Tips on Saving for a Trip
Last Updated: 19th Jun 2013
Based on the Contiki Forums Topic Personal Loan or Hard Saving..?
Save on Tour Costs and Flights
- Shop around for the best deals for airfares etc You would be amazed at how much prices can vary. Get quotes and do your sums and book early for the most inexpensive tickets, also departing/arriving between Tues-Thursday will cut the ticket cost.
- Try and not go in peak season (from June till the end of August & December/school holidays)
- Check for deals from both Contiki and travel agents.
Tips on Cutting Down Costs In Order to Save
- Cut back on going out…movies,pizza,drinks anything you can think of – a night at home with a DVD and friends is a lot cheaper (and sometimes more fun) than a night out at a club.
- Make a weekly or monthly budget (depending on when you get paid). Work out how much you think your trip will cost including spending money and then work out how much you need to save per week, and stick to it.
- Bring your lunch to work and don’t eat out.
- Cut down on little luxuries (for example: Starbucks – only one or 2 small cups a week, saves loads of money).
- Buy Generic
- Everytime you see something you would like to buy. Stop and ask yourself is it a want or a need. If its a want you can do without it. If its clothing which is your weakness ask yourself if this item can match with 5 different things you have in your wardrobe if it doesnt it is not a smart purchase.
- Saving is hard work! Reward yourself when you reach big milestones (ie your first $2000 etc) otherwise you will get bored very quickly.
Getting Money Together
- Pay extra on those credit cards you can always use them for the trip as well
- If your vacation time happens to fall around a paid day off take advantage of it.
- If you have a birthday, christmas, graduation or other event coming up ask for cash for your trip instead of presents – it’s a big help.
- Get a high % payback savings account to gain interest or an investment bank account where u can out money in but only take it out if u go into the bank. Put anything extra in your bank account after you get your paycheck into your savings.
- Try not to take out a loan – suck it up and save save save! – If you want to get a loan ask your parents and swear to them that you will pay them back monthly payments its easier to pay your parents back with no interest than to pay a bank. Parents are usually more lenient if you are late. Make sure you can, will and do pay them back though!
- Anything you haven’t used in over a year, sell it on ebay.
Add a Comment Comments (112)
-
Thank you so much for sharing some tips on saving for a trip. Those tips are very useful. Thanks a lot.
Corals At Keppel Bay
D’pristine
d'pristine
posted about 7 hours ago
Flag as Inappropriate
-
Year 2012 has been quite eventful. SRSG also witnessed events and evolved in terms of business verticals, technologies, people and processes.
Turnkey Solution
Digital asset management
RODE microphonesmb22
posted 28 days ago
Flag as Inappropriate
-
Useful information .I am very happy to read this article.thanks for giving us this useful information. Fantastic walk through. I appreciate this post.
Margahayuland | Margahayuland | yurosiemargahayuland
posted 29 days ago
Flag as Inappropriate
-
The tips are very useful, especially the discount airfares. I have also observed lot of variation in airfares for same distance or destiny. The first step for preparing for a trip is to choose right airways company for best prices. Thanks for the Article.
Jade Palacejamesarige
posted on 5th May 2013
Flag as Inappropriate
-
I love these tips! I know I’m going to start using them immediately.
Jackie
posted on 7th Feb 2013
Flag as Inappropriate
-
One of my friends had the best saying, and it’s become my savings mantra….Do you want that bagel now, or the baguette in Paris? I think about that – do I really need that pizza? Is that watch a want or a need? etc.
heather84explorer
posted on 11th Jul 2012
Flag as Inappropriate
-
I fairly like studying through a submit that can make men and women think. Also, thanks for making it possible for me to remark!
coupon for expediaovbigmuscsa1986
posted on 4th Jun 2012
Flag as Inappropriate
-
i love this these tips. Keeps me motivated all the time!!!
Imira
posted on 27th May 2012
Flag as Inappropriate
-
Nice article, because in my research – cost is one of the biggest issues and reasons why people can’t/don’t travel even when they really need to!
Shanni
posted on 14th Apr 2012
Flag as Inappropriate
-
great ideas. lookingofrward to Europe in March2012
Austin Explorer
posted on 15th Nov 2011
Flag as Inappropriate
-
I’ve been selling a lot of the things in my house that just sit around collecting dust. Selling a tapestry to a friend for $20, an extra guitar for $60, and an antique glass collection for $100… I’ve saved quite a bit so far, and I’m ridding my home of the things I don’t use :)
MissDanger
posted on 10th Sep 2011
Flag as Inappropriate
-
I am not a very good saver but I am heading to New Zealand in under a month and I have reached my goal for spending money already…my secret was that I got a travel money card through my bank and transfered money every week onto the card and in New Zealand Dollars so i couldnt use it.Hope this helps and also the more time you save for the easier it gets and you start wondering what you spent all your money on before hand.
