a hand putting in money into a jar to save money for travel

5 Motivating And Creative Ways to Save Money for Travel

Updated December 2020

Looking for creative ways to save money for travel?

You’re come to the right post!

Some of these tips are not only creative, but quite unique, and some of the tips have helped me save money a lot easier, and sometimes even in the background.

The trick to getting started to actually start saving money for travel isn’t really just budgeting and selling your stuff on eBay for extra cash.

It starts with being mindful and creating the shift in your head and in your financial direction towards a new goal; more travel.

If you look online either on Google or Pinterest, you’ll find a wealth of information on how to save money for travel.

People’s different stories and tried and true methods.

From people on tight student budgets managing to save money for travel, to older adults with careers and families finding ways to save money to fulfill their travel desires.

I think that these are all amazing resources full of great tips to start using.

However, I would strongly encourage anyone starting out saving money for travel to start with this simple approach: mindset.

I think that changing the mindset does a world of a difference in many aspects, but especially in this case when it comes to saving money for travel.

If we learn to change the mindset from thinking we don’t have money, to reassessing our spending habits and viewing where our money is going, we will come to find out that we do have money to travel and that saving the money does not have to necessarily affect our lives in a negative manner on a daily basis.

Below I want to share a few suggestions and creative ways to save money for travel that have helped make saving money for travel a little easier and more motivating for me, as well as how to shift my thoughts on saving money from negative to positive.

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creative ways to save money for travel

5 Motivating And Creative Ways to Save Money for Travel

Don’t restrict yourself completely

When you’re about to purchase something, you should really be asking yourself “do I need this or do I just want it?”

Start paying attention to your money habits, and get real with yourself and the reason why you’re buying things.

Ask yourself these questions when you’re reflecting on this concept:

  • Do you like to buy things on the spot compulsively?
  • Do you tend to shop as a way to destress?
  • Are you purchasing because of the “incredible” marked-down price?
  • Do you actually need it?
  • Can you find an alternative place to get a similar item/product for a lesser amount of money?

So many questions, but I think they’re important in order to start realizing your mindset when it comes to shopping and saving money.

The reason why you should ask yourself these questions is not to eliminate all your spending habits.

The main idea is to eliminate the ones that are blatantly not worth your money.

Another way to think about it is like the game What 3 items would you bring if you were stuck on a deserted island?

Look at the items that you tend to spend your money on and try to select 3 things that you absolutely cannot stop purchasing.

That way you can see where else you may be able to cut.

Maybe it’s a higher-end beauty product that you must absolutely repurchase, however, maybe you think that you can start cutting down on your frequent eating out tendencies.

You’re still cutting a few items, but it doesn’t mean that you are completely depriving yourself of the things that make you happy.

That is important so you don’t lose motivation throughout your money-saving journey.

Look to money-saving solutions

Investing is such a buzzword these days, and everyone talks about the importance of how to manage your money.

Not only for your overall financial health, but also to be able to know where your money goes, and therefore be able to allocate some funds for travel easier.

There are tons of amazing money investment apps and apps that simplify the money-saving process for us, that it is worth looking into.

I personally use the Acorns app – Acorns is an investing app that links to your bank account and any cards you use to pay on a day-to-day basis.

Start out investing small quantities every time you receive a check and submit it into your travel savings account.

By doing this with the app Acorns, you are securing your travel money by prioritizing your travel fund before anything else.

Think of it as prepaying for your trip, and you are currently sending monthly payments.

Kind of like the opposite of paying the credit card that you could have used to travel, but we aren’t gonna do that if we can help it 🙂

Nowadays, it’s become easier to select savings accounts as well as other avenues to actually put your savings in.

Personal finance apps pave the way for seamless investing and saving such as the personal finance app called Acorns.

The app is free to download, however, you would be paying a monthly fee of $1 to use the app to actually invest.

Every time you make a purchase, that purchase can get rounded up to a certain amount (you choose your amount) and that gets invested into your savings account on the app.

This app alone has saved me a little over $1,000 (yes, from the change of purchases I was already making) in maybe a year or so.

Literally in the background.

I love this app so much, and I can’t recommend it enough as one of the easiest, creative ways to save money for travel.

If you create an account with them, they will invest your first $5 on them! Start off on the right foot, and get started today!

