Saving money can seem really hard sometimes. There are always certain things that we need to buy and pay for, as well as some unexpected expenses that might occur. So I totally get why we often find it hard to save. Not to mention a ‘want it now’ mentality that is very true of society these days. Being patient and waiting to afford something can be hard, but can be totally worth it in the end.

Saving money isn’t always going to be very fun. But there are some things that you can to do make it simpler. So if you’re looking to tick off some places on your bucket list or take a family holiday of a lifetime, then you might be able to do it sooner than you think.

Here are my tips and some simple ways that you can save money to travel.

Set a Target

If you’re anything like me, then you need some direction in your saving. I have to be specific in my goals or I find ways to get distracted and not make them happen. So set a specific goal. If you want to see the northern lights in Iceland next year, for example, then have a quick look into how much that would cost. Then with just under a year to go, you will know what needs to be put aside each month for it to happen. Be specific, set a target, and you’ll get to your goals much faster.

Meal Plan

I am no always the best at this, but when I get in the routine of meal planning, then I do save a considerable amount of money. Otherwise, I find I’m heading to the supermarket nearly everyday to pick up random bits, and inevitably some unnecessary things find themselves into the basket. It doesn’t have to be long winded or complicated either. You could use a calendar or get a specific meal planning menu. You can always rotate the plan and use the same thing every few weeks. But knowing what you’re going to the shop for, and only getting those things, will save you money. The key is to pocket the difference and not spend it!

Get a SIM Only Contract

Anyone that knows me has often commented that I never have ‘the latest’ mobile phone. But I honestly don’t want to spend close to £50 a month for a brand new phone and my bills. I’d much rather spend less; why pay more when they still do all the same things? Plus, it is worth remembering that a lot of smartphone contracts, are long, around two years, and over the course of that time, it can cost more than £200 more, than if you bought phone and took out a SIM only contract with a provider like Plusnet, for example, instead. I pay around £15 for mine, as my phone is older, so that is a saving of around £35 a month over getting a brand new smartphone contract.

Shop Online

Of course, if you can limit how much you shop, then it will make a difference. But if you are going to shop, then there are better ways to do it. You can buy basically everything online, from groceries to school uniform. So in my experience, it saves a lot by shopping online. You can use cash-back websites, get exclusive discount codes for first time shoppers, as well as money off for loyalty. So get yourself online and pocket those savings!

Cut Your Leisure Spend

If you go out to meet friends for drinks or lunch, then the cost can really add up. If you do this kind of thing a lot, then look at cutting it back, and pocketing that case instead. If you grab a Starbucks on the way to work every morning, that is a few pounds a day, leading to over £10 a week. When you think about that a month, it is pretty significant. I’m not saying get rid of everything and have no social life, but a few cuts here and there will make a difference.

At the end of the day, you do have to change your mindset a bit when it comes to saving. You have to retrain your way of thinking in order to get the best savings and achieve your travel goals more quickly. Are there any other tips that you would add?

*collaborative post – I received the following items from Plusnet to help me get saving:

• Light box
• Budget Planner Notebook
• Travel Suitcase Money box
• Calculator
• Food planning sheets
• Cotton Re-usable bags
• Lonely Planet Best Things in Life Are Free Book