Listen, we’re young, 30 is the new 25, 35 is the new 30. It’s the era of self care and taking yourself for long walks, buying that Starbucks coffee because why not, getting back into hobbies and enjoying yourself. We’re all here to live and have a good time on this little planet of ours, and what we’re not going to do is let people shame us for how we’re spending our time.
Enter girl math, your new best friend when it comes to feeling good about your financial decisions and justifying those bigger spends – like travel!
Flights, hotels, restaurants, etc. they’re all notoriously on the more expensive side of things, but that shouldn’t be an excuse to bail and stay locked in your home. Let’s girl math your travel and set off on some dazzling adventures that we’ll remember even when we’re old and grey.
What is girl math?
Girl math is one of the newest iterations in a long line of ‘girl’ trends, and this one is all about justifying and celebrating our spending.
An example: say you’re ordering something online. The amount in your basket totals to £50 but you need to spend £30 more for free shipping, or pay £10 for shipping as is. The girl math solution to this is to spend the £30 extra because spending £10 on just shipping is a waste of money, whereas by spending more you’re actually getting something else in return! And because you’ve saved on £10 for shipping, you’ve actually only spent £20 extra, not £30. Get the picture?
Girl math is all about saving and making the right financial decisions that’ll get you the most bang for your buck! Moreover, it’s a way to make boring economics fun and relatable, and a way to get everyone talking about money, salary, and spending, and end certain social taboos.
(This all being said, please be conscious of where you are spending your money, and don’t get too reckless with it because that wouldn’t be very hot girl of you.)
@shauniebegley It’s basically Advanced Calculus that men simply cannot comprehend #girlmath #travel #tiktoktravel #traveltiktok #bellagio #lakecomo #vacation #travellife #travelbucketlist #italy?? #europeansummer #funny #girls ♬ Pink (Bad Day) [From Barbie The Album] – Lizzo
How can it be applied to travel?
That’s the question isn’t it, and lucky for you, girl math works best when applied to large and daunting expenses.
Pay in advance
This is the best and easiest way of ridding yourself of those hefty spends. What are some things you’ll be booking in advance when travelling? Hotels, flights, insurance. Or if you’re booking with Contiki you’ll be paying a deposit and the rest in instalments a few months before jetting off. Well, if you pay for all of these large expenses before you actually set off (the sooner the better) then by the time you’re on holiday, your flights and accommodation will be free!
This will also help plan your holiday as well: you can get these things out of the way ASAP, and the sooner you book the cheaper it gets, both literally, and according to girl math rules! Remember, the money you spent yesterday means nothing when it comes to the money you can spend today.
Use cash
The thing about cash is it’s basically free money, and here’s why. When you withdraw cash, the amount that you withdraw is subtracted from your bank balance, so it’s basically as if you’d already spent it. But you haven’t, you still have cash!
Under girl math law, when you use cash, whatever you buy automatically becomes free because it has no impact on your remaining balance. Plus, using cash while travelling is preferred, that way you don’t get hit with any conversion charges on your card; so you’re saving that way as well.
Remember to buy foreign currency before leaving and you’ll be golden!
Any money left over is profit!
Home sweet home. Now that you’re back from your glamorous getaway it’s time to check that balance to see how much you have left for the rest of the month. If you do have money left (you should if you followed our girl math code) then all that is sweet, delicious profit baby!
Why? Because it’s money you could have spent on an extra drink at dinner, or on another souvenir for that friend from high school, or on a second pasta making class. But you didn’t! The essence of profit is based on subverting the potential to spend: what you did not spend, is money made.
Let’s put it in practice
Girl math + Contiki, much like Gemini + Sagittarius, is a combo made in heaven. With Contiki all your travel and accommodation is already included in the price, as well as some fantastic experiences as well! You just have to get your flights and voila.
So, what did we learn?
Pay in advance: with Contiki you’ll pay a deposit to secure your spot, one portion of the grand total already sorted. The rest of the cost can be paid in instalments before you set off, so by the time you meet your Trip Manager and new friends, under girl math rules, the trip is already completely paid for and basically free!
Use Cash: The only extra spends you’ll have to make with Contiki is on the Free Time Add-On activities, as well as a few meals here and there. Stack that cash and watch as your bank balance stays exactly the same even as you spend on exhilarating experiences and delicious dishes. It’s like magic.
Anything left over is profit: You’ve made money, may as well treat yourself as a congratulations! Why not book another Contiki?
That’s how to girl math your travel and make the absolute most of your time away, and save a little while you do.
Money is just money: you can always make it back another time, but memories are forever, and we’d take travelling with our best friends over being a millionaire any day!