Read More: How I Easily Saved An Extra $1,000 For Travel Using The Acorns App

You have the ability to invest any amount either reoccurring or one-time to your savings account and voila!

Your travel savings account is gonna get nice, and I can definitely attest to that.


I must mention that the app Acorns is not sponsoring this post by the way, but I have been using it for a while and I have been really liking it! I

t’s easy to use and simple to understand especially if you aren’t so well versed in investing like myself haha.

I do have a referral link that if you click on and use, and get your first $5 investment on Acorns!

person counting money

Surround yourself with virtual support

On the supportive side of things, online, seek out social media accounts that focus on ways to support this new money-saving mindset.

Everything from personal finance tips to travel inspiration and people who have similar goals to yours.

One of the best and most creative ways to start saving money for travel is to get your mind right with helpful, supportive conversations and dialogue around money.

Surround yourself with the support and positive reinforcement that will help keep you motivated to spend consciously and of course, to keep your eye on the prize.

This can look like following money coaches online, subscribing to them on YouTube, meditating on releasing negative limiting beliefs about money, and so much more.

Likewise, if you find yourself constantly being advertised new things to buy, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to unfollow a few of those accounts.

It’s about how your surround yourself that will make a huge difference, and it will help you stay on track with savings.

girl holding an iPhone looking at instagram

Find hobbies that don’t cost you a lot

Reassessing your spending habits and saving doesn’t mean cutting off your friends and social life completely.

If you want not only motivating, but creative ways to save money for travel, picking up new hobbies or skills that can be inexpensive, entertaining, and good for you is a place to start!

What do I mean?

Start learning a new language, start a workout routine (no gym membership required!).

Spend time at your local library and read and listen to books through this amazing resource, and start DIY projects.

Also, it’s possible to hang out with friends at home instead of going out all the time, learn new recipes; be creative in your activities!

In your own life, think of things that you normally spend money on that you could do a little less of.

Afterward, think and fill them in with new hobbies you can do that won’t cost you much! It’s possible, it’s fun, it’s new and it’s an adventure all on its own.

girl cooking with kale on the stovetop

Read More: Food and Travel: Travel The World Through Food

Visualize your travels

Speaking of creative ways to save money for travel – here’s one I want you to keep an open mind about.

I am a firm believer that what the mind can create can be manifested into a reality.

Make sure to visualize the image(s) and feelings of what it would be like to travel.

Feel the emotions of happiness that it would bring you.

Make it a point to “daydream” what it would be like to travel to your dream destination.

  • What would you do there?
  • What would you eat?
  • Who would you go with?
  • Are you going solo?

Think as many details as you can, and actually spend time visualizing this scene(s).

Whatever you think in your head, you can manifest into your life.

Also what you imagine yourself to be doing and spending time seeing when you’re abroad will help motivate you to save money now.

Just keep being positive and grateful ✨. To take it a step further, go ahead and gather up a few images of travel and money to create an abundant travel vision board!

Paste your inspiring images onto your board and make sure to keep them in a very visible spot.

The more you see it, the more happiness it will emit to you, and from there the possibilities and motivation are endless.

I can assure you of this.

Read More: How To Visualize and Manifest Your Best Travels

girl sitting on a couch looking out the window on a cloudy day, with a cup of coffee and pastry

Concluding thoughts on 5 Motivating and Creative Ways to Save Money for Travel

In the end, saving money doesn’t have to be total deprivation of the things that make you happy. 

It’s more about being savvy with your money.

It’s also about moving money around and seeing how to accommodate a travel goal in your current financial situation.

This is a choice to prioritize travel, and these are a few ways that you can start.

After all, the mindset around saving money for travel can be easier than you may have thought.

I would love to know any money-saving tips that you have and would like to share with us!

Let us know what things you do to keep motivated and happy in the money-saving journey!

Also, let me know if you have any upcoming travel plans ahead! I’d love to know as always 🙂

Wait! I got something for you…

The Travel Visualization Workbook 

A simplified way to help you visualize, and get real on actually planning your travels. All in a step-by-step guide. It’s yours for FREE! All you have to do is leave your email so I can send this lil nugget of gold to you ✨

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To more travel moments like these ✨

travel blog

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