The 6 Most Creative Ways to Save Money for Travel

Everyone has a set of expensive dreams and wishes that they want to fulfill but simply can’t due to lack of finances. Whether it’s a dream car, a prestigious diploma, or a favorite holiday destination, not having enough money is the biggest disappointment.

In fact, not everyone is a saver by nature. Many people like to squander money as soon as their bank account is re-filled. Saving money requires a lot of patience and determination, especially if it’s for the sake of traveling the world.

However, once you do get to travel with that hard-earned and saved money, both the experience and feelings are unmatched. If you’re someone who desperately wants to travel the world but is lacking the sufficient finances, then you need to get on with saving money.

There are plenty of creative ways to save money for that dream trip without it feeling like a fruitless effort. Check out some of the easiest ways to save money for the miles.

1.   Open Up a Savings Account

If you’re really serious about saving up dollars, then it’s time you open up a savings account. Make sure this account is strictly dedicated to savings and that you don’t retrieve any amount from it. In most cases, the cost of setting up an account is close to zero.

Make this savings account specifically for your travels. This way you can spend money during travel while staying within your budget.

2.   Cut Down on Energy Bills

It’s crazy how much you end up spending on utility and energy bills. Switch off any extra lights and fans when you can. Use the heater and the air conditioner sparingly. Instead of using it the whole night, try to turn it on for a few hours or until the room feels pleasant.

Remove your charger from the socket when no one is using it. These little things can significantly help cut down your energy bills, if not by a large degree. Reduce your water and gas usage as well. The amount of water people waste during a single shower would probably be enough to bathe 3 children.

3.   Give Up Your Premium Memberships

Do you have an expensive gym or club membership? Do you have to pay premium amounts every single month even when you’re not using those facilities? If the answer is yes, then it’s time to make a sacrifice. If you want to save a handsome amount for your travels, then you will have to give up expensive memberships.

Whether it’s a gym, a private library, or just about anything that’s causing you to spend money every month, you will have to give it up.

4.   Stay True to Your Budget

The key to proper saving is smart budgeting. All the tips above are a form of budgeting your needs. Set out a monthly budget that covers the essentials and save the rest of the amount in the bank account.

You can even make yourself a checklist to see if you’re staying true to your budget or not. All your money-saving efforts will go down the drain if you end up shifting away from the set budget.

5.   Get Everyone to Save

You don’t have to be the only one saving. Get more and more people from your friends and family to save money for travel. A better idea is to make collective globe-trotting plans and save money together. You can help set up a money jar or dedicated saving bank account where everyone drops in a good amount for the trip.

6.   Look for Discount Packages

While saving is important, try to look for subsidized or discounted vacation packages. There are many travel agencies like TradeShowTravelCo that can get you reasonable family packages.

It’s time you start planning your trip, so start saving money!

Vacationing in Winter

The Best Traveling Tips for a Memorable Winter Holiday!

It’s one thing to pack smart and make sure you’ve propped all your essentials nicely in the suitcase. But it’s a completely different thing when you’re packing for a winter holiday. You will have to plan for the snow activities, get a good supply of warm yet lightweight clothes, and be able to navigate the winter weather.

Making sure your destination holiday is scheduled at a pleasant time when you can go out for fun sports like sledding, snow-boarding, and skiing can be a little tricky. It’s very easy to lose your sense of organization and the spirit of a holiday because the winters in essence can be quite harsh.

However, a successful winter vacation is more than just planning and packing. It’s also about retaining the holiday spirits and getting the maximum enjoyment out of the vacation. Here, we give you some handy tips to help you achieve just that.

1.   Get Your Basics Ready

It doesn’t matter where you’re going or what time of the year it is, your basic list of essentials won’t quite change. Clothes, shoes, skincare, toiletries, more clothes…whether it’s winter or summer, you’ll always primarily have these things in your suitcase.

Hence, the first step is to get all your basics in place. Get a spare item for everything you put in your suitcase. It’s best if you sit down to make a checklist for the basics so you can tick them off as you’re done.

2.   The Right Shoes

Many people make a major blunder of choosing the wrong shoes when they’re leaving for winter holidays. In fact it’s not shoes you should be packing, it’s a rough and tough pair of boots. Ankle or knee-high boots are an excellent winter wear especially if you’re planning to splash into the snow.

Stick to one pair of cozy and comfy stick-on boots and then maintain them through the vacation. This is not only a handy winter packing tip but boots are also super durable for tough winter sports. They’re infinitely better than shoes and sneakers.

Although you can pick a pair of sneakers for hiking, boots are travel friendly allowing you to walk for hours in them. They’re also very quick to take on and off during airport-checking.

3.   Contingency Packing

A smart tip is to pack along a winter survival kit that should ideally have a few torch lights, a fire match, and a water bottle. You can add more if you think you’ll be needing more. The point is to think like an athlete and pack for the worst-case scenario in any case.

4.   Only Take Connecting Flights When the Weather is Stable

It’s best to take direct flights instead of stopping over on different destinations. There are chances of weather conditions fluctuating and that can cost you a whole flight, especially in winters. The airline then isn’t exactly obligated to find you another flight if your current one is canceled due to the weather.

Also keep yourself informed on the weather at your connecting flights and if there are chances of bad weather, request your flight attendants for a re-route.

5.   Make Your Trip As Enjoyable As Possible

And lastly, try to get the best out of trip. Make it as enjoyable as possible. Plan your winter activities ahead. Search up for some entertaining activities around your destination and plan accordingly. Set up a budget for the delicious, warm snacks, and fun winter sports.

Happy Traveling!