It's the timeless dilemma: "How do I cut back on expenses so I can explore the globe?". Social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook constantly display the highlights of our friends' lives, which can feel quite disheartening and demoralising. We rarely glimpse the hard work and commitment required for people to see the world. For me, travel isn't just a preference—it's essential. I regularly skip certain comforts to put aside funds for travel. Here are 7 additional strategies I use to save for global adventures:
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Food Preparation
To be candid, I don't always stick with meal prepping. Sometimes life interferes, and there are moments I simply want a proper burger and chips. In any case, when I do manage to meal prep, I save considerable amounts of money! Based on my eating habits, groceries typically run about $75 per week. That may appear dear (Australian prices are rather pricey), but if I purchased lunch and dinner away from home every day, I'd be spending at least $140 weekly. The savings accumulate rapidly.
This brilliant little tool is truly fantastic. It connects to my bank account and rounds up each transaction to the nearest dollar. Those funds get deposited into my Digit account. I can opt to transfer a larger sum if I want to accumulate more savings monthly. I often forget I have this account, which is genuinely brilliant. Since I'm unaware it exists, I'm less likely to withdraw from it. After establishing my Digit account, I've accumulated over $500 (That's nearly a return flight home)!
Try Digit now: https://digit.co/r/WJds--1jq-?ai
Like Digit, Acorns is a micro-investing app that deposits modest sums into a savings portfolio whenever you make a purchase with your debit card. This app has made me far more mindful of my spending habits. You can select your portfolio type ranging from conservative to aggressive, based on your investment preferences. I've been able to build substantial savings through this app!
Start using Acorns today: app.acornsau.com.au/invite/A4GKAA
Daily Budget Tool
I was once brilliant with budgeting. As a kid, we maintained a spreadsheet to track where our earnings would go. Somehow along the way, I became terrible at managing a budget. This app has made a huge difference! I can record my earnings and monthly expenses, set my savings goal for each month, and it calculates my daily spending allowance. It's been genuinely eye-opening and incredibly useful for keeping me accountable and sticking to a budget.
Zero Spending Days
On my weekly planner, I've actually started marking days when I can't spend any money. During these days, if I need to go out, I leave my wallet at home. This requires me to think ahead about all my spending. Food shopping, topping up my myki card, and petrol are all things that need planning within the week. Since I keep a daily task list next to my weekly planner, I can easily manage my zero spending days. Each week, I'm aiming to add more and more zero spending days.
I'm thrilled I found this app. It's been really valuable when registering for the obstacle course events I participate in. Honey looks for promotional codes automatically during online shopping. It's helped me save loads! That's brilliant because I can still enjoy my hobbies and set aside cash for overseas travel.
Join Honey today: joinhoney.com/ref/pd0apk
This platform has proven quite valuable to me. It's certainly not going to make you wealthy, but you can accumulate modest earnings daily that build over time. I aim to complete enough surveys for around $5 per day. There's also the option to earn cashback on purchases through the platform. I haven't made any purchases via Swagbucks yet as I prefer focusing on surveys and videos. While it's not substantial monthly income, it's adequate to cover the occasional bill and frees up extra funds for my travels!
Register for Swagbucks and get $5 bonus: http://www.swagbucks.com/p/register?rb=32785874
I Know the Pilot/Scott's Cheap Flights
I honestly don't recall how I managed without discovering these platforms. They've proven absolutely invaluable. As an expatriate, I've decided to subscribe to both email lists. For Australians, I Know the Pilot delivers the newsletters you didn't realise you desperately needed. For American readers, Scott's Cheap Flights becomes your go-to for travel bargains. I receive notifications about incredible airfare offers via email almost every day. That's how I managed to snag a return flight to the States for just $550! I'm dead serious! My most recent temptation was a roughly $485 round trip to the Maldives….Visa sorted first, then book travel….Visa sorted first, then book travel...Visa sorted first, then book travel. 
Travel can be an expensive pursuit, yet with dedication it's absolutely achievable. What methods do you use to save for your travels? Have you experimented with any of the strategies I've shared? What results did you get?
Until we meet again...
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