Travel isn’t exactly a “cheap” hobby, but there are plenty of ways to save (other than giving up your morning coffee and avocado toast). These are my top creative ways to save money for travel!
Sell your services
“If you’re good at something, never do it for free.”
Selling your services can be a great way to turn a hobby or passion into a paycheck! Handmade goods can be easily sold on Etsy or Facebook Marketplace, while sites like Fiverr and Upwork are places where services can be sold. People are busy and will outsource for anything and everything. Capitalize on that! For example, I’m good at planning trips (which I’m sure is shocking ot hear). I offer to plan trips for friends, give advice, or will sell different “packages” on these sites to make a little extra cash. Find your hobby (or check these sites for inspiration), and get to earning!
Sell clothes you don’t wear anymore
Time for a little “Marie Kondo-ing!”
This trick truly is a win-win, because you get to declutter while making some cash! Sites like Poshmark and Thread Up make selling your old clothes and accessories incredibly easy. Pull out clothes that you don’t wear anymore, snap some pictures, and upload. By using Poshmark alone, I’ve been able to earn over $1,500 that I put directly into my trips! That money was used for experiences such as horseback riding in St. Croix, whale watching in the Azores, and enjoying a steak-frites in Paris.
Rotate your subscription services
Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Go, the list goes on and on… Streaming services can really add up each month, but are often our only source of entertainment. Rather than paying everything each month, consider rotating your subscriptions.
Are you going to start watching a long series on Netflix? Cancel your other services until you have another series you’d like to watch. No sense keeping subscriptions to services you don’t use, and you can sign up/cancel as often as you’d like. While the savings may not be substantial, it can certainly add up over time, and this is money you can put directly into your travel savings!
Use Shopping-Reward Apps
You see the ads all the times- companies that give you cash back for shopping at certain stores. They’re not a gimmick, they’re real and can help boost your travel savings account! Rakuten and Ibotta are two of the most popular. Simply submit your receipts after you shop, and your balance is updated automatically and the money is yours to cash out at any time!
A personal favorite of mine is Shopkick. The concept is both simple and fun: get points for walking into stores and scanning products. Bonus points are awarded if you purchase these items, however I only recommend if you’re 100% planning on buying the items anyway (otherwise it defeats the purpose). For each product scanned, you’ll get points (“kicks”) to redeem for gift cards to places like Target, Amazon, and Walmart (among others). I was able to redeem a $100 gift card to Best Buy last year to put towards a new camera, and then put that $100 directly into my travel savings account. On days where I don’t have many plans, I’ll just bop around stores in the neighborhood and spend the day “shopkicking!” Download the app and use the code KICK033483 to get 250 bonus kicks!
Utilize discount sites
Sites like Groupon and Living Social should always be your first stop for activities, experiences, and even hotels!
In your everyday life, check these sites for promotions in your neighborhood. For example, my local spa frequently has coupons for massages that I can take advantage of to save money on a service I was going to purchase anyway. Planning a dinner with friends and open to a location? Check for discount gift cards. Have family coming into town and want to save on attractions? Purchase a discount code to use at checkout. You can often save over 50% retail, and put that money toward your next trip!
While planning trips, type the city you’re traveling to into the search bar to purchase discount codes to tourist attractions or restaurants.
Bonus Tip: Keep your eyes on the prize
While saving for travel, it’s important to remember to keep your eyes on the prize. While it may be tempting to spend your savings on a new bag or a fancy dinner, remind yourself what you’re saving for! Items will give you instant gratification, but traveling and experiences are proven to give you long-term happiness. Do whatever you have to do to stay focused- it’ll be worth it, trust me!
Traveling soon? Check out my Travel Tips page to help you score good deals on flights, packing tips, tools to help you plan, and more!
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