The first step in traveling is saving money to travel. Without a financial plan, traveling seems impossible. There are always excuses: I have to buy a car, I have to pay for rent, or I have an unexpected cost. With the right financial strategy, anyone can put aside enough money to take themselves on a much needed vacation.
Being financially secure and budgeting vacations took time to master. I grew up poor: I used food stamps through college and was always aware of the prices I was spending. I didn't get to regularly go out to eat until I finished school and got a steady income. I spent time working to pay bills, and set aside money and tips for my savings account and fun. I regularly balanced my checkbook and religiously checked my online Checking account.
I was in my teens to early twenties when I started learning how to travel myself. I planned a post-high school graduation trip for my boyfriend at the time and I to go to Hawaii. I then took myself on international trips to Iceland, Ireland, northern Ireland (they are different!), Mexico, Italy, London, Paris, Copenhagen, and Greece, and various national trips throughout California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Colorado, Illinois, and Washington.
Now, I have put myself through community college, a 4-year college, and my M.S. program, took on two consecutive jobs in my career, and maintained a high credit score all while traveling the world. Travel cannot happen until budgeting is mastered. Like everybody, I also have bills, rent, and unplanned items that need to be paid. The difference is that I have learned to budget for everything, and I want to teach you the same skills.
Over this "How to Budget" series, I will explain different methods to help you gain financial independence and save for that self-care vacation you deserve.
The How to Budget series will include:
-How to Save Money
-How to Balance a Checkbook
-How to Open a Savings Account
-How to Get a Credit Card
-How to Invest
-How to Turn Travel into an Income
Each bullet point will be a separate post and linked to this page, so please bookmark this page and subscribe for e-mail notifications. New posts come out every Thursday. At the end of this series, your money-conscious skills will be applied towards not just traveling, but also your everyday life. You'll start seeing money flow and grow into your accounts.
Love ya'll and see ya soon!
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