Coming from the United States, New Zealand is an expensive trip for me. But as per usual (or always), I want the most expensive item on the shelf or trip to take. I went back and forth on whether or not I should go to NZ when I could go to Europe twice or even a few smaller weekend trips in the US.
After stalking numerous New Zealand Instagram accounts and talking to some friends who have been to or lived in NZ, the answer was always the price was worth it and it is an amazing experience.
So I set this goal and started to save money. I was all in.
Many people mentioned how expensive this trip was and asked how I saved money. Below are my suggestions on how to save for a big trip like NZ or any future trip you have you’ve been itching to go on.
1) Put cash into savings so it doesn’t exist.
Every paycheck set aside some money into your savings or safe space you prefer. That cash is now out of sight, out of mind. It doesn’t exist. In theory, you could set aside the same amount each paycheck, if you can do it.
I just started repaying my student loans and realized I can’t set aside the same amount of money every paycheck. Life is life. My opinion is it doesn’t necessarily matter how much you set aside, just as long as you do. So set aside $10, $20, $50 or $100 whenever you can. It will add up quick.
2) Only buy what you need.
I like to think I am the queen of frugality a frugal shopper. However, what that really means is that I overthink everything and can’t make decisions. One time, a friend witnessed me being indecisive in the grocery store about buying chorizo sausages.
So as attractive as that makes me, it is important to think if that item is necessary. If you’ve survived so far without that purse, those shoes or even chorizo sausage, maybe you don’t need to put it into your shopping cart. Sometimes you should treat yourself *insert sausage innuendo here* but I wouldn’t suggest splurging on something every week.
3) Equate every purchase into airline tickets.
This mode of thinking is a blessing and a curse. Every bill I pay or item I purchase makes me think about what weekend adventures I could have with that money. This is very motivating to not throw my money away on things I might only use once. However, I literally cannot turn this superhero power off. Budget airlines like Ryanair, Frontier and Spirit offer airline tickets for $100 roundtrip so even having a few hundred dollars available can help you have a solid four-day weekend trip is not impossible.
4) Only eat/drink out on the weekends
During the week, I bring my lunch with me each day so I can a) use this money during the weekend and/or b) save it for a trip. I am all about a good taco Tuesday deal so sometimes that is a cheaper option or happy hour drinks drink after an annoying day at work; I feel ya. Find a balance between bringing your own food to work and going out. It really is just a balancing act.
You don’t even have to have a country picked out or booked tickets yet. Start saving so when you do have money you can buy that airline ticket because we all know good deals on flights go quick. Happy travels!
Postcard By Postcard 