Tag Archives: Saving

How To Save Money For Travel In 6 Steps

How to Save Money - Currency

How do you save for a big travel trip? With all of the pressures of life; house outgoings, social events, and gifts for others, saving big bucks is a challenge but it is possible if you following the ‘Canada or crap’ mantra and by executing our 5 S’s of Saving

This guide will teach you how to save money, rapidly.

Scroll to see us share these tips with the Royal Bank of Scotland and STV.

How To Save Money For Travel

1. Separate Your Salary

To start, you need to work out what you can live off.

Make a list, calculate how much that list costs you, and minus that from your income.

Focus on ‘needs’ and ‘wants’, you might want a new leather jacket but will you take it to Costa Rica with you? Probably not.

Remember: ‘Canada or crap?’

Next, open three bank accounts.

One for income/bills, the second for untouchable savings, the third for temporary savings that can be dipped in.

Regardless of any travel trip on the horizon, wedding invites will still happen and gifts still need to be bought.

As soon as you get paid, settle bills (rent/mortgage, phone, etc).

Then move the largest bulk of money into the main savings accounts and a smaller amount into the flexible savings account.

Also, consider a ceramic pot for coins, one of the ones that you have to smash open to access or if your banking app allows you to round up and move the additional money into a savings account, do that!

Finally, there will be gifts you need to buy while saving and that’s where the flexible savings account comes in.

Or why not get creative and make a homemade gift?

Palm tree on beach at Playa Ancon Trinidad Cuba

2. Sell Your Stuff to Save Money

What’s the point in buying things?

You will ask that question when you are selling off everything and making a tiny amount for an item worth much more.

During saving mode, I participated in two car boot/garage sales and while it was an enjoyable experience the first time, you really need to accept that items sell for very little.

Pile of dollars

3. Speak and Find Money Solutions

Set up a meeting with your bank to see if there are areas of saving that they can help you with.

Maybe you’re paying for a bank account that could be closed, or there are direct debits running that you forgot about.

Does your bank offer a credit card with travel benefits?

Some accounts reward purchases with points you can use towards hotels and flights, and also companion vouchers.

Call you phone provider, can they offer you a better deal?

Are you in a position to leave them?

Sometimes getting through to the cancelation team can result in better packages.

Do you really need Hulu, Netflix and Prime?

Remember: needs and wants; you won’t be watching reality TV while drinking Aperol Spritz in Italy!

4. Searching Helps Save Money Too

Searching for accommodation for your travels can really put in perspective how expensive a country is.

If you are traveling alone, consider hostels.

If you are traveling as a couple, consider apartments as a cheaper alternative to hotels.

Naturally, the type of holiday that you are taking dictates the saving process.

If you are looking to laze for a week in the sun why not try for a last-minute deal?

Avoid school holidays too, sorry teachers!

Off-season options can be a steal and keep an eye out for the increasingly popular Black Friday deals in November.

Hit the ‘go everywhere’ button on Skyscanner.

Avoid red eye flights!

More than often you arrive to an airport which doesn’t have 24/7 public transport so you need to fork out for taxis, check in isn’t until after 3pm, and you never get over that tiredness.

Sign up for airline newsletters, join a credit card scheme which offers points for flights, avoid checking in baggage surcharges.

Check out our guide to carry on bag sizes.

Seljalandsfoss Iceland Waterfall Hike. Gemma and Craig kiss at sunrise.

5. Splurge on Essentials

Invest in travel insurance because there’s no getting away from the need for cover.

Factor in what activities you’ll be doing during your adventure.

If you plan to ski or hike to Machu Picchu in Peru, you will need to pay more.

If your trip is longer than an average holiday and includes multi-destinations, basic travel insurance won’t cover you.

You can read our travel insurance comparison guide here.

Another travel essential is vaccinations.

Look to your country’s health board to find out what vaccinations are required for the destinations you plan to visit and price the procedure.

Purchase a safe net to secure your belongings in communal spaces and sunscreen to avoid skin cancer and early ageing.

