How I saved up for my travels

Hello everyone, If you don't know, I am working as an Au Pair in Madrid right now, and as I been meeting more people who also have the same job as me, one common subject always rises during a conversation. Traveling places outside Madrid and how do we save up for it. Most people I talk to, find it very difficult to save up as an Au pair you don't get paid a lot weekly. Not going to lie, it is very difficult, but it all comes down to budgeting. Even if you aren't an Au pair and are only interesting how to save up for your travels this is just as equally beneficial for you. Today I'm going to give you my example of how I saved up for my gap year, including how I budged my income.

Four years ago, I decided I wanted to have this gap year, I only really started to save up more, a year and a half before my departure. Throughout those 4 years, I did a lot of comparing and researched a lot of ways I could travel safer and cheaper. I am not saying you have to spend years planning because that is over the top but plan it through. The way I am about to share with you how I saved up for my travels, comes in steps, but keep in mind that I am not giving advice on how to earn income but how to manage it.

1. Research and Compare

Now travelling is easier for me as I came across KAYAK, which compares flights across the world, along with letting you know when is the cheapest time to buy your flight. As I am in Spain at the moment and I want to travel more within, GoEuro also helps me compare not just different companies but also ways of your transport. I say that compare is one of the biggest things I had to do because it helped me to have a must better idea on how much to save up. What I also like to do is check what's the most expensive I might have to pay, because then I am prepared for the worse. Save up, just in case you have an emergency.

2. When do you want to travel?

I say this as a step 2 because it is a big question you have to ask yourself. You have to think it through because that will define how long you have to save up. That way you can use the math you learn in school to calculate how much to save up or spend, daily, weekly and monthly.

3. Consider your expenses.

Do not forget to think about how much you will spend on food, things you would like to buy from whatever place you visit, souvenirs, and accommodation. If you are an Au pair, you don't have to worry about accommodation or food, so that's a lot of money saved up. One thing that has been a massive help for me is an app called daily budget, it does all the work for you, how much to save up for your goals, incomes, and outcomes. However, the app is not connected to your financial account, so it won't save up for you, that is something you have to by yourself and find the will not to touch that money.

4. Saving up.

Now that you have a good idea how long you have until your trip and the average you will spend travelling, you can either do the maths by yourself and calculate how much to save up, or download an app like daily saver to calculate for you, or even check out your bank's saving tools, because that way they can defiantly save up for you and let you know when you going overboard with your spending. Now I will give you my example of how I saved and am saving up, because I saved up money for this trip, I have money saved up for my monthly bills and whatever other money I have saved up, I can use for other things I want to buy, clothes, souvenirs, or even to do more travel. However, I chose to still save up that money. Instead, I use the money I get from the family which is 70€ a week but I don't necessarily waste that each week as a work, I only been spending money on the weekends as it is when I have most free time. I decided to save up 10% of that income for an emergency, even so, that leaves me with 63€ to spend and honestly, I tend to only spend around 25€, so then which whatever money I have left I can also save for a bigger trip around the country or buy something I want/need. It not easy, I admit and I'm a person that doesn't really go out partying much and that is a plus for me as I save up money but even so, I like to explore. How do I get around? Transport is a big thing! In Madrid I can buy a pass for 20€ and travel by metro, bus and train for a month, which is really cheap, so throughout the month I can travel for free in Madrid and visit a lot of places or even free events/ museums and galleries. honestly, it all comes down to management, planning and research. It sounds like a lot of work, but it is not, it is just a few clicks away on your phone, you don't have to spend a lot of money to explore, the internet offers you a lot of things, and you can easily save up weekly. You will be amazed how much you can save up, also don't forget to ask yourself, do I really need that? am I really going to use that? can I wait to get that when I save up more? to save up money you need (money obviously,) determination, self-control, and be organised.

I am really not saying anything that anyone hasn't said before, honest to God! Most of my friends, ask me how I have the money for this and that, I just save up. There was a time in my life, I did end up spending money on a lot of things I didn't need and that was when I found online shopping and that left me anxious with my money, since then I began to take control of my money, and I think that's what everyone needs. I am strict with my money and where I spend it, so then I don't feel cornered by it. I am not rich, I just save up.

I hope this information I shared with you helps you when you are planning your savings for your travel. For me, it is pretty much straightforward now, but when I began saving it was hard, but it gets easier saving up as you begin to realise the difference between, what you really need to what you really want. I am not saying to give up the things you want, just save up for to get it in time and make sure it is worth buying it. If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask in the comments, plus letting me know how you feel about this topic or even if you have any tips on saving up.Also, let me know if you enjoyed this blog and what other things you would like me to write about. All web links are listed below and don't forget to follow me on any social media to keep in touch.

Love Maria x

WEB LINKS:

Kayak- https://www.kayak.co.uk/

Goeuro- https://www.goeuro.co.uk/

Daily budget- https://apple.co/2FOBYBy

Social:

Twitter- @MitaZzS

Tumblr- https://mitazzs.tumblr.com/

Instagram- @mitazz16

Snapchat - mitazz16

Pinterest- mitazzs

Email - mitazz.blog2017@outlook.com