When travel becomes a way of life rather than a departure from your standard lifestyle, the way you live at home takes on a new standards.  People often attribute a lack of funds to the reason that they’re not able to travel. With student loans and low paying jobs that I often read about in the news, I don’t doubt that’s the case. That said, I also think people have more access to funds than they realize.  If you’re gainfully employed to the extent that all your needs are covered, and if traveling is really a goal, I have a few lifestyle habits I employ while at home that stretch and reallocate my income to be able to travel farther, more frequently, and more comfortably.

You want to live for today but plan for tomorrow. Here’s a middle ground to cut daily spending costs without sacrificing comforts so you can travel more.

Note: I am aware this targets the Middle Class and may not be helpful for all. If you have more frugal lifestyle habits, I’m all ears.

Plane Ticket: Average Price Range $200-$1600

You can purchase a ticket from Louisville to Beijing for under $900 if you buy your ticket 4 months out. Louisville to Sydney, Australia costs about a grand. I use Louisville as an example because it’s not a major hub and usually requires connecting flights. Connections drive up the price meaning if you fly out of hub cities, you’re flights can be expected to cost less. Generally, the shorter the time period between the purchase date and take off date, the pricier the ticket. But bottom line, a grand will get you just about anywhere you want to be in the world. A little flexibility in travel dates will get you further. Here’s a few changes you can make to be able to afford a plan ticket.

1.Stop Buying Cable television ($600 year)

I stopped using cable back in 2010 after inadvertently getting sucked into an entire Saturday of marathon watching a family of vapid women act completely unrealistically.  It was then that I realized I didn’t really watch tv in the first place.  I’m working all day, then I focus on other projects when I get home. I’m never just focus on the television. On weekends I’m out and about being active.  At about $50 a month for 12 months, you’ll save $600 a year. That’s a pretty sweet plane ticket dang near anywhere in this hemisphere.  I nixed it in exchange for internet only and Netflix or Amazon prime (student priced).   No one really does TV anymore which is why the 1% is trying to further commodify the internet with their net neutrality (political pitch).

When it comes to sports, it’s so much more fun to watch games around fans. Just about every team has claimed a bar in Boston (the Eagle Bar is insanely fun) so I go to a bar if I want to watch a game or watch with friends or stream.

2. Nix Newspapers ($200 year)

Does anyone buy newspapers anymore? I mean, I feel like this is an older person thing. Any news you want to know can be found on the internet for free.  I don’t know how much your local papers are but to get the NY times delivered plus full digital experience is $3.63 a week (aka $195.57 a year) The Wall Street Journal will run you $240 per year (and that’s the 50% off special rate). Remember a $200 is an off season ticket somewhere.  

3. Try not to own stuff /Clear the clutter (save $2,000 a year)

I’m one of the Americans out of every 10 Americans that rents offsite storage—and it costs me $200 a month to store junk I never even see. I’m working on ending it, but that’s a vacation in its self.  British research found that the average 10-year-old owns 238 toys but plays with just 12 daily.  The average American family spends $1,700 on clothes annually and throws away 65 pounds of clothes (that’s a 10- year old) annually. According to Forbes, the average American woman owns 30 outfits—one for every day of the month. In 1930, that figure was nine.  I think I’m probably well above average, and when I’m not wearing my uniform, I wear the same rotation of probably 10 items over and over.

Owning stuff costs money.  The more you own, the more you’re going to need to pay to store. Which means you’ll need to pay more for a bigger place to live just to accommodate all your junk or you’ll need a storage unit. You’ll need to buy insurance to protect it or spend in maintenance to keep it in good working order.  If you can get by with borrowing or renting, do that. If you no longer need it, sell it. But stop owning things you don’t need, don’t use, or can live without. This includes a car if you live in a city with a great public transportation system. Additionally, clutter means you won’t be able to find what you need when you need it and you’ll end up buying a new one. Stop toting unnecessary junk around, get organized and get rid of it!  Purge it! For me, living in Boston, at an additional $200 a month for extra storage space, that’s $2,400 a year and a plane ticket to China!

4. Stop paying for gym membership (saves $336 per year)

I’ve dropped hundreds on gym membership with a trainer when I was serious about body building. That lifestyle has gone by the wayside. Unless you have serious fitness goals, like competing in athletic events, you don’t need a gym membership. This is especially true if your company or apartment complex provides a gym. The causal fitness participant doesn’t need much to stay in shape. See if you can commit to actually sticking to an entire fitness regimen for a year before buying a gym membership. You can go to Soul Cycle, Zumba, Boot Camps, take Yoga classes, join a running club meetup, or get a DVD or better yet, use YouTube videos to boost your fitness. Buy a few weights, resistance bands, and/or kettlebells for $50.  Planet Fitness advertises $22 a month on their website. LA fitness advertises $34. Using the median amount, nixing gym membership will save about $336 per year.  That’s a ticket to the Caribbean or Europe if you live in Boston.

