BootsnAll Travel Community

I definitely have a problem saving money. When i'm at home and working I save my money but it goes to things I want/need here(tattoos, music, clothes etc etc)
It's especially hard to save as a student. I make a list of needs and figure out where money needs to go. If I make xxx$ a week then i'll split it up and try and put the most towards travel.

I found the best way to save is to work in another city. If I wanted to spend time in South America I would take odd jobs along the way(resort towns are key!) because that way i'm less likely to spend any cash.

quote:

Originally posted by carpe diem:
just a thought. i was reading the paper and there are a ton of people looking for egg donors and they pay 3000-10000. So if you dont mind donating some eggs there would be your travel money

Be careful if you do that, though - I read an article once saying that there can be long-term health problems for women who are egg donors. Make sure you go into it having done your research.

Others have talked about this, but a friend of mine saves money by traveling around on garbage day looking for good things that people have thrown out, and then sells them on Ebay. She sold a table lamp the other day for $50 that she found on the curb, and uses the money she makes to finance her vacation. She also gets things from friends that they want to get rid of and don't have the time to sell them. She sells it for them and keeps 50% as her "commission."

Also, you might try selling services like pet-sitting or pet-walking (one friend does this for a living and makes a killing), house-cleaning, grocery shopping (I have another lawyer friend who pays a woman $20/hour to shop for her), etc. There are a lot of people who have the money to pay someone else to do things they don't like to do - you just have to find them and convince them to let you do it.

I almost donated my eggs but ended up getting a job offer at the same time and it would have been too much. From what I researched--and I did a lot of research--there have been no proven long term side effects. As I don't want to have children ever and have perfectly lovely genes, I figured I'd share the wealth. (And Cherie Junior, how fab!) But it is a big undertaking!

Craigslist has a free list--going along with the previous post--and you could get stuff for free (esp with the curb alerts) and try to sell that.

Good luck!

Easy...I got hit by a Cadilac SUV while biking home from work, had to have surgery, followed by about 6 months of physical therapy, then settled the claim with 1 month to spare. Took some of the money out to pay off bills and the rest is sitting in a cd until the end of August just waiting and collecting interest.

I'm moving back to GA (in with my Mom) when my lease is up at the end of April so that I can cut down on my bills. I plan on getting a job asap when I get down there so I can save even more money.

I have had a strategy that is working pretty well for me:

I moved in with my parents (I found that as long as I help keep the house in order, help out with going shopping, and taking care of the dogs, that they enjoy the help)

I opened a high yield savings account from HSBC at 5.05% interest

I have a milk jug that I put all of my change in, as well as go get gold or silver dollars when I have a spare $20 that I put into the jar (it is money that I am saving that I do not realize)

I have a second job as a waiter (it is great because you get cash)

I sold things on Ebay that I no longer need

I set a scheduale for saving and pay my HSBC online account as a bill with each paycheck from my day job.

I kept track of everything (down to the penny) that I spent for a week and cut out everything that was unneccisary.

I splurge on a movie or dinner out with my girlfriend once a month to keep sanity.

I asked my parents to add me to their Cingular plan, which lowered my monthly bill by 45 dollars.

I am sure there is other stuff that I have done to save but those are the ones I can think of right now.

Thanks again everybody. I have just had a renewed interest in trying to get this trip together.

I have put together a list of all the ideas from this board and I think that will help a lot. I'm going to create a spending and budget spreadsheet right now.

I make jewelry, perfumes, and other things at home so I think ebay will be a good idea for me.

The LL Bean idea might work.

The ING savings account sounds great.

I'm gonna try reading more instead of renting movies.

Yup, I think that is a good start.
Thanks again everyone. Keep the ideas comin' =)

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Katerina Urda:

I'm gonna try reading more instead of renting movies.
QUOTE]

Blockbuster plan, the one that's like Netflix but better! - Do it! :-) we do the $10/month plan. It allows for 1 movie at a time, but its soooo worth it. You get a movie in the mail, watch it, then RETURN IT TO THE STORE AND GET A FREE RENTAL AT THE STORE... as soon as they scan the one you took back to the store, blockbuster sends you your next one in the mail and the cycle continues. It's really great because we can get 10 movies a month (or more/less depending on how quick to return you are) for 10 bucks.

We use netflix as there is no Blockbuster around here. Unfortunately we end up spending money on more movies between receiveing new ones cause we don't have cable and there is not much to do around here in the winter. I'm trying to get my boyfriend into board games! hehe

How is Blockbusters online selection? I find that their in store selection is rather slim, just the latest "hot" gotta watch movies with Ashton Kutcher or the newest American Pie direct to video sequel. Netflix has an awesome selection and Ive never had less than 400 items in my queue.

Mike, Their instore selection isn't the best, but online has quite a few. Brian takes care of that part tho so I'm not 100%. I think he went a did a comparison to netflix before we committed to our $10/month haha. we're so cheap!

I'll have to check them out sometime... $10 a month is a pretty good deal... I'm on the 3 at a time netflix plan which is around $19 after taxes I think.

My wife and I are leaving on our trip in 3 weeks, and it only took us about a year to save up. We both have jobs where we make decent money, so basically, we just tried to live on one income and put the other persons in savings.

This ended up being fairly easy since we already lived well below our means. We rent a one bedroom apartment, and only have one car that was pretty much already paid off. We parked it on the street, so we didn't have to pay for a parking spot. And pretty much only drove it when we absolutely needed too, to keep gas costs down (luckly we live within walking distance of work, friends, bars and grocery stores, so we usually didn't need it).

