Traveling is one of the things that everyone wants to do. Whether you’re looking for a quick trip to a new state or you’re wanting to cross off some items on your bucket list and head overseas, money is a significant factor that needs to be taken into consideration.
While some may be able to afford spontaneous trips, that isn’t the case for a majority of us. If it was, we wouldn’t be working 40-hour weeks and would probably own a cabana on our favorite beach. Given that most of us can’t afford a spontaneous trip but still have the hunger to travel the world, we wanted to dedicate today’s blog to a few tips that can make saving for your next vacation just a bit easier.
Open a Bank Account
Out of sight, out of mind — right? This is what this tip is essentially hoping to do. By creating a bank account that is dedicated entirely to the expenses of your trip, you can start to set aside money without feeling like you have extra funds in your account.
Another reason that this is so beneficial is the fact that you can set up automatic payments so that you continuously have money being added to the account. This factor makes it a bit easier to create travel plans. You can either choose to plan your trip around the money that is building up in the account or decide on how much you’d like to add to the account based on your travel timeline. Either way, this makes it a bit easier to estimate and plan for your trip.
Get a Second Job
The best way to make saving for a trip a bit easier is to increase your income. Unfortunately, this isn’t something that you can snap your fingers and enjoy. Most often, an increase in income comes from picking up a second job. While you may find yourself having to manage a hectic schedule, you will start to see your travel stash build up even quicker.
It’s important to note that a second job doesn’t have to be full-time or something that you don’t enjoy. There are plenty of side gigs that you could find that would provide you with that extra cash to help speed up the timeline of affording your trip. Driving for Uber or Lyft when you have downtime is easier to incorporate into your schedule and can be done when you have the time. The best part? You’re bringing home money no matter what!
If that’s not something that you’re interested in, consider a job in an industry that you’re passionate about. For example, if you love going to the rock climbing gym and find yourself there on a majority of your free nights, why not get a job there? Whether it’s checking people in or doing lessons on the side, you could start to make some extra money off something that you enjoy.
Cut Back on Spending
A quick and easy way to start saving some money is to cut back on spending. Monthly expenses come out of your paycheck and leave you less money to play with. While some of the costs that you’re paying are set and cannot be adjusted, a majority of the things we spend our money on can be changed.
So, your rent, car payment, and phone bill may be a set payment each month — that’s fine, don’t feel like that’s money lost. There are, however, other areas that you can work on reducing the amount of money that you’re spending. Groceries, for example, can definitely be adjusted so that you aren’t spending quite as much. Creating a meal plan in advance and only purchasing the items needed is a great way to reduce waste and save some money.
Aside from the cost of living, you can reduce your spending in the form of enjoyment. If you’re someone that loves going out to eat, grabbing a drink with friends after work or binges on movies and concerts on the weekends, cut back! These are all costs that, in the long run, add up. If you stuck to eating out only two to four times a month, you would be surprised just how much money you save.
Sell Some Stuff
It can be pretty amazing to see the types of things that we collect as humans. Whether it’s intentional or a complete accident, there are quite a few things in our homes that we feel we need and rarely use. If you can think of a few items that you haven’t looked at in a while or simply don’t use anymore, these could be exactly what you need to make some extra money on the side.
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure — that’s a saying that’s been around for a while, and it still rings true! When you’re looking for some fast cash for a trip, you can definitely start to go through your belongings and set aside items that you no longer need. From clothes and shoes to kitchen equipment and furniture, there’s likely someone that would be willing to pay the price.
With as far as technology has come, it’s relatively easy now to sell all of these items right in the comfort of your home. Facebook Marketplace and apps like LetGo and OfferUp make it easy for you to post your item and the price. From there, individuals searching for that specific item who are happy to pay the price will reach out and take it off your hands. That’s a win-win for all parties!
ParkDIA When You Leave Town
The techniques that we’ve listed above are absolutely great ways to ensure that you’re able to set aside some money and book the trip that you’ve had on your mind. When you do finally book that trip, make sure to reserve your DIA airport parking spot with ParkDIA. We offer a selection of parking rates and services for you to take advantage of.
Simply select covered or uncovered parking and enter the dates that you’ll be traveling. It’s as simple as that. Most importantly, we offer competitive parking prices so that the money you’ve saved up is best spent. Browse our parking rates today and let us know if you have any questions that we answer.