Lodging Costs: Average $8- $400 a day

Now that we’ve reallocated spending to find room for a plan ticket, let’s discuss the second largest travel expense, lodging. For places like Ecuador, you can stay in hostels for under $10 a day. Of course, $400 a pay on a hotel is also realistic. Apply the following changes to budget for lodging.

5. You don’t Need (More) Clothes. 

You already have more than enough clothes. You already have enough clothes. You already have enough clothes. I say this for myself and people who are like me. You have enough.

You don’t always have to replace an item that gets too worn, rips, or that you outgrow. If your jeans fall apart, you probably have 4 other pair in your closet. You don’t need a new pair. You’re not in high school anymore where you need (or think you need) enough different outfits to get you through a few weeks. Career men and women probably don’t wear jeans very often so they don’t need tons of pairs of jeans.  Dare I say two pairs will suffice?

Adapt your wardrobe purchases to your lifestyle. How many cocktail parties am I really attending per year to justify this wardrobe full of cocktail dresses? How many yoga pants does one girl really need and how much yoga (or fitness activities) is she really practicing? I know those pajama pants are cute but keep it real, do you even wear pajamas?

When you make buying a plane ticket your priority, you’ll think twice about spending a plane ticket amount on clothes that you don’t need.

New knee high boots can run you $200. Remember that when you rack up $200 worth of clutter in one card swipe, that’s a night in a decent hotel. 

When you do buy clothes…

If you were born in the 80s, you’ve been an adult for a decent length of time. You probably already have the necessary wardrobe staples. So now when you buy clothes, they’re trendy novelty items or accent pieces. Since these items will go out of style eventually, don’t spend much on them.

Shop at off-brand, discount stores like Primark, Forever 21, Charlotte Russe, Rainbow, Marshells, T.J. Maxx, and Target. Check out sale racks and clearance everywhere else. I know my bougie followers are thinking The Horror! Trendy tops that are going to be out of style next season don’t need to cost $50. Loud whisper: if you do squats, your butt is going to look cute in all jeans regardless if they cost $20 or $120. If you’re really bad it won’t take that much money to make you look good.

Look in the girls section.  For those of us who haven’t grown much since we were 12… you still fit a size 12 in the kids section. I copped $20 Levis in the little girl’s section and I have no shame.  At Primark, a women’s corduroy skirt was $20… guess how much the girls’ skirts were? Nine dollars! Dang near the same skirt (buttons slightly different) in the same store for more than half the price.  Plus the little girl’s skirt had pockets!

Now if you’re a 90’s baby and legitimately need (NEED!!) to build up your wardrobe staples in order to make money, go ahead and drop the cash. Otherwise, every day casual wear is not where you need to display your inner bougie.

6. Save While Spending Time with Friends.

The typical catch up with friends includes an outing with brunch/dinner, drinks, and entertainment. Drinks from Starbucks are $5, boba tea is $4, cranberry-vodkas run you $16 (in Boston), and restaurant soda adds $2 to your bill — all these little drinks add up. When you think about a whole dinner costing $2 in Ecuador, each drink at home really cuts into your travel food budget. Take the healthier option and drink water.

I’m all about YOLO, treat yo self, but going out and spending upwards of $100 to hang out with friends should be done in moderation. If you do go out, opt for coffee instead of a meal.  If you want to eat, a bowl of soup is usually one of the cheapest things on the menu and can be very filling.

You can socialize with Friends at home. Yes, it’s going to take cleaning up your home enough so it’s presentable. But you can pop open a bottle for after work drinks with chips and salsa.  Potlucks work for a crowd work. Since solo dwellers know how challenging it can be to cook for one person, share the food that would end up being leftovers during an intimate evening with one or two friends. Consider going to the grocery store to buy ingredients together then cooking together at home. This is ALWAYS cheaper and (usually) more fun. Plus, you can perhaps exchange recipes while you’re at it. For the price you’d pay for one meal at a restaurant (approx. $35) both of you can eat.

Food doesn’t even have to be the center of the social event. You can go for a walk together or work out together.

