You have the plan to travel abroad and are looking for ways to save up some extra money?
Well, With these simple tips, you can save up more money then you can expect.
Some tips might seem obvious, while others maybe didn't come across your mind.
So here you have all my tips and tricks.
1) Sell all your unnecessary stuff:
Go through your house and look at all your stuff. I bet there is a lot of nice touches but also unnecessary stuff in your house. Select everything that doesn't give more value to your life and sell it.
I go through my closet every month. Clothes I haven't worn for 2 months, they go away. Stuff that looks more luxurious than I need (those bling extras just for show), get rid of it.
If I sell something, I put that money in my tiny moneybox. You can be surprised by how much you can save up.
2) Don't buy things you don't need:
Of course, it is fun to redecorate your house sometimes, to add new stuff. But think, is it really necessary?
Nowadays, we love to go to shops and buy what our eyes think is beautiful. This is when we forget our wallet. Buying gives us some sort of extra, some feeling of happiness.
3) Divide your costs :
If you are planning on going on a big trip, divide your costs. Make sure you have your visa, passport, plane ticket,... If you know where to go, you can arrange some things a few months before. This is how you spread your costs on your documents and bookings.
I never book accommodations in front, because I like the adventure of searching for the cheapest. But I make sure I arrange some other things in front.
4) Leftovers all the way or family dinners:
Eat out your freezer! This can save you so much money. I tried to eat out my freezer last time, And I almost didn't spend money on food for 2 or even 3 weeks.
What also works for me, is just walking into my parents' place and invite myself for dinner/lunch/... Always seems to work.
5) Use Couchsurfing, Airbnb, or go to Hostels/Campings:
You ever heard about Couchsurfing? It is one of the coolest
You don't need to pay for the place, but you leave a review afterward.
I always try to take some small gesture for my host. Or at least cook a Belgian dish. It is nice to spend some time with other travel-minded people.
Recently I started using Airbnb more. Sometimes you just book a place and don't have contact with your host. But if you are lucky, you meet some of the most amazing people ever.
Some Airbnb hosts allow you in their houses, where they are also living.
I was lucky in Malta to meet the most amazing host ever. It even became a love story.
Another option to travel at a low cost is booking a bed in a hostel or go camping. Especially in the low season, this can be a good option. Hostels also allow you to connect with other travelers.
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6) Eat local or go to the supermarket to buy food:
Eating local is most of the time cheaper than visiting those fancy restaurants in the city center. If you book an Airbnb or are in a hostel with a kitchen facility, you can easily cook yourself and buy your food in the supermarket. If you are on the way and you feel hungry, get some snacks or fruits in the supermarket instead of eating out somewhere.
7) Do some seasonal jobs or some volunteering:
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If you are on the road for a while, or you didn't save up that much money before, there are a lot of options to save or earn money with working.
Some of the most popular sites/apps are WOOFFING or Workaway. You can find seasonal work, farming, volunteering,... and you get sleeping places and food in return most of the time.
If you stay in a tourist place, you might find some work easily in a bar, restaurant, hostel, hotel,... Especially when you are speaking more languages than your own.
Although you are not always getting money in return, you can have a place to sleep instead. That also makes you save up some money to do other things.
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| Merel's Blog |