10 Simple Tactics I did previously Save $18,000 for My 6-Month Dream Trip – Credit Sesame

When my husband, Andrew, and I got engaged, we knew two things for sure: We desired to live debt-free and that we desired to travel. I was lucky enough to have parents on sides who could bring about the wedding. Between that and careful budgeting, we avoided wedding debt.

Travel was a trickier matter. I dreamed of backpacking for months at a time. I wanted to stay in a cave house in Santorini, tour the Alhambra in Granada, and drink wine within the south of France. All in all, the trip we imagined would cost $18,000.

Our plane took off on January 30, 2021. We traveled in India, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Ireland, Greece, Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, and France. When we touched down in the united states again on July 30, we were still debt free. Here's how we funded the trip.

What a gorgeous view from Santorini, Greece.

1. Put goals on paper

Before we tied the knot, Andrew and I were already discussing the shape of our big trip. We determined just how long we desired to travel and listed our must-see countries. I added notes to remind myself that I wanted to be within the Netherlands during peak tulip season, as well as in Paris on Bastille Day.

Seeing our goals down on paper motivated us to ensure they are a real possibility. Additionally, it helped us understand why we needed to buckle down difficult on our savings.

2. Proceed to a less expensive location

Rent is definitely the biggest cost in many budgets, that makes it the biggest potential supply of savings. Before marriage, we lived in separate one-bedroom apartments, and that we desired to save as much as we're able to when we moved in under one place. Instead of looking for a rowhome in a single of Baltimore's trendy neighborhoods, we browsed options outside the city.

Cost of move: $400 (I hired movers. Andrew eliminated several redundant furniture items and enlisted friends and family to assist move the rest.)

Rent savings: $580 x 14 = $8,120

Total savings to date: $7,720

3. Find free methods to have fun

Andrew and I became masters of the cheap date, and in a way, being conscious of where you’re spending your money can make you be considered a more mindful traveler. You can spend $10 in the supermarket and enjoy a mountaintop picnic. Many museums have the freedom, and in summer you can often find cheap or free concerts and outdoor movie showings. Libraries and grad schools host poetry readings (sometimes with free wine and cheese). Heading out for frozen treats instead of dinner can certainly save $50.

We curbed personal spending to some strict allowance, too. By cutting $50 from each of our cash at hand and replacing two dates per month with free or low-cost alternatives, we saved about $200 a month.

Discretionary spending savings: $2,800

Total savings so far: $10,520

4. Cut the cable

Cable companies often monopolize a place, that is a part of why the bills could possibly get excessive. We didn't even sign up for Hulu Plus or Netflix, although we did splurge on the few seasons of Doctor Who. I will not lie: Using a month-old SNL episode freeze on your laptop for that umpteenth time gets old. But one month's cable bill was almost enough to pay for an excursion to visit the Taj Mahal.

We went to the Taj Mahal.

Cost: $100 for 3 seasons of wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey stuff

Cable savings: $75 x 14 = $1,050

Total savings to date: $11,470

5. Downgrade the smartphone

Keeping ancient flip phones made us feel old-fashioned, but a smartphone and data plan for each of us would have cost $130 a month! Our phone savings alone funded a complete 10 percent in our trip budget.

Cell phone savings: $1,820

Total savings so far: $13,290

6. Celebrate intermediate milestones

The best part about planning a global trip is daydreaming. We booked flights and hotels throughout our first year of marriage, and each time felt just like a mini-party. I'd call my mom to shout, “We've had a flight from New Delhi to Rome!” We'd book expensive hotels in Seville, go to Google Street View and plan a tapas crawl, or spend an evening reading up on farms in Ireland that host volunteers.

Celebrating milestones on the way is important for just about any savings goal. If you are attempting to raise a down payment for a house, browse Zillow or Pinterest for ideal home inspiration, or visit an open house inside your chosen neighborhood. Focusing on erasing debt? Toast every $1,000 you have to pay off at your favorite happy hour spot. Spending $40 to remain motivated to repay the next $1,000 makes it worth while.

7. Moonlight for added funds

I was working full-time and finishing my last year of grad school, and so i did not have enough time for added work. Still, I discovered an intermittent freelance gig. My employer also paid to professionally bind my MFA short story collection, so any sales I made were pure profit.

Moonlight earnings: $800

Total savings so far: $14,090

8. Swipe the best credit cards

Each of us has a charge card with a decent rewards program (Five percent cash back in bonus categories on up to the quarterly maximum in purchases every quarter we activate). A chunk of our gift fund for birthdays and Christmas came out of rewards we earned.

Rewards earned: $300

Total savings to date: $14,390

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9. Black out spending categories

Sometimes it's simpler to cut spending entirely for a short period, rather than reduce it for any whole year. Skipping clothes shopping from April through June and September through November kept me away from impulse buys during sales. I knew I possibly could fill in gaps in my wardrobe later, as well as the greater degree I came across I did not need to.

The same idea pertains to perennial purchases, like takeout. Say you order pizza once a week, like we often did. Replacing delivery with frozen pizzas from the supermarket for a month can save $10 each week. Hide the takeout menus 4 months out of the year and you've got an extra $160, without having to sacrifice convenience.

Shopping restriction savings: $1,160

Total savings to date: $15,550

10. Use windfalls wisely

If you're newly married and have a new baby, you might be in for a bigger tax refund than normal. Filing our first joint tax return led to us getting a nice check in the IRS. We treated ourselves with a small portion, but stashed the remainder.

Windfall savings: $2,500

Grand total saved: $18,050

The trip of a lifetime

While another newlyweds we knew struggled with debt, our savings plan consider the trip a person can have. When I look back on our photos, I do not only remember an amazing Six months. I see proof that people can build an adventurous, financially sound life together.

Here I am at Plitvice Lakes in Croatia.