They say a change is as good as a holiday. That may be true, but you know what’s nicer than a change? An actual holiday. Most of us have the desire to go on holiday but not the means. Holidays are not just for the rich, if you are truly inspired and willing to make some life changes then you should be able to go on that trip that you always wanted to!
Growing up I was always jealous of my best friend going to Thailand every year - her mom was a single mom and I did not understand how they could afford this. Eventually, my friend told me the truth - her mother booked the entire holiday on her credit card and spent the rest of the year working three jobs just to pay off their annual trip. I was really shocked, even at the age of 17 I knew that a credit card is not for holiday money. Never ever.
Now as an adult I feel even stronger about it. Unfortunately, many of us learn our money spending habits from our parents and this is not always a good thing. My friend is now having sleepless nights about the debt that she has, this heavy burden she carries just to make sure she still gets to go on her yearly international holiday and accumulate lots of likes on her Instagram page. In my opinion, there is no holiday good enough or relaxing enough if you are going to spend the rest of the year worrying about money. We live in Africa - the most stunning place on earth - we don’t need to leave here to find beauty and peace!
A holiday away from home is a luxury and not a right – remember that! Before you can go ahead and book your holiday you need to make sure you have enough money to afford the trip. The best way to do this is to start planning and budgeting https://voucheralarm.com/uk/blog/budget-planner/. Budgeting takes self-discipline in the beginning but once you get used to it and start reaping the benefits you won’t be able to believe that there was a time you didn’t do it.
But how do I save more?
Most of us earn a set salary and it is not easy to increase it - if it was, we would all own our private islands somewhere in the Caribbean sipping cocktails on the beach all day long. The factor that we have the most control over is how we spend our money. Budgeting helps makes us more aware of our spending habits and forces us to question whether we are spending our money in a smart way. There are ways of tricks to save money at home https://voucheralarm.com/uk/blog/how-to-save-money-101-great-ways-to-get-you-started/ and when we go out with our friends – drink cheaper drinks and eat at home before you go out.
It can also be tempting to spend your hard-earned money on some fancy designer jeans that have just gone on sale or dine at the exciting, new restaurants with family and friends. The most important thing is to remember your goal and not give in to impulsive buys. The small sacrifices on the way will be worth it and soon you’ll be off on your awesome adventure.