Save to travel more

Here are some tips that will help you to save to travel more

Quit smoking

If you are a heavy smoker, this could be the largest obstacle in being able to travel. At $A30 per packet, if you smoke a packet a day this results in a drain on your finances of about $A10,000 per year. In some parts of the world, this will last you 6 to 12 months including accommodation, meals and local transport.

Make your own dinner

Cooking your own dinner rather than eating out can mean a real saving. Say you normally spend $20 per meal every day. That is $20 x 365 days or $7300 per year. Also, improving your cooking skills will help make friends. After all who doesn’t like a nice home cooked meal?

Make your own lunch

By making your lunch instead of buying it you can save considerable amount of money. Most businesses offer microwaves. If they do not, then it may be a good idea to discuss the idea with the boss. Staff spend less time out of the office when they bring lunch and eat in. If you make lunch and save $10 per day, 5 days a week for 40 weeks, that is $2000 per year.

Make your own coffee

Instead or buying coffee, make it instead. Based on paying $A4.00, 5 days a week for 40 weeks a year, you will save $800 per year.

Trade the gym for other exercise

Forget the gym. A gym membership can cost $A800 per year. Swimming walking and cycling provide some of the best aerobic exercise and apart from the cost of a second hand bicycle are free. $A800 will sometimes get you a week in Fiji, Vanuatu or New Caledonia including airfares, accommodation and meals.

Forego having to have the latest.

Many people buy the latest computer, TV, phone, fashions etc to keep up with the Joneses or because they ‘have to have them’. Most of the time, there is little extra in functionality and they are obsolete in a year. By foregoing them, it could save you $1000s per year.

Take the bus instead or the taxi

Say you take a $A20 taxi fare once a week when you could have taken a $A3.00 bus this would save you $A17 x 40 weeks = $A680.

Shop around

Many expenses such as insurance, electricity, gas, telephone and internet are priced differently by different operators at different times. By comparing and shopping around you can save $100s and possibly even $1000s per year.

Buying something – Haggle

Shop around (look on the internet to know pricing), think if you can use a second hand item, haggle. On a second hand car, this can save $1000s. On a computer or appliance this can save hundreds of dollars.

Alcohol

Instead of going to the pub buy, why not buy bulk wine and invite friends over. You may be able to buy bottles of quality clearskin wines for the price of a beer in the pub or buy casks of wine or cases of beer. A schooner at a pub may cost $7. A case of 24 beers may cost $40.

Accommodation costs

If you are renting, negotiate a better rental agreement. At the moment, due to the corona virus this is not that difficult. Scott Morrison has made it difficult for renters to be evicted and property prices are expected to fall considerably.

If you own the property and are paying a mortgage, renegotiate your mortgage. There are good deals out there and interest rates are at record lows.

If you own the property, consider renting the property and taking a long holiday. You can always put your stuff into storage or rent out without the garage.

Sell your goods

Why not sell off goods that you no longer use. With Ebay, Cash converters and Gumtree this is easier that ever.

Other

The tips above will help you to save to travel more. See also our article 10 Best tips to travel more for less.