For many people, the thought of going on vacations is something that they dream of. Typically, this is due to any extra money that they have needs to go for debt reduction or bills so they cannot afford to go away on a holiday. But there are some things that you can do to allow you to go away for a little bit, even if it is just to the next city and get a hotel for the night.
Save Change
A popular idea is to take loose change and put it in a jar for your holiday. Whether you only put certain coins in the jar, such as quarters, or you put any change in the jar, it can add up after a while. Depending on your banking, some banks will take the “change” from a debit transaction and put it into a savings account. For instance, if you spend $4.32, it will take 68 cents and set it aside. Chances are, you won’t miss it and it adds up after a while. If you find having cash in the jar is too tempting to use for other expenses, consider buying gift cards that are good anywhere or you can use for something specific on your holiday. Chain restaurants may be a good option.
Found Money
Ever have money that just shows up that you weren’t expecting? Maybe you see some money laying on the ground, or you sold something. Take this money and set it aside. You may have other things in your house that you can sell in order to get some extra funds but keep in mind that this method is not necessarily quick. Depending on where you live, you may be able to turn in bottles for a refund or you can donate blood for some extra cash. Throw this into the savings pile.
Create Savings
If you can afford to, open up a separate bank account and put money into it every pay period. Set this up to happen automatically so you cannot spend it before you get around to doing this. Have it set so that you cannot access the money from the ATM or via online banking; you have to actually go in order to get the money. This will make it more inconvenient to get it which will allow you to save it for going on vacations.
Look for Deals
Depending on what your plans are for your vacations, watch for deals at your destination. How soon you expect to go make a difference in what you can find. If you are looking to go a year or more in the future, you likely won’t be able to find too much and you can expect prices to change. But if you plan to go in the next month or two, look around for discounts and deals. Google for coupons or deals for the city or town and see what you can find. If you are going somewhere that is very touristy, such as Vegas, you likely can find a lot of deals.