Pringles Craig Salt Flats in Bolivia

6. Sobriety – The Unthinkable Answer to How to Save Money?

Whhhhhhaaaaat?

Seriously, stop drinking – it saves money and you’ll feel like a boss at gym.

When you are free from the chains of a hangover, there is a greater chance you’ll make it outdoors and less temptation to spend on takeout food.

Encourage friends to meet for a walk, dinner at yours, or a drive instead.

Here’s a big tip – quit your vice to save money.

Calculate how much you spend on your guilty pleasure whether that be sugary snacks, cigarettes, books, bags, or a wee bet each week.

Go one week without your vice and add the money you would have wasted to the ceramic savings pot or savings account!

Las Penitas, Nicaragua Coco Surf Cocktails

Click play to see our saving tips in action [with RBS and STV]

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Final Words

To recap – less Singapore Slings means more kerching, use your searching abilities for more than just Tinder, seek out support, sell what doesn’t fit in a backpack, and lose it before you use it (to another bank account).

What are your saving tips? Tell us in the comments below

How to Car Boot Sale in Edinburgh

Pile of dollars

Have lots of junk, need the space, and could do with a bit of extra cash? Cat boot sales (or garage sales in America) may be the answer. My partner in dime, Shelley and I have successfully car boot sales in Edinburgh, turning out crap into kerching. Here’s my tips for to get the best out of your early rise.

The Process Of Car Boot Sales

1. Arrive early to the car boot sale
(like 06:30am early)

In September, we met in Leith, decanted my products into Shelley’s larger car and were in the queue at the Omni Centre car park (where the indoor car boot sale takes place) at the top of Leith Walk for 06:40am.

Today we learned that they actually start letting cars in from 6am, I stayed at Shelley’s last night to cut out the decanting which meant we were in line for 06:30am, giving us the opportunity to get a decent space.

You pay your £15 to the organisers, they ask you to fill out your car details and address and to read a sign with instructions.

2. Choose a car park space

You want lights! There is a very dark end of the car park (right of where you drive in), because of the lack of lighting it feels cold, shoppers agreed.

This time we chose a space next to a pillar. The positive more space for our clothes rack. The negative – we could only access our stuff from the boot and the passenger’s side. We were told off for trying to rearrange the pasting table. Oops!

3. Go for a coffee

You now have an hour and a half to kill as no one is allowed to open their boot until 08:30am. If you need to hire tables and clothes racks, join the queue (rather you that me!) There is a well-known coffee shop at the top of Leith Walk for those who have a table etc.

4. The alarm

An alarm goes off at 08:30am. At this point (and only at this point) you can set up your pitch. I advise that you pack what you need first (table, clothes racks etc) as you will want them out first (for more tips see here). We pre-hung our clothes and tied them together with hair bobbles which was effective. DVDs were in boxes already and jewellery etc was placed on the table.

5. Beat away the poachers with a verbal stick

As you unpack people will try to rummage in your bags, peer in your boot, ask if you have mobiles phones, games, real jewellery etc. This can be daunting, just ask them to come back later.

6. Sell sell sell (for cheap cheap cheap)

People love the chat (we do too). I met a returning shopper who told me to get my own website for our travels (and here I am), he finally haggled me down to £1.50 for Gary Tank Commander box set (I was trying for £4 last time). Now I am being serious when I say, you want a £1, they want 50p. However some things do sell for more but not much. Today we sold clothes for £1 at the beginning then 50p at the end. There were a few pieces I was precious over (Levis jacket, Coast dress) so they came home. Shelley sold a coat for £10 but Uggs for £25, she wanted £30.

7. Car boot sale float

Lots of change is advisable. I took £13 in £1s, 50ps, 20ps, 10ps and 5ps and that was suffice

8. Keep your eye on the game

Know where you stuff is and watch your bag, we keep our in the boot (with the boot door open). A shopper asked me for my tie die T from Thailand, I was wearing it! She jokingly said but everything is £1. This is not the first time someone has tried to take the shirt literally off my back, it happened in Vietnam too!

