVING AROUND TOWN.
This one is first because it was the first solution I came up with when I was looking at cutting back my expenses. Living in San Diego, I do not have the luxury of efficient public transport... (And unless you live next to everything you could ever need, transportation is something WE ALL NEEED! So no matter if you commute on a subway, use Uber, take the bus or drive like me, this can benefit you!) Bottom line, the money I spent on gas was pretty much at a fixed number unless I could pull off driving and/or paying less.
-I began mapping out where I drove. I drove to and from work, friend’s houses, my boyfriend’s house, the gym, stores, anywhere else around town I felt like going & any spontaneous trips I took. I always offered to drive and would’t mind taking the scenic route home, even if it did tack on a few extra miles. Can you guess what went first? The trips and random drives just for fun. bummer, but then the price of gas + anything bought on adventure, were taken off the table, if I was gonna save money, it had to be done. haha.
-Then I started to group trips together. I would take routes that would include work, the grocery store or the gym. I would try and see friends on my way home from work instead of coming home first and then heading out. Even that meant bringing a change of clothes and shamelessly freshening up in the bathroom after work lol.I also began carpooling with my mom, sister, boyfriend, friends, literally anyone who was going my way, if it would work, we would carpool!! It’s a win win, so why not!
DON’T BE LAZY & MAKE YOURSELF FOOD.
Eating out is not only conveniently delicious but a huge social setting in a lot of people’s lives. So cutting it out completely may not be in everyones deck of cards (it took me some time to finally commit to this one)... But let me tell you, once I cut this completely out, my money was piling up, and fast!! I tried my best to eat at home as much as possible. And if I did eat out, I would strictly drink water. And if I couldn’t share a meal with someone, I would order enough to hold me over until I could eat at home…a bit extreme but hey, I had goals and I wanted to make sure they were met. Eating out adds up, if you don’t believe me, eat out like you usually do, but save every receipt. I mean EVERY one. Then add up the total for a full 7 days. Next week, try eating in. Save the receipts, same as last week & add up the total. You’re not a cook? no problem, there are pre-packaged salads, microwaveable meals, and all the ramen & bread you could ever want... Try it out, you will be surprised how much you really spend on nourishing your body when someone else makes your food on a day to day.
EMBRACE YOUR NATURAL BEAUTY
This was no doubt the hardest concept to take on. I love pampering myself. I love getting my hair done. Getting manicures and pedicures. Waxing. Threading. Massages. I mean let’s be real, who doesn’t love that kind of stuff?! Especially when we live in a world that tells you that you need ALL of those things, plus more, just to be “decent at best”. Now I am not saying you can’t treat yo self, I am just saying it is a “no-no” to get your hair done, nails done, you name it, on a regular basis when you are also saving for your next big trip!! If you have to, HAVE to get something done, just pick ONE! I started out with my hair. I told my hairdresser, Amira, to give me something that could fade into a natural, low maitnence look. There went my monthly “hair bill”; then I took off the gel polish and allowed to let my brittle nails strengthen and grow. Bye-bye “25$ fill every two week bill”.
-Now this is really going to be tough, especially if you’re used to having these luxuries all the time. But hey, you are beautiful, with or without those long nails or highlighted hair... Embrace your natural beauty! Let this time of saving big and beautiful destinations give your skin, hair and nails the break it so desperately deserves.
So there you have it! Some of my biggest and baddest “saving secrets” all laid out right in plain text, for you to learn from and apply to your own life!
Now I am not saying that by cutting out these three things you’ll be rich and traveling within three months. noooooo way! But, taking a look at your spending habits, and cutting back to ONLY the BASICS, are the first steps.
Honestly, everyones bank account, spending habits and lifestyle is just as unique as the person who it belongs to. These are my top three “big savers” & if they align with yours too…GREAT! get to it!! if not, take a lookover again and use my system as a guide!!
-->Want personalized advice? Or still struggling with finances? Maybe it's just the budgeting part that's got you, or just can’t be bothered to figure it out… regardless of the reason, head over to my Services Page & send me a message asking for help!
I really want to give EVERY person the opportunity to create the future they have envisioned for themselves…so I hope this helps!!!
Talk soon!
xx, C