Tips on Saving for a Trip

Last Updated: Sep. 06, 2008

Based on the Contiki Forums Topic Personal Loan or Hard Saving..?

Save on Tour Costs and Flights

Shop around for the best deals for airfares etc You would be amazed at how much prices can vary. Get quotes and do your sums and book early for the most inexpencive tickets, also departing/arriving between Tues-Thursday will cut the ticket cost.

Try and not go in peak season (from June till the end of August & December/school holidays)

Check for deals from both Contiki and travel agents.

Tips on Cutting Down Costs In Order to Save

Cut back on going out…movies,pizza,drinks anything you can think of – a night at home with a DVD and friends is a lot cheaper (and sometimes more fun) than a night out at a club.

Make a weekly or monthly budget (depending on when you get paid). Work out how much you think your trip will cost including spending money and then work out how much you need to save per week, and stick to it.

Bring your lunch to work and don’t eat out.

Cut down on little luxuries (for example: Starbucks – only one or 2 small cups a week, saves loads of money).

Buy Generic

Everytime you see something you would like to buy. Stop and ask yourself is it a want or a need. If its a want you can do without it. If its clothing which is your weakness ask yourself if this item can match with 5 different things you have in your wardrobe if it doesnt it is not a smart purchase.

Saving is hard work! Reward yourself when you reach big milestones (ie your first $2000 etc) otherwise you will get bored very quickly.

Getting Money Together

Pay extra on those credit cards you can always use them for the trip as well

If your vacation time happens to fall around a paid day off take advantage of it.

If you have a birthday, christmas, graduation or other event coming up ask for cash for your trip instead of presents – it’s a big help.

Get a high % payback savings account to gain interest or an investment bank account where u can out money in but only take it out if u go into the bank. Put anything extra in your bank account after you get your paycheck into your savings.

Try not to take out a loan – suck it up and save save save! – If you want to get a loan ask your parents and swear to them that you will pay them back monthly payments its easier to pay your parents back with no interest than to pay a bank. Parents are usually more lenient if you are late. Make sure you can, will and do pay them back though!

Anything you haven’t used in over a year, sell it on ebay.

Add a Comment Comments (18)

Hey! great advice! i have 2mths to go untill i head over and have been cutting down on everything! I am lucky however and have saved up all of my holidays from work and so get 3mths paid leave!

shan28 posted 16 days ago Flag as Inappropriate
these tips are great, i’m planning on moving to london next year and i thought why on earth am i moving straight into the workforce again, so i decided on doing a contiki (European Contrast), its gunna be so worth the scrimping and saving even though i might not see it at the time.
i’m glad i have my savings account so that if i want to access the money i have to go into the bank or go to a computer to transfer funds.

Good Luck to everyone is who’s saving for a experience of a lifetime :)

Sophh Bee posted 19 days ago Flag as Inappropriate
we’re here for a good time not a long time. If that means saving a little each pay day to have a once in a lifetime experince overseas it is so worth it. 20 years down the track we wont remember all the money we spent on coffee’s n lunchs but we will remember the great times we had on our contiki tours!!

H posted on Jul. 27, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate
I love the tip about putting a picture in your wallet! I’m a big impulse buyer but now whenever I go to spend money I’ve got a little reminder of what I could be spending it on instead! Thanks for that one

Nikki posted on Jun. 26, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate
Thanks for the great tips. I am going to use them all and save save save. It will be awhile before I go and I have already had a bit in savings but the more the better seeing as I want to do two tours!
I am going to put a little pic of somethign american in my wallet with CONTIKI written on it so everytime I go to get the bank or credit card I can see it and think SPLURGE NOW or SPEND IN USA???

TazzieDevil83 posted on Jun. 19, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate
I can’t tell you how important it is to save early! My trip was a last minute thing and I’ve only had 6 months to save, which if I’d stuck to my budget would’ve been enough…now with 7 weeks to go I’m stressing about not having enough money to eat lol…it’ll work out but don’t rely on money promised by other people either – they can fall through

Kitty Kat posted on Jun. 12, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate
My Aunt always said, spend half save half. So i set up a seperate account from where pay gets deposited- then on pay day half my wages automatically get put into the other account to save. And if i cant see the money or cant use eftpos to get to it- i realy get to save. Some weeks i spend more than others- but im still saving half… And it feels great to get a bank statement each month and see how much i’ve saved without even trying.

Jasmine posted on Apr. 30, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate
I am off to UK and hopefully Europe depending how much I can save in December 08 and January 09. As it will be cold I am scrimping on heating and investing in some warm clothes as winter creeps into Australia. Hoping to use the winter to prepare to be chilled.

Explorer1097933 posted on Apr. 26, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate
I did my first contiki in 2001 when I didn’t even have a full time job! It took me 18 months of hard saving on a part time wage to get on the plane and it was worth every sat night I spent in to get there!I guess you have to work out what’s more important!Going out every Sat night or going on the holiday of your dreams!My advice is do whatever it takes to save as much $ as you can cuz this is a once in a lifetime experience!

Princessvixen posted on Apr. 12, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate
thanks for the article… i am going to take all your advice about budgeting before the trip.. i am thinking of going on a contiki trip in 2009 so i better start saving now… thanks again!

kate1987 posted on Apr. 06, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate
I’ve saved a lot on reducing the amount of times i eat out and spending money at the bars! good luck saving!!!

Anita posted on Mar. 30, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate
I’ve been saving up for quite a while now, but I’ve found a simple way of managing my weekly spending budget. I worked out how much money I needed each week to cover things like my train ticket to work and my must-have morning coffee and the occasional lunch out with work. So now at the start of every week I make sure I have that much cash in my wallet. It means I’m not pulling out my EFT card all the time and I can keep an eye on how much money I’m spending. Works a charm!

SuzyQ posted on Mar. 22, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate
I agree. I was one to always go to the Clubs/bars a few times a week. My 2008 resolution was to not go to a club until i could pay off my flight. Well i didn’t quite actually quit going, however i reduced my going out big time and i saved big $$ to pay off my trip 3 months before it even departs.. Now i am back to the clubs lol. ( its never fair to ask a parent for $$, be an adult an pay it off on your own)

Brandon66 posted on Mar. 19, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate
Wow… great advice and I actually feel proud of myself now, since I’m already doing a lot of the things mentioned in this article. Yay! I would also suggest an un-openable money tin (well only openable with drastic measures anyway lol), as even only months of saving small change can add up to a few hundred $!

Sally posted on Mar. 19, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate
I have only just started dreaming for my trip, and im broke as broke could be.I need all the help i can get with saving tips as i dont want to get into debit with my bank again.You gave me some great ideas on how to save even more.Thanks a bunch and i hope to book a tour soon.

Explorer1091925 posted on Mar. 04, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate
I work at an airport and eating at the restaurants there can cost $10-20 a day or more… so I know if I start bringing my lunch to work I’ll have money save in no time. I’m also use the money I’m getting back from my income tax return to help pay for my trip.

Alouise posted on Mar. 04, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate
Great tip!! I started a second job on the weekends, working in a restaurant. I don’t have as much free time anymore, but it has paid for my tour, and airfare. I’ll be on the European Whirl Tour September 2008!!!

Binky1904 posted on Feb. 12, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate
great article.
suck it up and save save save!!

Explorer1083105 posted on Feb. 07, 2008 Flag as Inappropriate