15 Ways To Fund Your Next Trip
Every traveler’s dream- not to worry about the expenses and not to have a budget. How do we find funds for all of the trips we want to go on? Today we are talking about ways to fund your next trip!
The opportunity to travel all the time is a blessing that not everyone gets to enjoy. Often we have to save money and make a good plan in order for us to hit the destination we’ve been dreaming about. And there’s nothing wrong with it. At the end- you still get to see it, right?
I personally think a vacation is better when you know it actually took you some effort to get there. We appreciate it more in this case, don’t we?
Sometimes it is hard to save money. People will tell you that no one has ever gone anywhere by “collecting change”, but I can argue with that. Some of my vacations (partially or fully) were a result of some of the following steps and I’m proud of it. Not all of us were born lucky enough to be able to embark on a trip anytime and to any destination. But we all can make it happen with a little bit of effort on our side.
Let me get that straight- this is not a post on how to break your piggy bank and go to the Maldives. This is a post that gives you tips on some small opportunities that can decrease your travel expenses or increase your vacation budget a little bit. Or maybe even cover the whole experience if you really get into the steps.
Here are 15 ways to save/make some cash for your next adventure- easy, effective, and absolutely possible.
How To Save Before Your Trip
1. Credit card offers
Having a credit card is not just an expense. In many cases, having a credit card can be rewarding and can give you discounts or deals on many services/purchases.
Before you book or buy anything, make sure you check the offers/deals of the credit card you’re about to pay with. If you have more than one credit card, pay with the one that gives you either a better deal or higher cash back.
Often a company or a provider we buy from are actually on the list of your bank deals, so take a look. What if you find a better deal from a different provider with good reviews? Even better. Booking like this will not only save you money from the total sometimes, but will also give you a cash back, depending on your credit card terms (more cash back on number 12).
2. Earn miles
Despite your personal choice of airline, open a mileage plan with all the companies you fly with. It’s free!. You never know how many times you’re going to fly with them in the future, so why not collect miles from the very beginning? Most companies offer miles that never expire, so read the terms carefully.
If you are a fan of a certain airline or you happen to fly more often with one of them, you can apply for their credit cards. It comes with different perks, such as earning miles for each purchase, special discounts, lounge access, free checked in luggage, earlier boarding, etc. Each company has different terms, but in general if you’re flying frequently with an airline- it definitely pays off to have their credit card.
Earning miles can happen not just with airline credit cards, but also with regular credit cards, offered specifically for travel purposes. You can make it to amazing destinations without having to pay a single dollar for a hotel or flight, or both. As long as you know how to use them. Make sure you know how to make the most of your credit card and what fits best your travel needs.
3. Take surveys
There are multiple websites that would pay you to participate in different surveys. 99% of the time this payment would be in the form of a gift card of your choice. Use this opportunity to earn some rewards and to exchange them for whatever is good for your trip- might be an experience provider or a chain that you can buy travel necessities from.
Some platforms offer surveys that get you certain points you can later exchange for dollars/cash. Others pay based on the time you spend taking the survey and they can pay up to $200 one time payment.
4. Use a browser extension
Browser extensions are a popular way to earn points for gift cards. It doesn’t take more than 2 minutes to install it, but it constantly pays back. Every time you search for products/services, you will get coupons and you will be referred to a website that offers the best deal of your search. Saves tons of time! Small notifications pop up during your search to let you know that the product/service you’re looking for can win you some points/rewards. Once you order, you earn points that you can later convert for a gift card.
I still remember my first payment back, which bought me one of my bathing suites for the Hawaii trip I was planning back then. So instead of spending more on something I was going to put literally once in my life, I kind of got it for free.
5. Sell some items you don’t use
One of my favorite ways to make money for travels used to be selling items I don’t need and use anymore. It’s the best way to not feel sorry you’re saying goodbye to something and to let someone else enjoy it.
Let’s be honest- there are at least 10 things in your closet (if not more) you can easily say goodbye to right now. Why not make money out of it? This used to be one of my favorite ways to make money for travels. It’s the best way to not feel sorry you’re saying goodbye to something and to let someone else enjoy it.
There are plenty of websites to sell the stuff you don’t need. Don’t give up because of the complicity of shipping and the time invested! If you want to make some cash, you need to at least put in a little bit of effort. I have booked entire vacations with money from resell. And I’m saying that proudly 🙂. There are also places/stores you can go to and drop off the things you don’t need. They will pick what they want to keep and will pay you a percentage of the retail price they’re going to sell it for (sometimes up to 30%).
6. Cash back
Cash back looks like something that you can never make money from, but I completely disagree. I strictly decide on which one of my credit cards to put every purchase I make, so I can get the most of it back.
