Little Cuts To Your Budget That Can Add Up To A Big Vacation
Everyone wants to travel, but most people don’t believe they have the means to do so. We earn money and we spend money. The key is identifying where not to spend. Follow these tips of small cuts that you can apply to your budget, and see how they add up to a big vacation!
Going out to eat. No matter how hard we try to limit dining out, we inevitably go out to eat several times in a week. Sometimes it may just be a snack for breakfast in the morning. Or perhaps it’s a nice drink on the way home. It doesn’t have to mean cutting out every meal, but even if you cut back $5 a day, you will have saved $150 in 30 days. A budget of $150 can get you very far in a lot of places around the world. I recently returned from 3 weeks in Trinidad and Tobago, and I spent under $300 on all of my food, excursions, carnival fetes, and souvenirs!
Indulging in small luxuries. Most people have some weekly or monthly ritual that, if you were honest with yourself, you could probably live without. Whether it’s trips to the nail salon, always having fresh bundles, or getting new shoes as soon as they come out, there is a spot in everyone’s budget that is the perfect opportunity to save! Now I understand that we have to treat ourselves. We work hard and deserve to spend the money we earn. Really it’s just about prioritizing. If a vacation is the priority over these small luxuries, you’ll have no problem identifying some extra cash in this area.
Unnoticed credit card spending. I always recommend checking your bank statements and seeing what money is filtering out that you don’t even pay attention to. It may be that gym membership that you never use, or that Netflix subscription with all of those documentaries that you have yet to watch. Let. It. Go. I know, it sucks, you may use it one day. Well here’s an idea… save that money and use those funds on the vacation you’ve been daydreaming about. Make it a reality.
Don’t blow your refund. We are all guilty of it. Before you’ve even done your taxes, you’re estimating your return and designating where every penny of the potential funds will go. STOP! Take a deep breath. Now re-assess. If you haven’t been spending money in certain areas, no need to start simply because you have a refund. We all have responsibilities and that refund can be very helpful. But, if it makes sense for your household, this could be the perfect kickstart to a vacation fund.