5 Ways To $ave Up Money For Your Next Trip

Want to go on vacation but have no idea how you’re going to pay for it? Don’t sweat. Whether you want to relax on a beach, hike a mountain, or go on an epic road trip, all you need is a little saving strategy to get you on your way to your next vacay.

Here are 5 tips to save some $$$ for your next trip.

• Create A Separate Vacation Savings Account

  Decide how much money you’ll need for your next vacation, then open a separate savings account for it. Make monthly, weekly, or bi-weekly deposits.

  Have a destination in mind, research how much you’ll need to save, and make at least a monthly deposit. You can do this by having a monthly auto-transfer. This way money from your regular checking account will automatically transfer into your vacay account. And add any other extra money that comes your way to this account (i.e. birthday/Christmas money, work bonus, etc).

  Small chunks add up over time and before you know it, you’ll be picking up seashells on a warm beach in Florida, exploring the Yellowstone National Park, or partying it up in Las Vegas. Also, consider renaming your account to something fun like *Vacay $$$* to keep you motivated to continue adding to it. You can easily rename your savings account by logging in online and going to settings within that account.

• Use Money-$aving Apps

  With the power of technology, you can do anything — even save money! There are so many apps out there that’ll help you budget and save like a pro. Some apps even do the saving work for you!

  For example, Digit lets you save money without thinking about it! All you do is connect the app to your checking account and the app will review your income and spending habits, then from there, transfer small chunks of money into your Digit account. The only caveat is that there’s a monthly fee of $2.99 after a 100 day trial period, but may be worth looking into!

• Eat Out Less

  Save eating out adventures for when you’re on vacation! Consider eating out less because all those meals — whether it’s 5 bucks for $50 — is dipping into your vacay $$$. This doesn’t mean you have live on ramen noodles! You can cook and prepare amazing meals at home and you’ll be surprised that it doesn’t take much effort — especially if you meal prep and make extra in advance for the week.

  So pack your lunch for work, have potluck picnics out with friends or host a dinner party at home! And, yes, it’s OK to eat out once in a while as long as it’s not a regular habit. Put that money towards a nice dinner out while vacationing in New Orleans… or, you know, wherever you decide to go!

• OMG Where’s My Coffee

  We love our daily cup of joe more than anyone! However, a daily $5 latte can set you back over $100 a month. That’s money you can add to your vacation fund! We’re not saying you have to give up your coffee — that’s just crazy talk — but consider investing in a coffee maker and a stainless steel travel mug to make your coffee at home and take it on the go with you on your way to work… or the airport!

  We’re all about balance here, so maybe compromise with yourself and treat yourself to a Starbucks or local cafe once a week (maybe on Fridays!). And you can save a little extra in your travel fund for delicious coffee while on vacation!

• Quit Subscriptions & Memberships

  Do you have memberships to services that you barely use or can easily replace with something low cost or free? Do you really need Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime? Pick your favorite one and quit the rest or take a break from streaming for a bit. The same goes for a gym membership. There are plenty of ways to workout and get in a good sweat that doesn’t involve going to a gym. Instead of running on a treadmill at the gym, run outside for free. Instead of taking a spin class, go for a bike ride.

  There are plenty of on-demand workouts you can stream online for a small fee such as Daily Burn and there are plenty of free workouts on Youtube you can do right in your living room. You just have to look outside of the box and get a little creative!

Getting excited about your next trip? Saving doesn’t have to be hard! Take a good at where your money is going and redirect it to your vacation fund! You work hard all year and deserve to have some fun! When you go on your next vacay, consider using LugLess to ship your bags to your destination at a fraction of what it would cost to check them in at the airport!

Love and lots o’ cash… and vacays!

Tell us about your fave ways to save for your trips!