In addition, we stopped going out, except for special occasions (friend's B-days, Anniversary, etc). We watched lots of Netflix instead of going to the movies. And, luckily, we both like board and card games, so we spent a lot of time having friends over to do those, and drink wine.

Also, we got a subscription to an organic veggie-box. The vegitables probably cost more than if we bought them in a store, but when you have a huge box of vegatables showing up at your place every week, it basically forces you to eat in and not just go out for dinner. We then also made a point of making large enough dinners that we had leftovers for lunch the following day... which kept us from buying lunch at work.

Also, I'm a comic collector, so I cut the numbe rof titles I bought each week in half. This might sound bizarre, but it also probably saved us about $1000 over the last year.

In addition, we haven't bought any new clothes, and very little in new house hold goods over the last year. Also, I've been waiting an extra couple weeks between hairs cuts. At this point, we're looking pretty rough around the edges, but we can't even bring ourselves to spend money on stuff like that.

Its odd, because we didn't actively make most of these decisions, they were just little lifestyle tweaks we made along the way. As a result, it doesn't feel like much work, and our overall life hasn't changed that much. But, at the same time, we've save about $40,000 together.

Now, since we are working together it helps a lot, but its honestly the little changes in how you spend you rmoney that really add up in the long run.

I am just starting out also and have raised the amount i was aiming for. it takes alot of determination! but for me it came down to how much i want to get out there! if you want it badly then nothing will stop you. i say open a savers account, one that is difficult to access! well thats what i did. stopped me being tempted when i knew it would take too much effort to access!

What about a grant? I had an idea yesterday. I'm a writer and my boyfriend is a graphic artist...soo...we could do a book. Around the world in 365 days =) I mean that's what we plan on doing anyhow. I plan on writing the whole trip and he plans on taking some really good photos that he can play with in Photoshop when we get home. Anybody else tried the grant route?

Why would someone give you a grant to write a diary and take photos. On the other hand why not setup a website and monterize it?

I think maybe grant was the wrong word... but right idea. Grants are generally only given to not-for-profit organizations, so, unless you're an official charity that probably won't help you. Sponsorships, however, are an option if you've got something worth promoting. I recently read a couple of books by Jamie Clark who partially funded several Everest expeditions and a desert crossing with sponsorships. For example, Bausch and Lomb provided them with money (and eye drops!) for the desert crossing, in return for their sign being photographed in various places adn their product being mentioned in the book. National Geographic gave them money in return for filming the desert crossing... stuff like that. If your trip is unique, and you're a good salesperson, you might be able to get a sponsorship of some sort.

There are two things that we have found difficult when it has come to raising the money for our trip.

First, how to generate extra income.

We already have a strict budget, we use my salary for all our money expenses and bank my partners. We have sold everything we own, pretty much, and we are selling our flat.

But once that is done, it is coming up with new ways to make extra money - you can only save so much, I think part of the key is making more - ideas?

Second, dealing with friends who are not on a budget, dealing with their questions when you tell them that you can't afford to go out 'but both of you are working?' etc.

Explaining you are saving to people who aren't doesn't seem to work.

Again - ideas?

Dante

The only thing that has really seemed to work to generate more income for me has been to get a 2nd job. I had one for a while and used it to pay off my car. Now I'm looking for another one. It takes a lot out of you, but it also makes you a) have more money b) pass time quicker before the trip.

I would definitly vote for having a second job. Not only does it provide you with extra income, it helps you pass the time, and it keeps you busy when you might be out spending extra money. Today is Friday and instead of going out and spending $60 on dinner and drinks I'll be at work taking inventory and I'll make about $80. To me that's a gain of not just the money from the job but also the money that I won't be spending tonight.

As for friends who don't understand, some people will always be like that. When I first started saving I had a friend who was a bit of a moocher. I let her get away with it for far too long. When I had stoped paying hte $1-5 she didn't have she didn't seem to want to make plans as often. She even commented that I need to live while I am still here, and that I make so much more than she does that a few dollars shouldn't matter. I haven't heard from her in months. However, I have several friends who will go out of their way to help me find cheaper options and who understand when I am crazy at work and when I just can't spend the $20 cover. So I guess it works both ways.

I guess I'm lucky because living in NYC there's often free/inexpensive things to do, and also, a lot of my friends don't have a lot of money, so they're not wanting to go to Pacha and spend $20-40 cover and $12 drinks. Basically I only go out to something unless it's something I really want to see (like my favorite dj is in town) if it's free. Things like cutting down how much food and drinks you consume while you are out is also really good. Of course, you can do like one of my friends does and hit up bars known for being places where guys will buy you free drinks (which only works if you are a woman at certain bars I know of).

Second jobs are draining for me. I worked a temp job, working as much as 65 hours per work, a while ago, and I couldn't take it. At my day job, I use my mind a lot and I can't be tired and drained for it--I've learned. I spend my time off from work running, hanging out with friends, cooking and baking, chilling. Going out in my opinion doesn't equal spending money...

But I do have friends that always want to spend money when they go out. I see them less, or, they understand I don't make a lot of $$$ and what I do make I put towards traveling, and they will pay for drinks for me, that sort of thing.

Oh, this is another tip for saving money: spend less money OUT on food. If I'm going on some errands and I know I'll get hungry, I try to eat before I leave or will put a granola bar or a Luna bar in my bag so I'll have an easily accessible snack and won't spend money.