Getting cash back constantly results in a decent amount of money you get to receive pretty much out of nowhere. So many times I would just check my rewards and I would notice that I have $50 or $60. This is basically a few tickets for different museums or attractions when traveling, in some countries even more!
Check your credit card offers and pay with the one that gives you more cash back. Knowing how to use your credit cards always pays back and works for you, so do your homework and get the most of your perks.
7. Join Fiverr
If you have a talent or you are really good at something that you can get paid for, join Fiverr or any other similar platform to make some cash. There are people looking for almost everything out there (including someone to do their homework), so find your niche! If you’re good with design or drawing, or you have a certificate for something specific- create your profile and start getting paid for your work.
8. Follow pages, subscribe, shop on discount days
Saving money requires a little bit more effort than just opening a website and booking, but hey- we enjoy the savings after all. Can’t save money just like that, right? Just a few minutes per day, checking different pages and platforms, can actually pay back with a good price at the right moment. If there’s a website that you often use, make sure you subscribe, so you never miss an update or a sale.
Looking for a plane ticket is a good example- by subscribing you can get email when the price drops.
How To Save While Planning Your Trip
1. Flexible booking
If you’re flexible, check dates around your preferred ones. Arriving or leaving just a day earlier or later can sometimes save you money to cover a whole other plane ticket!
Most likely on your way there you won’t do it, considering you have everything planned and activities are already booked for specific dates. But if you’re one of those lucky people who don’t have to work the day after they come back from a vacation, you might end up earning some airline credit for the next trip!
2. Save on accommodation
I always save money from accommodation- I don’t really care about the place, unless I have clean sheets, hot water, and a door I can lock. I try to book something cheaper with an easy location for moving around. After all, I will only go there to take a shower and sleep. The only time I really care about where we are staying is when I go on vacation to rest and do nothing (which happens almost never, but I’m not complaining because this is my decision 🙂 ).
Booking a cheaper accommodation basically puts money in your pocket for other things- activities, food, you name it. Of course, some people prefer to have a nice and luxurious hotel everywhere they go, despite the time they spend there. However, I don’t think those who can afford it will land on this page 🙂
When talking about a budget trip, the place you’re staying at is one of the things you can save some money from. Because your transport option is usually limited and you will have to book certain fairs when your days are fixed. But when it comes to accommodation- options are more and you can always find something cheaper. Just make sure you don’t book a place in a bad neighborhood or without public transport access.
The less you invest in your transport/accommodation, the more you will spend on attractions and experiences!
3. Group ticket discounts
Check group ticket discounts if you travel with more than two buddies. Don’t buy tickets from the first provider you see, compare the different offers, and buy the cheaper one. Most of them sell the same thing for a different price. It’s not worth it to pay more for the same service/experience.
How To Save While Traveling
1. Transport from and to the airport
Public transport from the airport to your accommodation and back is something a lot of people think about once they land. I know it’s more convenient to get a cab right after you step outside of the airport, but why not save some cash for later? If you only have a carry-on it’s going to be easy to get on a train or a shuttle. Not just easy, but cheaper too.
Check your transport options from and to the airport prior to your vacation. It will save you not just money, but also time and the stress of thinking about it at the moment.
2. Volunteering for a change of flight
If you’re flexible on your way back (maybe even on your way to) and you are not in a rush to go back to work or do anything else, let the airline that you want to volunteer in case they need to put someone on your flight. People have been given amazing perks, big credit for next booking, a nice hotel overnight stay, or even upgrading to first class just because they have volunteered and rescheduled their flights! Of course, it’s not guaranteed that they will need a seat or that you will make it to the list, but it is worth trying if it doesn’t mess up your plans!
3. Free museum day
If you’re planning on visiting some museums at your destination, check the free museum days. Almost every city has at least a few museums with a free admission day per month or often.
4. Rent out
If you happen to have an extra room that you don’t use, why don’t you consider renting it out to people who travel to your city? Wherever you are from, there are always people who would want to visit and explore the area. Maybe only rent it out when you’re traveling? Works too.
Same for your car. There are many platforms that allow you to rent your vehicle, setting up your price and terms. Many people who live in a big city only use their cars over the weekend and go to work by public transport from Monday to Friday. That’s a perfect opportunity to make some money from something you still own, but let others use.
These are my 15 suggestions for investing a little bit of time that can pay back and cover at least a small part of your vacation expenses. It’s not going to be a big amount of cash hitting you out of the blue, but a dollar here and there does make a difference. I hope you found some of these ideas cool enough to try them out and to earn some extra bucks for your next adventure.
Try and let me know if it worked for you!
