5 Ways to Save for Vacation
We spoke earlier about saving for vacation in terms of making it a priority in your spending plan, how you shouldn’t take out money from your monthly income to pay for vacations, and other tips. In this Skycap News installment, we are discussing 5 solid ways to save for that dream vacation, so that you will have a plan in place that you can do every year, and leave the worry at home.
- Plan for all spending. Not only should you put up a specific amount each month for your future vacations, but you should also plan what you are going to spend in other areas of your life. Allocate the amount of money you wish to save in all of the major areas and put those amounts toward your goals each month. After only a few months, you should see your vacation “piggy bank” start to grow, along with your dreams of traveling and visiting unique places. It will heighten your excitement about utilizing vacation tips to save you time and money as you see your nest egg grow.
- Clean out your house and have a gigantic yard sale. My sister and I are famous in our region for huge yard sales. I am even considering writing an eBook about this topic soon. We make over $1000 every time we have one just by pricing things a bit higher than the normal sale (which communicates value), and talking to customers and getting to know what they want. It really works and it’s fun too!
- Sell on eBay or Etsy. I’ve sold on eBay a variety of different times over the years and it’s a definite fast way to make some quick cash. Put up electronics that you no longer use, sell some old clothes or unique items like antiques and baseball cards and watch the vacation cash roll in via Paypal! Both eBay and Etsy have their pros and cons but, can generate some nice incremental vacation cash.
- Get a part-time job as your vacation fund. If you are retired or even if you’re not and have the extra energy, you could take up a part-time job (either online or in the real world) and use the income solely for your vacation. Doing this will guarantee that you will always have enough money to make ends meet for the vacations you want to take, without worrying about how you’ll make the budget after you get back!
- Cash in a small annuity that you don’t need for major expenses. If you are older and have saved for a long time, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a great vacation in your older age. Just don’t cash in anything you may need later for basic living expenses or other important items or services. Once again, never cash in anything that you will need to live on in the future and then regret later on. No vacation is worth that!
Just like the old saying about work, you should “plan the work and work the plan.” This same adage holds true for vacation saving and spending. Once you Spot a Winning Vacation Destination start a savings plan that is specific to vacation funding. This is especially true if taking vacations is something you really enjoy and want to do in the near future. If you are planning to go on vacation soon and don’t have time to save, use one of the other techniques we’ve mentioned here, such as cleaning out your house and selling stuff online. Don’t use retirement funds unless you have them to spare, and think carefully when budgeting your vacation trip. Have fun and remember, it may cost a bit to go on vacation, but the memories you gain in exchange on your trip are priceless!
