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Want to take awesome vacations but can’t afford it? Need simple ways to save money for trips that actually work? Well, look no further! Here are 10 practical tips to save money for vacation that can be used by any family on any budget.
Now, just so we’re clear: this article does not talk about getting cheaper travel. Instead, it is full of advice on how to actually save enough money to pay for your trips, regardless of where you want to go.
And in full disclosure, I’m not a financial guru. I’m just a regular mom who tries to save money wherever I can so my family can travel more often. These tips are easy to implement and can help you start saving today. Use a few of these tips in combination and you will have your next family vacation paid for before you know it!
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Tip #1: Set Up a Vacation Fund
The first step in saving money for travel is to go to the bank and open a savings account specifically for your vacation funds. This will make it easier for you to keep this money dedicated to travel as opposed to using it for other things.
By using an interest bearing savings account, you can make your money work for you by earning interest as it sits there.
If you bank with Bank of America, sign up for their “Keep the Change” program where they will automatically round up your debit card purchase amounts and transfer the change into your savings account.
Tip #2: Make a Weekly Deposit
Once you have your vacation fund, make a weekly deposit to it. This tip may seem obvious, but it works!
Figure out how much you can afford to set aside every week for your travels. Then, put that amount in your vacation fund each and every week. You will be amazed at how fast your money will add up.
Tip #3: Reassign Impulse Buys
Every time you are tempted to make an impulse purchase, stop. Ask yourself: Would I rather have this or go on vacation? If the answer is vacation, then put the money you would have spent on the purchase into your vacation fund.
For example, I recently considered buying a new planner. But, I realized that I wanted to travel more than I needed the planner, so I put the $40 that I would have spent on the planner into our vacation account.
This will not only help you save for your trip, but it will also help you control your impulses! Talk about a win, win!
Tip #4: Cut Back on Luxuries
When you have a limited amount of money, you have to make choices on what to spend it on. Look at the “luxury items” you are spending money on and see where you can make cuts. The more you cut back on these items, the more money you can save for traveling.
Packing your lunch instead of eating out each day can save $50 or more a week. Instead of buying expensive coffee each morning, brew your own.
A friend of mine realized that she liked traveling better than watching TV, so she canceled her cable. This saved her over $150 a month!
This is a fast way to save for vacation.
Tip #5: Empty Your Pockets
At the end of each day, empty the loose change out of your pockets and put it into a jar. You can also put any $1 and $5 bills you have in your wallet in the jar at the end of the week. Once a month, take this money and add it to your vacation fund.
You won’t miss this small amount of money, but it can add up quickly and make a big impact in your vacation fund.
Tip #6: Set a Floor and Save the Extra
Determine a minimum amount that you want to always have in your checking account. This should be an amount that you are comfortable living with on a day-to-day basis.
Then, the day before payday, look at how much you have in your account. Take all or part of the amount which is over your floor and deposit it into your travel account.
Tip #7: Use Your Extra Check
If you get paid biweekly, two months out of the year you will receive three checks instead of two. In this case, plan your bills and expenses for two checks per month. Then, when you get these two “extra checks” per year, you can save most of this money for vacation.
Tip #8: Finders Keepers
Anytime you find random money lying around, pick it up. It doesn’t matter if it’s a lost penny on the sidewalk, a couple coins in the cup holder of your car, or a $10 bill in the laundry. Put any money you find into your travel savings. This doesn’t sound like much, but every little bit helps.
Tip #9: Hidden Money
This is one of my favorite tips for saving money. Anytime you use your debit card or write a check, round up the amount when you write it down in your checkbook.
For instance, if you spend $74.32 on groceries, write down that you spent $75.
This will begin to create “hidden money” in your checking account. By rounding up the amount spent when keeping track of your account, you will see a balance lower than what it actually is.
You won’t miss this small amount of change, but it will begin to add up quickly. Then, periodically figure the accurate balance and put the hidden money into your vacation fund.
Tip #10: Use Cash Back Programs
My last tip to help you save for vacation is to use cash back programs to your advantage. You have to spend money on day-to-day things like gas and groceries, but you can start getting some of that money back by using cash back programs.
Apps like Ibotta give you money for everyday purchases at a wide variety of stores. There are also some loyalty programs that reward you for shopping at their locations.
Use as many of these as are feasible for you. Then, take any money you get from them and put it into your travel fund.
My husband and I earn hundreds of dollars a year using Ibotta alone.
Conclusion
Saving for vacation can be hard, but it doesn’t have to be. The above tips are simple ways to incorporate a savings plan into your everyday life so you will have more money to pay for those family trips.
By starting a vacation savings account, cutting back on luxuries, and putting any found money towards your travel budget, you will be having adventures before you know it.
For some specific tips on saving money for Disney trips, read my tips for saving on food, and souvenirs.
To help you plan trips with a smaller price tag, read how to have an amazing vacation on any budget, tips for saving money on hotels, tips for saving money on rental cars, and tips for saving money on airfare.
To help you plan better trips, see how to plan epic family vacations. And to inspire you to get out there, check out my favorite travel quotes!
I hope these tips help you learn how to save for vacation. Happy travels!
P.S. Need help finding the best places to go on your family vacations? My Ultimate USA Bucket List for Families will instantly give you 60 of the best vacation destinations for families in the United States! Get it for FREE in the box below and start planning your next trip today! Plus, as a bonus, you will receive my weekly email newsletter full of family trip tips and inspiration!
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