We all dream about it. Talk about it. Read about it. But when is that travel dream going to be a reality? You’re in luck – in 2018, it’s going to happen! Here are 20 saving tips to make 2018 to your year of travel.

1) Sell everything you haven’t used for one year

This is my rule for when it’s time to let something go. If I haven’t worn that jacket for one year – I sell it. If I haven’t played that playstation since last December – I sell it. It’s a bit of an effort to put stuff up on eBay, but it is really worth it. I’ve notice that it’s a smaller job if you put up your items in big batches instead of a few every now and then. I’ll choose a day to take nice photos (important) and put everything up. Then I make sure to write in the description that I’m posting everything on the same day. Money will roll in and your flat will be much easier to cleaner and easier to rent out on Airbnb = win-win situation.

2) Compare money with travel days

This is really the best mindset to keep yourself inspired to save money. Whenever you want to buy something – say, for example, you want to buy a dress for $50 – think about how many days that will be the budget in Vietnam for. You probably could stay on the beach in Vietnam for another three days simply by not buying that dress.

3) Instead of going out to eat, arrange a potluck

To get your friends together for a big, amazing home-cooked buffet is the such a cozy way to hang out and do something together. You can get everyone to bring their favorite dish, or cook together at someone’s place; both are a beautiful way to hang out without spending loads of money (and everyone can afford that extra glass of wine!).

4) Put your flat on Airbnb, or rent out a room

To rent out a room or a flat on Airbnb is an amazing way to get quite a bit of money fast, and it’s also a great way to meet loads of new people from all over the world. If you’re lucky enough to have a spare room, rent it out starting from tomorrow! And if you don’t, but you still have your own room/flat –  make a deal with a friend and stay at her place while renting your flat out (you can do the same for her some time). Or stay with your parents for one weekend a month. I have a friend that does this regularly, which is how she supports her very travelicious life.

5) Eat vegetarian

It’s not only healthier and better for our world and the animals. It’s also so much cheaper. Make big batches of different vegetarian curries, stews and veggie patties, put them in the freezer and you’ll have healthy, cheap fast food ready to go. To eat cheap doesn’t mean you need to eat noodles everyday. You can eat healthy, tasty amazing food for almost no money.

6) Rediscover the library

I got re-introduced to the library when I started to save money for my travels, and it was like a new world opened up for me. First of all, the library is such a peaceful and inspiring place. You’ll find books you never thought about reading before you saw them on the library shelf. Second, if you think it’s too much hassle to run back and forth to the library, there are now e-readers that are compatible with e-books from the library. So you just make a  loan from your computer, and you’ll never have to think about returning them – that happens all by itself.

7) Do a big grocery shop once a month

If you always have food at home, you won’t feel the urge to buy a takeaway on your way home from work because you can’t be bothered to do grocery shopping in a busy store. It will also enable you to plan what you should buy in advance, so you don’t get any expensive impulses. And this is also totally possible if you live alone; you just need to think about what food can last for a long time. With fresh vegetables (including a lot of root vegetables), lentils and beans, couscous, coconut milk, chopped and tinned tomatoes, eggs, flour and some Greek yogurt you’ll get far. Do your shopping in the evening after you eat dinner, and there will be almost no-one in the grocery store. A big shop will also save you loads of time compared to going to the supermarket every day.

8) Bring your own lunch to work

Just open that freezer in the morning, choose between those amazing vegetarian dishes you’ve prepared, and you’re good to go. No hassle – just good food. (And if you forget food one day, I recommend having a bag of porridge oats at work).

9) End your subscriptions – or share them

Today streaming subscriptions of all sorts of types are super popular: Netflix, HBO, Spotify, audiobooks etc. There are so many to try, you sign up to free trials and forget about them, the payment leaves your account each month automatically, and it’s money that often not even aware that you’re spending. Have a look at your subscriptions and cancel those you don’t use – and if you’re not ready to live life without Netflix, go together with a friend and share it between the two of you. An easy way to save a bit of money.

10) Use your talents and earn some extra cash

Are you a talented singer? Do you love making pretty bouquets? Do your cupcakes taste like heaven? Try to think if you have any skills or talents that you could use to get a bit of extra travel money. Sing at weddings, sell beautiful wildflower bouquets to your friends. Make cupcakes and sell them at the Sunday market. Just be creative and have fun with it.

11) Have house parties (or go to others)

Cheap, fun and the party doesn’t to end just as everyone is having the best time of their night (unlike in bars and clubs!). And if you only go to other people’s house parties, you don’t need to clean up after them either.

12) This is boring advice but… have a look through your bills

And try to compare what you pay for your phone, gas, electricity and insurance compared with others. There’s actually quite a bit of money you can save by just using this really boring and grown-up trick of going through them all.

13) Save with your friends and make it into a game

To save can actually be kind of a fun thing if you’re a group doing it together. Even if your friends aren’t coming with you traveling, they probably have something else they wish they had money for. Dare each other, support each other and give each other tips for cheap food, or how to resist buying that unnecessary burger on the way home from the club.

14) End that gym membership and work out from home

You won’t be there enough to use that membership next year when you’re having the travel year of your life anyway! Health is important… but if it’s possible, try to find ways to do your exercise from home. I found an app where I could build my own yoga programs. So I just copied the gym, and did it from home instead.

15) Bike or walk to work

And here you’ll not only save on a bus/train ticket or petrol, but also get a bit of exercise that, all for free. Skip the gym to give yourself the extra time to do it.

16) Buy a thermos cup instead of a Starbucks

I know that this advice includes buying something, which is kind of a contradiction when talking about saving money. But I promise you that you can find a thermos cup for the same amount as a grande cup of Starbucks Latte. For the rest or the year you can bring coffee from home in the morning and you will save between 22-35 dollars a week. One month of this, and you have a week in a beautiful Airbnb in Bali.

17) Bake your own bread

I can’t believe I didn’t do this before. It’s cozy to bake, super-mega-cheap, your flat will smell amazing and if someone is doing a sleep over they will get crazy impressed to get freshly baked bread or scones for breakfast.

18) Visit your parents more often

And take the opportunity to enjoy their free food. It is also a nice way to see them lots before you head out traveling.

19) Learn to drink cheap draft beer again

To start choosing the normal house draft beer again will save you so much money in the long run. We all did it as students, but in line with that, once we got a little more money in our bank accounts we got used to IPA, DIPA, Gin & Tonic and Prosecco. You’ll be surprised how much cheaper a night out is when you’re just drinking normal beer. And you’ll still have just as much fun.

20) Enjoy the world’s very best free activity – nature

The most beautiful activity is free – and she’s just outside your door. To do fun things doesn’t need to cost a lot of money. Take the opportunity to really get to know the nature close to where you live – use Google to find beautiful viewpoints, nice trails or hidden lakes. Bring your friends along and get more people to discover what is out there – all for free.

 

What are your best money-saving tips? Let us know in the comments!

Photo source: Unsplash

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