We save hundreds for travel every day and it’s not as hard as you’d think. In fact, the things we do to save can be easily incorporated into your daily life. Let’s get right into the details.
Use apps
Believe it, or not, all of those restaurant, retail, and gas apps can save you a substantial amount of money. If you are like us and lead a very busy life, apps make it easy to save. Simply download the apps for all the places you visit on a regular basis (this includes the grocery store). You can clip digital coupons with the click of a button. And, many restaurants often have BOGO deals. That means you are saving at least $5 on a meal! Take that $5 that you would have spent and put it in your travel stash.
Coupons
We’re not talking about the old school coupons from the newspaper. Do those even exist anymore? Check the backs of your receipts! Many restaurants and retail stores offer free items or discounts in exchange for about three minutes of your time. All you have to do is fill out a very short survey and they will send you a code for some sort of reward. These add up quickly as they are usually worth several dollars.
Leverage your credit cards
This may be the single biggest way to save for travel. It’s all about leveraging your credit cards to work for you. If you don’t already have a credit card that offers airline miles or hotel discounts, get one! Use your card to pay all of your bills. Charge them and immediately turn around and pay them off! No interest will accumulate. You will rack up points that can be used as airline miles or discounts on hotels. Think about it. You use the card to pay for your everyday expenses (gas, eating out, groceries, streaming services, cable, electric, water, etc.) and you rack up hundreds of points at a time! You are often looking at $40 -$50 per day on just daily expenses.This can quickly pay for an airline ticket or hotel room.
Eat at home
We live very busy lives. Home cooked meals are not always an option. Eating out just adds to our expenses. Yes, groceries have gotten expensive too, but they are usually cheaper than eating out and you have leftovers. That means an extra meal. Eating at home doesn’t have to be hard. The Instant Pot has been a game changer in the speed and ease of putting good meals together fast. Seriously, a dump and go roast in 80 minutes? It doesn’t get much easier. Thanks to new kitchen appliances, cooking at home doesn’t have to be the chore it once was.
Drink water
We all need to drink more water. So, why not make getting healthy work for you financially as well? Order water when you eat out. Drinks have gotten expensive. A lot of places are over $3 per drink. This is one of the biggest markups that restaurants have. Don’t waste your money! For a family of four that is a savings of $12 for one meal!
Save coins
That’s right. We’re going old school on this one. Drop your change into a big container and watch it grow. This is especially fun if you have kids. And, if you exchange your dollar bills for change you are less likely to spend it!
Check for better rates on monthly payments
You can save a lot of money be regularly checking for the best rates on things like car insurance, cable, streaming services, cell phones, etc. These savings can be substantial. You just have to put in the time to make a few phone calls.
Use fuel points or perks
If you shop at a grocery store that offers fuel perks/points take advantage. These points can add up to big savings, especially if you have a substantial commute or you’re the parent taxi. You can save up to $1 per gallon. That’s a minimum of a$10 savings every time you fill up.
Shop sales and weekly ads
Leverage your grocery store ad to work for your travel budget. Base your weekly menu off the sales. This can save you a lot of money.
Compare prices
Comparing prices before you buy can add huge amounts to your savings. Price check everything before you buy.
Want to learn more ways to save for your next vacation? Check out our latest YouTube video We Save Hundreds For Traveling Every Day.
Do you want to learn how to keep your home safe while you’re away on vacation? Check out our blog post We do These Things to Keep Our Home Safe When we Travel.
And, remember, break the monotony, not the bank.
–Jeff and Marnie