Pauline85
posted on 7th Sep 2011
Flag as Inappropriate
-
I took an extra job. It was part time only two days a week. I made it simple for myself I had that job put money into a saving account. I never touched the money until I had enough to go on my trip. It was great because I never missed it from my regular money. I also knew exactly how much I have to spend while on my trip.
That bit about clearing your credit cards is great too, because sometime your debt card from back home doesn’t work in other countries.
hfrancelj
posted on 22nd Aug 2011
Flag as Inappropriate
-
oh my word…no! rather oh my goodness…i totally love the advice. i guess it is perfect timing to actually start saving for the european highlight tour for june 2012. thanx…you are trueally remarkable :) favorite website thus far (smilling)
Tsholo
posted on 23rd Jun 2011
Flag as Inappropriate
-
Thank you for the tips. I just wanted to say that after fallowing them I saved over 1000$ for my future trip to Europe. This website is amazing, and I hope I will be able to use every bit of information :D Thank you for your endless work in giving us good tips and deals. :D
Explorer1258145
posted on 8th Jun 2011
Flag as Inappropriate
-
love the idea of cutting out pictures of where your going,visualising where you are going is great especially when you get the urge to go out drinking,seriously very hard thing to do in Ireland trying to stop going out.my tip is to write everything down that you buy in a diary and i mean everything and ull see there a lot of crap you dont need to buy. Another tip a house party,preferrably not your house and get drink from shop,much cheaper and still fun : )
flasher
posted on 25th May 2011
Flag as Inappropriate
-
Thanks for the Tips everyone they are Very helpful. Wish I would have read these tips earlier I have less than two months to save = (but I will try my best. I have already taken credit cards out of my wallet. I have also put away any change I get back when I make small purchases. I am Also involved in a SUSU (its a agreement with trust worthy pplz where u give $100-$200 every pay week and have an amount of pplz involved in it. Depending on what number u r u get it all back when it gets to your number) this obligates me to take that money out of account before u do anything else! We do this until the end of the # is up. I have about $800 to look forward to! Don’t know how much money I should expect to save since I’m doing the 9day Italian espresso?!
Claribel33
posted on 21st May 2011
Flag as Inappropriate
-
Hi guys, I am doing a London to Athens trip in September and am desperately trying to save. A few tips that have helped me along the way is by withdrawing cash as spending money (say $150.00) for the week and then leaving the rest of my wages in the bank. I’ve taken my cards out of my wallet and put them in an envelope with all my other travel stuff. Another thing that is helping me at the moment is by paying my savings directly to Contiki. This will ensure I get my trip paid off in time.
Alannah_g
posted on 1st May 2011
Flag as Inappropriate
-
When tempted to buy something in a store, I always ask myself whether I’d rather buy it from here, or wait and buy in in London or Edinburgh. Then, if I resist the urge to buy it, I go home and transfer the amount of that item into a special, high interest account!
Not only does it stop me buying it (most of the time) but it also gets me excited for my trip and urges me to save! It’s incredible how quickly it adds up!
MollieMalice
posted on 23rd Apr 2011
Flag as Inappropriate
-
I recently picked up a second part-time job, 10-15 hours a week and that paycheque goes directly into an account i created specifically for travelling. I use my main paycheque to pay all my bills, plus every week $20 gets transferred to another account and everytime I use my debit $1 gets tranferred. It’s amazing how fast all of these things adds up!
Also, for my birthday I asked for pounds, this way I am guarenteed to not spend it before I go away!!clancyk
posted on 24th Mar 2011
Flag as Inappropriate
Featured Travel Photos
Photo by Dale Evans
Photo by Contiki
Photo by Desmond Lee
Recent Tips
The Tirol is one of the most beautiful parts of the world. If you visit Hopfgarten, visit the trout farm - you can catch a fish, then have it for lunch!
German beer is all organic so you cant get hang overs - I dare you to test it! ;D FYI - make sure you have cash ahead of time because they don't take plastic and there isn't an ATM in sight!
I travelled on the European Contrasts tour in May 2006 with my boyfriend. We had 5 couples on our tour. We all had a great time and did not have any hassles being that we were couples.
