Last updated on February 2nd, 2022
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The summer will be here before we know it, and after this winter, I need a vacation. If you’re like me, daydreaming about summer and piña coladas, you’re probably searching for places to travel to at this very moment. But to go on a vacation, you need some money. And I’ve got some practical advice on saving some. Here are 5 tips on how to save for a trip in just 6 months!
Do your research
Before you can jump into action, you’ll have to do some research first. To make your trip a reality in only 6 months, you need to be crystal clear on the goals you set to get there. And to do so, you must research what is necessary to achieve your savings goal.
Here are some items I suggest researching before you start saving for your trip:
- Where do you want to go?
- Cost of lodging and transportation.
- Research the cost of products in the city you’ll be visiting.
- Find an estimated price for travel insurance.
Figure out the required amount
First and foremost, make sure you can realistically meet this amount within the time frame. Yes, shoot for the stars, but it needs to be a number you can reach without harming or stressing yourself.
Now, how do you figure out how much money you’ll need? This step is where that research is going to come into play. Add up each area you’ll need money for (i.e., lodging & transportation costs), and the total sum will be the required amount you need to aim for.
Bonus tip: Here are some additional expenses you might want to consider saving for: travel insurance and emergency funds.
Also, make sure to check out my post on Unexpected Travel Expenses & How to Avoid Them to minimize how much you spend while traveling.
Make a plan
This part of saving is so important! Don’t underestimate the value of a good plan. At this step, you figure out exactly how you will reach your goal. What practical actions do you need to take to help you reach your goal?
You are making your savings goal more tangible by getting clear on the specific details on how you will save the money. So be sure to be as detailed as possible when writing out this plan.
The questions below will help you create your master plan.
- How are you going to bring in the required amount?
- Can you save money just working your regular job? Or will you have to pick up a couple of side hustles to fund the trip?
- If you need to work a side hustle, what skills do you have to profit from?
- If you lack specific skills, what can you do to gain them?
- How quickly should you be saving this money? Do you put away money weekly, bi-weekly, monthly?
- Will saving this money interfere with any other bills?
Stay consistent
Now the planning is done, it’s time to take some action! I will admit – doing action and staying consistent is much easier said than done. But remember, you can do HARD things! The trick to keeping consistent is making habits that support the goals you want to accomplish. A d then showing up for those goals EVERY DAY!
The best way to stay consistent is to think less and just do. Unfortunately, I tend to fall into these patterns of overthinking, which prevent me from keeping my habits in place. So, I’ve learned to limit the opportunity to overthink or talk myself out of acting. If you find yourself in a similar situation, remember don’t even think about it; just start doing. And before you know it, you’ll start seeing results.
Regularly review your progress.
Within these 6 months, it’s crucial to track and review your progress as you go. This will help you determine what’s working well and what areas you could approve. I highly recommend doing this review at the end of each month. Then, after the assessment, you’ll know how to adjust for the following month.
These are my top tips on how to save for a trip in just 6 months, but these also work for any length of time. The key takeaway from this post is that PLANNING + ACTION + ADJUSTING = SUCCESS. You can do anything you put your mind to!
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