Dreams are made to be achieved! If you have a holiday in mind, somewhere you’ve always wanted to go, then why not save and go for it? You might think it’s an impossibility at the moment, but that’s because you’re at the start of your saving adventure, and nothing ever seems achievable at the start, but it can be done, and I know this because I’ve done it.
Consider me your inspiration, because anyone who knows me will tell you that I am not one of life’s savers, so for me to say I managed it proves that anyone can do it.
I’ll let you in on the secrets that enabled me to get my summer in Turkey, something that I worked very hard for, and then maybe you can adapt these ideas to help you get to where you dream of going.
Set yourself a budget and stick to it
This is probably the most obvious, but I worked out my outgoings and looked at what I had left. I then worked out how much I could realistically afford to save each month and that went into a high interest savings account. Now, I am one of those people that will go shopping on a Saturday afternoon and convince myself that my life won’t be complete unless I buy that new top or new dress, so if you’re like me, give the bank card to someone you trust not to let you have it under any circumstances!
Think about extra income
I am a freelance writer as a second job, and I use the money I earn from this to put towards my travels, and to fund my time in Turkey. If you have a talent that you can use to make some extra cash then go for it, freelancing is the perfect opportunity to save some extra money and also do something you love – who knows where that may lead. If this isn’t possible, then why not look at getting a Saturday job, or picking up a few shifts in a restaurant or bar in the evenings? Take advantage of any overtime in your main job too. Every little helps towards your plans.
Look at reducing your outgoings
It’s always important to shop around for your utility bills/phone/direct debits etc, so see if you might be better switching providers and seeing if you can get your service cheaper somewhere else. The money you save can be put into that savings account. If you have a direct debit coming out your bank that you don’t need anymore, e.g. a gym membership, then cancel it and put that money per month in your account too.
Is there anything you can pay off early?
Do you have any outgoings that are coming to a close soon, and one small payment in bulk will get rid of it completely? You might save with the repayment figure too.
Save small change
You will be amazed how quickly small change mounts up. It’s easy too, simply decide to save a certain kind of change whenever it appears in your purse, for example I decided to save £2 coins, and before I knew it they were building up to a pretty amount. Where does it go? That savings account!
As you can see, saving for the dream holiday isn’t rocket science, it’s simply a case of cutting out the unnecessary things you pay for, and saving whatever you can. It’s not about going without in a major way, it’s simply about making small changes to your everyday finances.
