6 Ways to Save Money for Travel When You’re Broke AF.

I think the biggest reason people feel like they can’t travel is money. Traveling is expensive. You have to think of transportation, accommodations, and food. Not to mention all the things you want to see and do while you’re there. Believe me, I get it. I saved up for over a year and a half to pay for just half of our trip to Italy and we still put some of it on a credit card. But fear not, I have some awesome ways to help you save money even if you’re broke.

1. Plan Ahead.

I cannot stress this part enough. It will take some time to find good deals on flights and normally you pay less if you book in advance. Make sure you play with different day combinations. For example, it’s usually cheaper to fly domestic on Tuesday’s, Wednesday’s, and Saturdays. There is also a site called Skyscanner that shows you the cheapest flights to your destination.

2. Use Expedia.

Sign up to be an Expedia member. It’s free and you get member pricing and deals. If you plan ahead and save your searches Expediaperiodically sends you emails with awesome discounts. I’m talking like 50% off or member pricing. (SAY WHAT?!) Yep, 50% off. Another cool thing they do is bundle deals. Bundle your flight and hotel and get an even bigger discount. Y’all, no kidding we saved hundreds of dollars when we flew to Italy just by bundling.

3. Use a Savings App.

There are plenty of apps that help you save money and track your spending. I have used both Albert and Qaptial.

Albert tracks your spending habits,subscriptions, and looks for ways for you to save money. You can set goals like “Travel” or “New Car” and it creates an account where the money is saved. Youcan also text their “Geniuses” and ask them questions about how to save moneyor where you can find the cheapest insurance.

Qapital lets you set rules for saving. You can set things like save 10% of each paycheck or a set amount each week to be saved into your account. It’s an easy way to save money without making a huge impact on your bank account.

4. Sell Stuff You Don’t Need or Use.

I think most people could look around their home and find at least a few things that are collecting dust or better yet are shoved in the back of the closet. (Me. I am one of those people.) Either I’m not sure where to put it or don’t use it so it gets hidden and I forget all about it. Why not post it on offer up and make some money?

5. Set a Strict Budget.

This one is pretty self-explanatory. Be hard on yourself when spending money. (OK, not too hard, don’t starve yourself or anything.) But be strict. “Do I really need another super cute coffee mug?” I might want it but I definitely don’t NEED it. Try and stick to a strict budget and only buy things you absolutely need. The same thing applies to eating out. I know it’s easier to just grab something on the way home after a long day but you can save so much money by cooking at home.

6. Get a Side Hustle.

Driving for Uber or signing up for Rover and walking dogs are also good ways to make some extra cash.

There are tons of ways to save money you just have to get started. It will take some time but if you can find little ways to save here and there you will be on your next adventure in no time. Once you’ve saved money read our post on planning your trip here.

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