Hello!
So it’s no secret that I am currently back in my childhood bedroom fantasising and planning for the next trip… which hopefully will be a BIG one!! With that in mind, I’m extremely low on funds, not helped by the fact that I’ve ignored my university overdraft for the last year.
SO. As I am currently working on raising my bank balance I thought I’d share my tips to make money for travelling!
1. Make Travelling Your PRIORITY
How bad do you want to travel? I mean really, how bad do you want it?!
If you want it really really bad then it’s time to make it a priority! By making your travels your priority, you are approaching every situation, every future spend, with one question. Will this benefit my future travel plan? If the answer is yes, then go for it! If no, then you need to question whether or not that situation or spend is really necessary!
Often, it can be difficult to miss out on nights out or an expensive dinner with friends, especially when you’ve worked so hard so that you can get the most out of life through your travels. But there are less expensive ways to see friends so try to promote lower cost activities when you see them. At the end of the day, those beers in the pub (say £12 for 3 beers) on Friday night could cover your entire costs in one day somewhere else in the world.
2. Save EVERY Penny!
I mean EVERY penny! I have a huge tin that I have been throwing all my extra change in to for the last year and very soon I am going to be spending an hour (& hopefully not more than that!) on counting it up, bagging it up, and carrying the whole lot down to my bank. Hopefully I will have done it by the time I publish this and I will let you know how much I’ve managed to save in pennies! You’d be surprised kids!
3. Sell EVERYTHING
If there’s one thing I learnt spending seven months in Budapest, it’s that I really don’t need much. As I’m sat here I am surrounded by trinkets and clothes and books that aren’t doing anything but gathering dust. And if you’re sat in your bedroom I’m sure you are too!
Of course, it can be really hard to let go of somethings. I am a terrible book hoarder but I have decided that when clearing them out I am going to limit myself to ten valuable paper copies, usually those that are falling apart from being read so much and have my silly scribbles all inside of them. If there’s any outside of those ten that I think I’d like to to read again I’m making a list to download on my kindle in the future when I have some spare cash.
Letting go is difficult, but it will be worth it! I also have some beautiful dresses that have been hanging in my wardrobe for years waiting for the right occasion to be worn again. I have finally realised that right occasion isn’t going to come along when I am tromping around with my life in a backpack so they are now ALL up on my eBay store!
4. Create & Sell A Product
If eBay is the King of pre-loved, then Etsy is the Queen of made-to-be-loved.
If you are crafty, then create products and sell them online! I managed to make a killing in my final year of uni (+ dissertation, + studies, + part time work) creating and selling handmade meditation products and you could use the sight for anything from handmade jewellery, to clothing, to paper crafts… if you are a creative person the list is endless!
If you’re less crafty and more of a technical genius, Gumroad is my go to for selling digital products, although you really need another platform to market your products on as Gumroad doesn’t really have a search and find function. A great way to promote your products is on Facebook! When I was 16 I created and made custom tote-bags, which I sold to other kids at school who saw them on my Facebook page. Think outside the box!
5. Sell Your Services
…appropriately!!! I’m talking about physical services such as ironing, washing cars, mowing lawns, walking dogs, etc. These are great ways to get in a bit of extra cash! I recently heard of someone who offered to wash cars in his local town, but instead of people coming to him, he went and washed all the cars in people’s own driveways. It was ingenious, because it appealed to the public as a different offering from the usual!
If you are better online, why not try and freelance?! Editing, transcribing audio, copywriting, social media optimisation, website development, etc. These are all things that can not only be done on a freelance basis before you leave in order to rack up the savings, but something you can potentially continue when you’re on the road! Try websites such as Elance, oDesk, and Fiverr.
Above are all the options I am currently working with to up my travel savings!
If you have any more let me know! I’m going to need them!!
Lots of love,
2 comments
So, my number one priority was getting out of my home state of Florida. Like you suggested, I had a jar and would add money to it whenever I could. There was something truly gratifying watching the fund literally grow! It also probably helped that I didn’t have any friends to go out drinking with, which makes saving money so much easier. 😉
By the way, I got out! Now I’m on the other side of the world in New Zealand!
That’s incredible!! Too many people I know are now in New Zealand I need to get there!
It’s great that you made getting out you’re priority and I’m glad I’m not the only one that thinks money jar piggy banks aren’t just for kids!! Congratulations! x
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