7 tips to help you save money for travelling

What keeps many people from fulfilling their wish of travelling, is saving enough money to go on their dream trip. But saving money is not as hard as it seems and with some little tricks and adjustments to your daily life, you will have saved enough in no time.

1. Cook your meals and jump off the coffee wagon 

Are you a coffee lover who enjoys meeting friends in cafés all over town? 

Saving for your trip might be as simple as skipping that £ 2,50 cappuccino or your £ 10 lunch for a while. Prepare home-cooked meals on the weekend and freeze portions for 4 working days. Trim your lunch to £ 8 and only eat out once or twice a week. If you're disciplined this could save you around £ 800 over a period of 6 months.

2. Rent out your flat 

Finding a tenant for your home, especially for longer trips, is a great way to boost your travel account. Airbnb is a perfect platform for renting out even the tiniest of spaces. Take pictures that show the sunny side of your room/apartment. You'd be surprised as to how many commuters, divorcees and people building a house are in need of a bed. This could possibly pay for your flight, depending on the length of the contract. If you don’t own your flat, make sure your landlord is okay with it - otherwise, you might be in for a surprise upon returning.

3. Cancel your gym membership and leave your car at home

Exercise is important and we're absolutely not asking you to sacrifice your health. If you are really making good use of your gym membership, this might not be for you. But many pay for a pricey gym membership and go maximum once a week. If you are one of those, virtual fitness classes and free exercise apps like "7 minute workout" or "Down dog" for yoga enthusiasts might be a good way for you to save for your travels. It's one of the best ways to save money if you're on a tight budget. 

As an alternative to keep you fit, you might also consider taking the bicycle to work. The monthly petrol bill and/or public transport fees are likely to delay the departure to your dream destination further. In case you own a car, you can rent it out while you're gone and add extra spending money for your adventure abroad.

4. Reduce your bank fees / start a travel fund 

Have you sent money to another country or taken out cash from an ATM abroad? Do you know how much you pay in bank fees? The answer is a lot! There are cheaper alternatives like Transferwise or Revolut which is a free debit card that has no fees for ATM use. 

Start a travel fund. Make it fun and call it "I'm outta here". You can choose automatic weekly or monthly transfers within your bank account. And make it a habit to pay a "fee" every time you check your balance, even if it's just £ 5. 

And then smile as you watch it grow! 

5. set yourself a shopping challenge

Do one of those extremely popular minimalist challenges and stop buying anything non-essential for a month or two or even until the start of your trip.

We often buy little things here and there: a new jumper, cute mugs for the winter or decorations for our homes. Being more mindful about your purchases and asking yourself, if the item is really necessary will save you a lot of money.

Make a list of the items you really want and check it after your trip. You will realise that many of the things you don’t even want anymore, and if you do, there is plenty of time to still get it!

6. Don't buy books - borrow or download them 

Use your local library. In some cities, they will even order certain books that you want to read. Simply put in suggestions and the title might arrive in 1-2 weeks. 

BookMooch is a free site that lets you swap books with people all over the world. You only need to pay for postage. 

If the feeling of a physical book in your hands is not important to you, try Open Library and ManyBooks.net. They let you download e-books for free.

7. Sell stuff 

Look around your home...do you own branded clothes, retro items, paintings or antiques that just collect dust?

There is a golden rule which many people live by: Things you haven't used in 1 year are not worth keeping. What hasn't been touched in 12 months you will hardly miss, but it will give your travel account a nice boost. If 

There are FB pages for your hometown and other forums that help you sell those items quickly and smoothly online. For clothes, Depop or Vinted are great options to sell new or even pre-loved items. And who knows, you might just get into it and start buying second hand as well. That way you don’t only save money, but also do your part in minimising pollution and on a larger scale leads to saving our planet.