I am not a trust fund kid which means that like you, I have to carefully plan every trip I take ahead of time. I am of the mentality now where I view every large ticket item as “that’s a plane ticket to Europe!” and that usually dissuades me from extraneous purchases.

I don’t believe in debt… cash is KING. There’s nothing worse than coming home with a load of debt. It kills the joy you just experienced so, these are my tips on how to save for that trip you’ve been daydreaming about., in ADVANCE.

1. A literal savings jar

I’m not kidding. Grab some sort of lidded container and decorate it. Add bling or inspiring quotes.. anything that keeps the inspiration alive. Duct tape (or super glue?) that lid on there so you can’t remove it and take $ out. Again, I’m not kidding. It gets really exciting to VISUALLY see your trip coming to fruition as the jar gets full. Just make sure you hide it somewhere 😊

2. A really part-time 2nd job

When we were saving for Hawaii, I went back to my old job just one day a week. Every paycheck from that job was cashed and immediately placed into my tamper-proof savings jar. I did this for 1 year and we lived it up in Hawaii. We splurged on activities, food.. you name it and even came home with $ to spare! It was an AMAZING feeling coming home knowing that we didn’t incur any debt and had no worries with spending while there. DoorDash or find a VERY part-time side gig, even if it’s irregular.. get a few irregular gigs (babysitting for a friend’s date night once a month?) , and they all add up! Do it for 1 year and reap the reward….. dream becomes reality.

3. Want vs. Need?

When you are tempted to buy something, ask yourself:

“Is this a want or a need?”.

Chances are it’s a want. Do you really need Netflix AND Hulu AND Apple tv? If you nixed just a few of these added expenses, your savings will add up so much faster. Here are some things to look at in your budget: Subscriptions: and other things you can live without : Audible, tv channels, Starbucks, mani/pedi’s, Target runs (Repeat after me: I do NOT need anything from Target today, next week or this month)., car washes, shoes, clothing (girl.. you have enough…seriously). A $4 coffee doesn’t seem like much at the time but it can amount to a large sum if you are treating yourself often.

4. Get rid of stuff

Sell things that are of worth but are no longer valuable to you. Go through your closet, garage and other areas of your home and gather up the things you no longer use. Have a kayak but don’t paddle anymore? Sell it! As you are going through your house, ask yourself if the items in it are more important to you than a trip somewhere. Maybe they are and maybe they aren’t. The bonus here is that you will declutter! Jump on your community Facebook swap page and sell the things that are collecting dust. Try Ebay and ThredUp as well! Side note: if you are a creative, try making greeting cards for special occasions to sell or T-shirts, etc. Think of things you can make that are cost effective and will sell. Then hit the pavement in your area and ask local shops if they would like to carry your items and/or blast it on Facebook and socials so all your friends and their friends know you have items to sell.

5. Say no and freezer meals

We all love a coffee date or lunch with friends but if you do this a few times a month, that could come with a price tag. Tell your friends you are saving for your dream trip and for now, you’re not going to be dining out. They will understand!

Locate a grocery store with the best prices (In California, we have Winco and it is SO much cheaper than the big stores). Find some freezer meal recipes and spend an afternoon prepping dinners for the month. This will save you money (and rescue you from the temptation to eat out because you don’t feel like cooking or haven’t gone shopping). Defrost a meal the day before, pop into the crockpot in the morning and BAM! Cheap and delicious eats which means more $ for your jar! Check out this site for a 6 recipe chicken meal plan!

Side note:

I do use a credit card throughout the year to get points but I have a strategy and the discipline to ensure I NEVER have a balance. When I use my card, I Immediately pay the full amount . I don’t leave the parking lot of the store before doing so. Mine is connected to my bank so I log in really quick and pay the amount for what I just charged. I’ve earned a flight to Italy this way BUT you have to be diligent and only charge an amount that has been budgeted for in advance ONLY. NO EXCEPTIONS EVER. EVER. EVER.

Do you have additional tips to share with our Travel Tribe? Leave a comment so that we can all benefit from your genius savings hacks!

*please note: I have a few affiliate links in this article. When you click on the link and book or purchase through the affilate company, I get a tiny little commission. Teeny tiny … like Tea-Cup Chihuahua tiny but I sure do appreciate your support! There is no extra cost for you! Affiliate links help to keep this blog up and running! I ONLY include links to products or services that I believe in.