Congratulations! You’ve made the decision to travel! One thing though…you’re going to need MONEY to get you there. I’ve told you how to travel Europe for free and travel forever once you’re on the road but unless you plan to hitchhike and sleep under the stars, you’re going to need to make money for travel beforehand. Saving money for travelling can be a pain in the butt. Here are 11 easy and awesome ways to make money for travel right now!
Time to get focused. Before you go any further, write down what you are spending weekly. Do you have direct debits? Write that down. Are you paying for student loans, rent, utilities, transport costs, social activities, your weekly food shop, the gym? Sometimes we have no idea what we’re spending. If this is the case for you, keep track of yourself this week and see what comes up. You’ll learn a lot!
After writing your list, cancel everything you don’t need (be strict and honest with yourself) and write down the exact amount of money you do need to pay your essentials.
Put ALL of your extra money, after you’ve deducted your essentials, in a savings account. Out of sight, out of mind, that dream trip you’ve always wanted is going to come sooner with your money ready and waiting!
If you’re wondering how much you need to save in the first place, this Budget Calculator is a lifesaver.
Right, let’s get started on how to make money for travel!
You gotta do it. If you want to make money for travel, you need to reign it in. Without realising it, most of us overspend everyday. Here is what you need to watch out for.
Are you driving to work? I understand for some of you this cannot be changed (hello American friends!). Hear me out though. It may be cheaper to car share, take public transport, ride a bike or walk. Not only will you be looking after the environment and getting fitter…you are going to be saving your precious pennies.
Oh my…coffee and alcohol. It’s so good but it’s sooooo bad for your wallet.
Don’t you dare think about buying that morning coffee. Yes, I know it’s your treat, but those coffee shops are charging you way too much. $5 every work day = $100 a month = $1200 a year = 2 good months in South Asia! Make your own or if you really must go in there for your morning fix, get the cheapest one: ‘Expresso to go!’
Alcohol. Yes, it may make you dance like Shakira (never a bad thing) and it may help you tell that person you have a crush on that you think they’re awesome. Yet, if you want to make money for travel, go cold turkey or get some bevvies from the supermarket. You’ll save so much money you’ll be laughing.
One more thing! Water! Do not buy bottles of water! Use a reusable water filter like Water To Go (Teacake readers get 15% off at checkout with code TEACAKE15).
Oh…and if you smoke, it’s time to quit those nicotine sticks too.
It’s time to throw the takeaway menus in the bin and delete your local pizza delivery’s number from your phone. Roll up your sleeves and put the apron on babe because it’s time to make your own lunch and meals.
At the start of every week make a meal plan and stick to it. Extra bonus: you’ll be eating healthier and losing those extra pounds if your body feels it needs to.
We all want to look good and look after ourselves, but there are cheaper ways to do it. Are you working out at the gym? Cancel your gym membership. There are so many ways you can work out at home and outdoors in the park using your own body weight.
If you’re getting your hair cut every 6 weeks, make that time 2 months. You can easily get away with that. Are you dying your hair? Do it yourself or go natural. Much cheaper!
When clothes shopping, think second-hand rather than buying everything new. I got some awesome travel gear through clothes swaps and grabbing deals on Amazon. Only buy necessities. Ask yourself, ‘Do I need it?’ If the answer is no, put it down and walk away.
When it’s time to leave, check out my backpacking packing list for essential gear and my travel gifts for women which will really help maximise your travel experience!
Get selling your unwanted clutter online for extra cash. If you don’t already have one, set yourself up with an eBay account. It is free to join (so no excuses). You can then sell your old clothes, books, electrical items etc on there or Gumtree. You can even set up a yard sale.
If you do have your own place, you could open up a spare room and make money from it on AirBNB. It’s a great way to make money with a resource you already have and you’ll meet other people travelling, which is a true inspiration!
Talking about your own house…cut back on your utility bills by making sure you only have the heating on when you need it, your lights on when you really need them and all of those electronics off when you’re not using them!
Make use of your spare time and get a second job. If you have a Monday to Friday job, then why not get a second job at the weekend? Or look for freelance work on websites like Fiverr or Upwork. Or you could simply do extra handy man work, some babysitting or become a tour guide in your local area.
You can leave for your travels even earlier if you want to travel and work at the same time too. I funded my first 5 years of travel by Teaching English Abroad and loved it!
There are also, plenty of ways to save money when it comes to booking your travel. Always look for deals and make use of comparison websites.
I love using my Skyscanner app to find the best flight deals daily. Download the Skyscanner app here!
For accommodation, I recommend using Agoda for hotels and Hostelworld for hostels.
If you’re not signed up to AirBNB yet, you can also get $37 in travel credit free from me right here!
Living in a materialistic world is hard, especially if your friends are the types who want to go out for meals, have drinks on the town and buy the latest fashions on their next shopping spree. Constantly remind yourself why you want to travel and wake up every morning with this goal, to change your life, firmly in your mind.
Good luck traveller! I’ll see you on beach!
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Great advice! Half of the reason we don’t travel as much is because we can’t afford to travel. If we implemented some of your tips we might just be able to travel more often!
I love your blog!!! These are such helpful tips!! I have been using the Mint app which is incredibly helpful for saving and budgeting.
Hey! Aaaaah yes I’ve heard MINT is really good. Thanks for the reminder on that one!
Yep Absolutely right dear. its really needed before travelling the beautiful world.
Great tips! I always insist that not being a tea/coffee drinker helps fund my travels. Unfortunately, my penchant for sweet treats probably counters any progress I make…
Hahaha hey Shannon! Ah dear that’s so funny >< I think we all have something to treat ourselves and sometimes we just can't help it. Be money conscious but don't scrimp on treat happiness :D