Ways to Save $$ for the Trip

As you can see from the ticker, we have a little over 10 months to save the money needed for our trip. For most of us, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity but that doesn’t mean saving the money needed for it is going to be easy. Here are some tips to save what you need so you can go care free (and maybe even debt free!).

1. Put all you loose change at the end of the day into a jar. You could save a dollar or more a day….that equals over $300 or 10% of the cost of the trip!
2. Look around your house for stuff you just don’t use anymore. Can you sell it on e-bay, Craig’s list, or at a garage sale? Most of us have some stuff we’ve never used or just fallen out of love with, that doesn’t mean someone else may not like it. For e-bay list the selling price low to attract attention. Even if you sell just 10 things at an average price of $10 each, you could have an extra $100 (but I bet you can do better than that!)
3. Look at your monthly bills (especially those automatic charges on your credit cards). Are you paying for memberships that you don’t really use? Some of these memberships can cost as much as $50 a month. That’s a savings of $500 by the time we leave for Ireland!
4. How much are you paying for cell phone service, cable, etc.? Do you really need that many minutes or movie channels? Maybe you can consolidate internet, cable and phone service to save money each month. Decreasing your cable or cell phone package could save you $5-$10 a month, that’s another $100 you could have for the trip!
5. Have you noticed how expensive gas is? Could you use public transportation or carpool one day a week? I bet it costs you less than the gas and wear and tear on your car, much less if you have to pay to park. You could save at least $1 a week, which may not seem like much but it is about $50 that could go toward the trip (that’s several pints of Guinness!) Plus, you get some exercise AND help the environment.
6. If you don’t do it already, set up a direct deposit into your savings account. Even if you just put $10 a pay check in there that could add up to $200 (or one night at the Marriott in Galway!)
7. Plan your meals for the week by making a menu and using it as your shopping list to avoid impulse purchases. It may even be worth using a grocery delivery service so you have no temptation (and you save gas money there too!) Use coupons to save money and put what you saved in….savings for the trip. You could save $20-$50 per grocery trip. That adds up to $500 in a year!
8. If you must eat out, consider splitting an entrée with a friend. Serving sizes are usually big enough for two anyway (and you want to save your calories for Guinness and Fish & Chips!). If you usually eat out once a week you could save $5- $10 per visit by splitting meals. Even if you just eat fast food, get a kids meal, they’re cheaper and let’s face it-- you don’t need to super size. This could add up to over $200!
9. Do you buy lots of magazines at the grocery store or news-stand? Consider subscriptions instead. Subscribing to two magazines instead of paying the cover price could save you $50.
10. Don’t forget your tax refund. Keep all of your receipts for donated items so you can itemize and put a chunk of that refund towards the trip.
11. Instead of spending all your dough on a night on the town, invite your friends over for a pot luck game night or have date night at home. You can still have a great meal, fun, and drinks—but at a fraction of the cost. And let’s face it, people in public are annoying, it’s safer to stay in. Doing this once a month could save you $250 by July!
12. If you clip coupons, look at your receipt for how much you saved. Take that amount and immediately put it in the bank (or where ever you have set up your Ireland fund).
13. Keep your credit cards at home. If you can't pay cash for it, you can't buy it. And take out the cash you need at the beginning of each week so you don't get stuck paying ATM fees.
    
    Those are the ideas I have come up with so far. If you are keeping track, the above items could help you save….$2,150!!! Wow, maybe we should add a few nights to the trip! (just kidding, don’t freak out!)
    
    Do you have more ideas of ways to save, let us know about them.