No matter what people say, and how many times they say that budget is cheap – it will never cheap with you requiring to cash out, and spend money for it. But what if you really do want to travel and keep up a lifestyle of travel? Here is a short guide to spending diet to help you save more money and raise your travel fund for your dream destination.
Take what you need and leave those that you want confined in your thoughts, under your bed in your head and keep it there. Admit it. You have more than enough of clothes, shoes, bags, accessories, make-up and other stuff. If you have 30% from your total wardrobe that has not been used (at least once) in 3 months — girl, you’re hoarding. Which bring me to another point that would be good for fund raising.
Carry the clothes and let not the clothes carry you. You can dig up great finds from garage sales, and at cheaper priced tags. And if you happen to be in dire need of a large amount of sum to get a travel project going — host one yourself. Bring out all the unused clothes and bid farewell to them, and let the new owner do them justice.
Learn to use your charms and work up that couchsurfing contacts. These are people who understands your lust for the roads because they themselves has that one too. Hostel and other backpacker’s lounge are a welcome. Be open to these kind of accommodations, if you’re pretty adventurous on that, you might find interesting experiences along the way. For outdoors, you can bring a tent with you, saves you the trouble to find a decent and cheap place to stay. A minimum fee would be required, if not at all free — ask around, and smile when you do so.
This could be difficult for someone with a sensitive stomach, but nevertheless, you will be fed, and it will be a lasting satiety until next mealtime. Ask the locals where they eat and how they find the food there.
Bottle up for the long term. Get yourself a water canister for the road and refill it when you need to. Not only do you save ~10Php or more, you lessen your plastic bottle use. But if you must buy a bottled water, get a 1 or 1.5L. A lesser evil than getting a couple of plastic bottles that will soon be inside garbage bins anyways.
Help Mother Earth breathe more easily – walk. It lightens up her load from a lesser carbon footprint off of you, and it saves you a few extra change for something else. It is good exercise for the heart, builds stronger relationship with whoever you’re with, and is good for the environment. Remember there are more ways for you to spend less, and save more. The challenge is not on raising the funds but our perception on spending, and money management. If we look past acquiring the thing we want but not necessarily need, raising your travel fund or any other funds for that matter would come as second nature.