How to Save Money for Travel

Before, I thought that travel was exclusively for the wealthy but as I surfed the Internet and read travel blogs I began to realize that you can travel on a budget and still see the best places in the country or province you will visit.

I'm no expert in budgeting but here are some of the things I do to save money for travel:

1. I avoid buying clothes and gadgets. This is quite easy for me since I'm a no-frills guy when it comes to buying clothes, shoes, and the like. Instead of shopping for these items, I save my money for plane tickets, tours, and accommodations for the places I want to go to. For me it's not about using the latest gadgets when I travel; it's all about the experience and the people you meet.
2. I make it a point to bring food with me when I travel. Bringing your own food to the place you will go to will save you a few extra bucks because you won't have to spend on a meal. Bringing your own breakfast food spares you from spending too much on meals.
3. Stay at hostels. Whenever I travel solo I stay in hostel dorm rooms. Dorms room can cost less than P300 per night and saves you a huge amount of money. If you are uncomfortable with couchsurfing, hostel dorm rooms are an affordable alternative.
4. Avoid eating at expensive restaurants. You could easily spend more than P500 a day whenever you eat at a restaurant for lunch and dinner. I don't entirely avoid eating at a restaurant but I limit it as much as possible to save more money for travel.
5. Limit Frappes/Milk Teas/Teas because they eat up almost more than P200 each time you buy them. 
6. Plan and book ahead. Booking those promo tickets as they come out saves you a lot of money on airfare. Traveling on a whim is only for people who don't mind spending (and movies), but for those on a tight budget planning and booking promo tickets are lifesavers.
7. Postpone buying a car and/or real estate. These investments aren't really assets unless you're leasing or renting them out. You might regret passing up on going to Brazil because you had to pay for a car. 

These are only some of the things I do to save money for travel. I'm sure you can find other ways to save more money for that trip you always wanted to do. (If you are already making a lot of money and/or have rich parents, this list is thrown out the door). I don't have a six-figure paycheck or make more than P40,000 a month but I make it a point to travel while I'm still young. That car/gadget/clothes/things wear out in time but experiences last a lifetime <insert cliche here>, it's all about perspective. Who says you need to be a millionaire to travel?

Angkor Wat

Sit down and think about it, you might just get a different perspective.