One of the hardest things about travel is knowing how much money you’re going to need, especially on long term trips, and if you’re on a tight budget you might be wondering how you’re ever going to save enough money to travel. The good news is that a lot of people over-estimate how much they will need to set off on their trip, and with a few savvy saving tips you can easily start to build your savings account to ensure you hit your travel budget target. The underlying thing here, quite obviously is to save, save, save. As soon as you decide your leaving date write yourself a detailed and realistic budget of what you can save each month and stick to it. Think about how much you might need per day taking into account your destination, for example Thailand is going to be a lot cheaper than France. As a general rule I budget around $100 per day for most western countries, and $50 a day for South East Asia, India and even some countries in South America. Make sure you do some research on this to ensure you have an accurate day rate. Once you have this, set up a direct debit for the day you get paid and have a set amount come out each time so you can easily adjust to less money each pay – just make sure it’s in a place you can’t easily spend it when the impulse arises! 
You can also easily boost the amount you put away each month by following some of my money-saving tips:
- Eat and drink at home rather than out, but if you must limit to once per week – this could save you over $100/week!
- Buy your groceries in one weekly shop – this will limit the number of times you’re in the supermarket, thus decreasing any unnecessary impulse buys in the chocolate isle
- Don’t buy too many clothes before your leave – think about your trip and be honest with yourself. Don’t waste money on things you aren’t going to need
- Walk wherever you can – this will mean you’re paying less for petrol and public transport and more into your travel savings
- If you find your new budget-conscious lifestyle is getting a little boring, why not throw a dvd night/house party/picnic day? Get everyone to bring their own booze and food and have some inexpensive fun!
One thing to also think about if you haven’t already got one is to apply for a credit card before you leave – this will give you some peace of mind while you’re away and can help cover any unforeseen emergencies (handbags and weekend blowouts not included!) Most of all, stay focused, and instead of being out spending money think of new ways to save it and treat it as a game – see what you can make for dinner using things only in your cupboard, and instead of going to the shops, spending your time researching your destination for some fun activities. Once you’re in the swing of it it’s easy, honest! Good luck! Photo Credits: Thanks to Saad (Attribution License) Previous Post – Photo Of The Week – Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi Next Post – How To Travel With Short Hair
Some good tips here! I completely agree with walking wherever you can; not only is it a great money-saving tactic, it also means you get to see a different side of the city you’re in. I was recently in Dubai (a city renowned for its lack of pavements!) but decided to do as much walking as I could anyway. Despite the fact that my feet were covered in blisters by the end of the trip, I was really glad I didn’t go for the easy option of getting taxis everywhere. I felt like I definitely experienced a different Dubai to most tourists.
Thanks Elly!