3 Easy Steps to Save Money for Travel

We all have a bucket list.  Do you dream of seeing Paris or Florence?  Do you want to hike the Inca Trail? Does this seem impossible for you?  Maybe the number one excuse that people make for not traveling is they believe it costs too much.  Save money for travel, because seeing the world is your dream, and you only live once.

Finding ways to save money for travel is much easier than you think, because you’re probably spending money you don’t have to spend.  Let’s get things in gear and make it happen!

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Make sure your monthly bills are at the lowest rates

You’d be surprised how much extra money companies like AT&T, Comcast, Verizon and even your utilities make because people don’t pay attention to their monthly bills.  Remember that 6 month deal you signed up for 8 months ago? You probably forgot that the price would jump back up to a crazy high rate if you didn’t stay on top of it.  These companies are betting on that.

Luckily, there is a service you can use that manages all of this for you automatically.  BillTrim handles all the uncomfortable negotiations that you just don’t have time for, and you only pay if they help you save money for travel.

See how much you can save with BillTrim by clicking this button:

Most people are actually spending hundreds of dollars more than they need to on their bills every year. Why not save money for travel instead?

2. Learn how to cook food from at home

You can dive into the culture of a place without ever leaving home.  Did you know that most of the world’s great food traditions did not start in fine dining restaurants? Instead, the people who weren’t able to afford the most expensive ingredients had to get creative. Some of the most famous foods from France, Italy, Mexico and more have their roots in rural peasant tradition. What does this mean for you? It means you can cook great food at home for pennies on the dollar compared to what you would spend at restaurants.

The best way to experience the culture of a place is to eat the food.  Cooking yourself can save hundreds of dollars a month and you get the added benefit of that deeper cultural experience.  You can even divide tasks in the kitchen across the whole family and turn it into a great bonding experience. Food is life.  And it doesn’t have to be expensive.

Not sure how to make something? Google a recipe or watch a How-To video on YouTube. You can do it. Your food will taste great, and you will save money for travel!

Learn more about the time we made Peruvian food at Rocio’s house with our friends. Have a Pisco Sour and dream of Machu Picchu while you’re at it!

3. Put all your spending on travel credit cards

It’s 2019.  Spending cash and not maximizing your spending rewards is wasting money every time you buy anything.  The benefits are huge, as you can basically get all your flights and hotels for free without having to spend any more money than you already do.  (This is the key… Be very careful about your spending with credit cards and don’t spend money you don’t have, because interest payments and late fees will blow away all your other savings on this list.)

My favorite site is The Points Guy.  If you make a habit and read the site about once a week, you’ll be able to jump in on most of the top deals and achieve the 20/80 effect (20% of the effort for 80% of the reward).  Some deals are available only for a very limited time, so if you read more often, or you find the whole pursuit of travel benefits fun, you can see really cool benefits and they add up fast. He has recommendations for the best current credit card sign up deals.

You and your travel partner can probably get your flight for free if you signup for just one card each. I like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, which almost always has a signup bonus with enough miles to get you a free flight to most places in the world right away. And if you aren’t following Step 2 as much as you should be, at least you’ll be getting great rewards on the money you’re spending.

Finally, plan where you want to go and figure out how much you need to save

This is the most important part.  Pick a place and set the goal to save money for travel. How many times do you tell yourself you’ll do something and never actually do it?  You’ll call that friend and get together. You’ll start an exercise routine. It doesn’t happen unless you set a specific goal with specific milestones.

You can decide to set a budget and then find places that fit that budget, or you can zero in that bucket list item and figure out how much you want to spend there.  Flights, hotels, restaurants, activities, souvenirs, etc should all be factored in to make sure your budget gives you a comfortable amount to spend and make your dream trip a reality.

So now that you have a goal in mind and 3 easy steps you can take, you have no excuses.  Get out there and travel. Cross those items off your bucket list once and for all!

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