6 easy ways to save money for your weekend trip

 

1. Plan ahead

 

 

 

 

Planning is the most important part of your trip. Get your roadmap in place and then allocate your finances. If it is a major week-long trip get your saving procedure in place well in advance; however, if it is for a weekend trip, little saving and crunching here and there will enable you to have a lavish trip. Save during the week and splurge during the weekend! List the factors which will take up majority of your expenses like – travel, fuel, food and accommodation. Shopping definitely needs a whole page for itself. So decide what is your priority luxury or modest accommodations; fancy food or local food; taxi at your beck and call or public transport. Set your desired expenditure for each section and save accordingly. Be organised about it and you will find that you need not borrow or dent your savings for a two-day trip.

 

 

2. Eat out less

 

 

 

 

Saving money for your trip can have indirect health benefits. You get to cut out junk food from your diet, you stop yourself from splurging on costly food and you eat homemade food more often. For those who have no choice but to eat from the office canteen or roadside eateries figure a cut in the number of items you eat and substitute the most expensive item from your list with a cheaper alternative.

 

 

 

3. Travel by public transport

 

 

 

 

Your office commute can help save you a considerable amount of money.  Forgo Ola, Uber and other taxi services for the week and save them precious monies. Walk wherever you can, take the bus, the metro or train to and from work. Get your cycle out if you own one. Hitch a ride with your friend and save on fuel money as well, carpool if public transport does not work for you. Spend as little as possible on travel and you will find yourself richer by a few 100 bucks at the end of the week.

 

 

4. Reassess your grocery list

 

 

 

 

If you are one of those people who find themselves at the grocer’s every day or shop for ration at the beginning of the week, then this tip is for you. Take a good look at your shopping cart. Keep only the essential commodities and remove items that you can do without this week. Chocolates, fizzy drinks, chips all can be sent to the reject pile. Eat them next week, plus it will help you remain healthy this week.

 

5. Sell unwanted stuff

 

 

 

 

The rise of online selling and product exchange sites like OLX, Quickr and Facebook groups will help you out here. Take a careful look at your belongings- gadgets, clothes, books, furniture or even interior decoration items. Anything you think you can part with ought to be let go of. Sell it off to the highest bidder on these sites and collect the money towards your travel goal.

 

 

6. Set up a piggy bank or let someone else hold your money for you

 

 

 

 

Where will you save all this money? Time to resort something you did as a kid- create a piggy bank! Convert an old food tin or a box into your makeshift piggy bank. Put in the money you have been saving from all these expenses and be proud of yourself at the end of the week. If you feel you cannot be trusted with this saving, ask your friend or maybe parents to hold your savings for you.