7. Make Your Own Coffee

This is the saving tip that gets repeated so often. I know it really doesn’t help for anyone who doesn’t consume the beverage. I’m a social coffee drinker. I don’t even own a coffee pot at home. I started the habit while deployed. I didn’t even know how to work the coffee maker then. I’m more into the flavored coffees and sugary stuff. If this is your thing, Starbucks makes pre-mixed sugary concoctions that you can pour over chopped ice at home to make you feel trendier.  Saving $5 on coffee per day, for 5 days a week, can be redirected to paying for 3 nights plus breakfast in a South American hostel.

8. Make your lunch (do this for 1 week earns you 1 day at a hotel)

I’ll admit I’m terrible at this. I’ll bring my lunch to work, change my mind about what I want to eat, and still go out and buy something else for lunch. I spent $110 in a week by eating out in December. For $110 I could have bought groceries for two weeks. For the money I spent in restaurants, I could have stayed a night in a hotel while traveling. This goes for days away from work as well. If you’re going to be away from home, pack a sandwich to eat while you’re out to avoid stopping at restaurants.

9. Eat before you leave the house.

While running errands, be sure to eat before leaving the house so you won’t be tempted to stop at fast food. This is true before going to work. This little tip is gentle on your budget and waistline.

Travel meals, on-ground transportation, entertainment: Average costs $4-$300 per day

If you’re disciplined enough to incorporate the previous practices into your daily life for a few months, you’ll save enough to get you to your destination and secure a place to sleep. You’ll still need to eat while traveling.  Try these ideas to cut costs while you’re not travelling so you have enough funds to eat well while on the road.

10. Make Your Own Laundry Detergent

On top of the list of the many things millennials are killing is the laundry detergent industry. But check this out, a solo millennial can make a years’ worth of non-toxic laundry detergent, chemical free, for like $5.  Everybody has that friend who sells essential oils.  Just get some good smelling oils from them, and I’ll show you how to make your own detergent.  Fabric softener is really just water softener, and you can use baking soda or vinegar for that.  I know some people may be particular about their laundry detergent — I have a friend who refuses anything except Tide Extra Strength Sports Edition pods. That’s ok. We all have something we’re not willing to compromise on. For me, I never notice a difference.   At about $20 a container for laundry detergent and two containers a year for a single person, you score yourself a meal out when you make your own soap.

11. While You’re At It, Make Your Own:

1. Dog food
2. Dog treats
3. Foam hand soap
4. Non-toxic bath bombs
5. Toilet cleaner bombs
6. All purpose cleaner
7. Hair masks, conditioners
8. Body scrubs

12. Nix Impulse Buying Habits

“I forgot my body wash I need to buy more. I forgot to pack pajama pants, I’m buying new ones.” I didn’t actually forget to pack pajamas. I just didn’t consider that I’d be sharing a bed with my girl pal on a trip to NOLA and never considered that perhaps she might not want my pant-less body under the blankets with her.  

“Char, you don’t need new pajama pants or body wash. Just get in bed,” my frugal friend Katy told me.  And just like that, I avoided spending about $30 for a weekend. Get in the mindset of asking yourself if you can do without. If you didn’t leave the house with the intent of buying that item ahead of time, do you really need it? For the hostel I stayed in while touring Ecuador, $30 is a 3-night stay plus breakfast that I’d just saved.

13. Stop Buying Paper Towels

While you’re being a millennial and killing businesses add paper towels to that hit list. I meant to buy paper towels when I moved into my new apartment. Then, after three months, I realized I never did when I reached for them for the first time while frying bacon. Turns out, I really didn’t need paper towels after all. I let the bacon drain on a cooling rack. Makes me cringe when I watch people clean their counters with disposable paper towels when they could be using cloth. It just fills up landfills.

14. DIY Beauty Services

Can you pluck and shape your own brows? Can you give yourself a pedicure? Can you find a friend who can clip your split ends and deep condition your hair?  Is it possible that there’s a gentleman that will massage your aches for free (probably not). Reducing the frequency of these salon visits without nixing them all together will stretch your money further.

15. Junk the Junk Food

Chips, cookies, and sodas add up really fast and don’t do anything for you nutritionally. Stop buying these items and see what it does for your body and bank account.

And there you go!  These are just some of the changes you can make to stretch your dollar.  I’m sure once you start incorporating these habits into your lifestyle, you’ll find more creative ways of your own to trim the fat on your budget. With a little time and consistency, you should be able to put away enough funds to support your travels. If you have more ideas, be sure to share!