9. Plastic bags

Have a few, the shoppers tend to bring their own and I reckon they will do more so now the 5p charge law is in place

10. Snacks

There is nowhere to eat unless you want to buy sweets from someone’s stall. Build your immune system up by eating your sandwiches with your money dirty hands (like me at 10:30am, it was lunchtime according to my stomach).

11. And the alarm goes again at 1pm

This is when mayhem breaks loose. Cars begin to reverse, shoppers still want to buy, the organisers begin cleaning up. We kicked back and ended up making a win. A man asked how much we wanted for what was left on our racks. Dubious at first, I swiftly protected our bags but turns out he was decent. He let us keep the desirable and he took the dregs and gave us a fiver each (equivalent of 50p at item).

12. Count your car boot sale earnings

I made £104 minus the £7.50 (£15 between us) entry and £13 float, leaving me with £83.80. Although less than last time, we did pretty much shift everything which was my aim and would make Shelley’s partner, John ecstatic (it wasn’t getting in the garage again). Shelley made £79 minus £10 float.

Attending a couple of car boot sales definitely helped Craig and I save for our long term travel trip around the Americas and Europe. It meant storing fewer belongings we wouldn’t want to go back to while making a bit of dollar.

Car Boot Sale in Edinburgh

For more information check out the Omni Greenside Car Boot Sale Facebook page. Addicted? Click here to see all car boot sales in Edinburgh.

Super Saving Tips

Saving money? I can help you. I’m a super saver, yes the stereotypical tight Scot! Browse the following articles for more tips.

 

What car boot tips can you share?

Car Boot Sale Tips – Save to Travel

Pile of dollars

If you are planning to make space and making money these car boot sale tips will aid you to car boot sale success! I am a super saver, a stereotypical tight Scot who likes to save every penny and travel the world. For whatever reason you are selling your stuff, this article will outline what sells, what doesn’t, and what to take.

For a rundown of my first car boot sale experience read here. For tips on how to save to travel car boot style stay here…

The Highs Of Car Boot Sales

The people and rush. The nice lady behind us said it was addictive. We could see why. A wee boy was so chuffed at getting an Xbox game, made my day. The three Norwegian men collectively buying a soft porn calendar for £2. The wee elderly woman buying central heating cleaner for £3 after bartering me down from £5 then coming back at closing time to try and get the two other tubs for £1 each. We’re convinced she doesn’t even know what it is.

The Lows of Car Boot Sales

People really want things for cheap cheap cheap. I mean you say £2 for an item and they will try and get it for £1. Biggest sale was a TV for a fiver. A man came around asking how much for DVDs and games, he told me he sold his games for £3.50, if I didn’t shift them to go and see him at the end. I went for a wander and turns out his games are all individually priced, some at £8. People are friendly but you need to be sensible.

Car Boot Sale Packing Guide

  • Pasting table packed last (or hire)
  • Take clothes rails if you can (or hire), others had clothes horses
  • Lots of hangers
  • Plastic bags (now 5p in Scotland)
  • Use boxes as displays – this worked well for DVDs
  • Sellotope came in handy
  • Marker pen (wish I had this to write out DVD offer)
  • Bumbag/bag with float
  • Snacks/lunch
  • Chat – some customers just want a wee conversation

What sold?

  • DVDs – I went for £1 a film then 6 for £5 (no one went for this)
  • Xbox games – £5 or £3 depending on what/who
  • Clothes, Shelley sold more than me
  • Electronics (Ipod radio; photo frame; TV; Ipod doc)
  • Mirrors and pictures in frames (Shelley)

What didn’t sell?

  • TV Boxsets (but I’ll hang fire on that one) <– eventually sold to Magpie.com
  • Comedy DVDs
  • Clothes over £3
  • Shoes

Car Boot Sale Tips

I would definitely recommend doing it. We plan to go again in February just before I leave (we met a seller, girl going to Oz, who sold everything last February, she was disappointed in her sales today). We picked this weekend as it was the post payday weekend and end of summer, turns out October is a hot month.

Super Saving Articles

I’m a super saver! Here are more tips on how to save for travel, weddings, rainy days.

What tips do you have to help us save?