Saving for Your Next Trip

Photo Credit: Scoop.it

Travel while you’re young, they say. Take vacations from the hectic schedules once in a while, they say. Life is short; YOLO, they say. Don’t worry about the money, they say; travel is the only purchase that will make you richer, they say.

Well, all of those are quite easy to say when you have a massive trust fund named after you since you’re not even conceived or you own trees that bear money, both are not necessarily mutually exclusive. For us, average peasants who live from paycheck to paycheck and actually pay our own bills, a travel plan surely poses serious threats to our bank account.

Because we at CatchThatBus understand that life must go on, and in this case, you just need to satisfy your wanderlust, we have listed down a totally doable action plans to save your moolah to finance your travels. Hey, your next stream of travel selfies is not that far-fetched, okay?

• Prepare a budget and STICK TO IT
  Preparation is key to any plan; so write down all your monthly expenses, and STICK TO IT. WE’RE DEAD SERIOUS – RM10 for food per day is RM10. 
• Write down expenses and keep track
  Of course, there is room for flexibility but always be smart about it. If you spend more than RM10 for food today, you might need to cut down in other aspects to make for the extra expenses. Here is where writing them down becomes handy. You can track of your expenses and tweak it. 
• Be organized
  By now, you could visualise expenses and cut costs in certain areas, hence being organised should not be a problem. For example, if you take three trips to get groceries per week, why not write down all the items you need for the week, and take one trip instead. 
• Cook instead of eating out
  The world is practically your oyster at this day and age. There are plenty of helpful tutorials on online – or you could pick up a recipe or two from mum, your sister or even your BFF. On average, a pre-cooked homemade meal should cost far less than what you pay at a restaurant. 
• Practice self-control
  Do you really need that new pair of Nikes? Or beautiful dresses and makeups? Don’t think so! 
• Look for discounts & good bargains
  Several stores tend to give out coupons on newspapers or in their mailing list if you’ve signed up for their membership, which is normally free-of-charge. Great deals can also be found on certain websites such as CatchThatBus, Fave etc. 
• Find cheap alternatives to everything you love
  Be a bit patient and download movies instead of watching them at the cinemas; you’ll get to pause whenever you like and you can watch comfortably in your pyjamas. Go for picnics and have a potluck instead of organising gatherings at luxurious restaurants. Get locally brewed coffee instead of a Starbucks Venti. Buy good quality clothes from unknown brands instead of the premium branded ones. The saving possibilities are endless. 
• Spend smartly
  A credit card is not that evil IF you use them wisely. Many credit cards provide cashback and help gather points and redeem items but it’s best to only spend when you know you can afford the repayment. Just make sure to pay your debts on time and avoid incurring the interest rate charges and be super careful about overspending. 
• Save smartly and be disciplined about it
  Some savings account offer better benefits and interest payments than another, be smart and save in the account that gives you the most returns. 
• Selling preloved items
  Does your closet require spring cleaning? You’ll find that you’ve hoarded lots of stuff that are only taking up space and collecting dust. Earn some money by selling them on platforms like Carousel, Mudah, eBay, Facebook or even Instagram. 
• Buy pre-loved items
  Be on the lookout for some good quality pre-loved items are sold at a good price. 
• Surround yourself with like-minded people (savings-wise, of course)
  It’s easier to stick to your budget this way. You guys may also entertain the idea of borrowing and exchanging stuff that you only use once or twice.

Speaking about savings, try out CatchThatBus and book your bus tickets effortlessly today. It saves you time and provides convenience as well. Better yet, the tickets are sold at the same rates as those sold at ticketing counters as well – no additional charges.