1. Open a  travel savings bank account

Opening a savings account that will only be used for travel purposes is our number one recommendation. We suggest to give it a powerful name such as "Africa, here I come" or "The Vacation I deserve". Get into the habit of making deposits into your account like a percentage of your paycheck for instance, a specific amount, or your "spare" money at the end of the month. The idea is to turn it into an automated move. If possible put some restrictions that will limit access to the account unless it's extremely needed or it's time to travel. Pick up this habit and watch your travel savings go up.

2. Design and stick to a budget

Saving means spending less, which means adjusting your lifestyle: cancelling a few memberships, finding a roommate or even going back to living with parents for instance. Budgeting also requires reviewing your finances and organizing expenses into necessary and frugal ones. Maybe going out less is what you need to do, or walking instead of taking an Uber or waking up a little early for your coffee at home rather than spending $ 5 every morning on your super latte. We're a good gang to spend without looking too hard. However, if you really want to save, you're going to have to keep track of your income and expenses. You might find that $ 3 here for a coffee and $ 4 there for a snack is starting to add up. You might even be paying for services you don't use! If you find yourself unable to design a manual budget, try an app to help you set a goal each month and organize your spending history by category.

3. Sell some stuff

In addition to reducing expenses, you must also think about increasing your income. One easy way to do this is to sell the things you no longer need or use. Sort through your belongings and sell the things that don't give you as much satisfaction as traveling. You can sell your clothes online on platforms like Poshmark or other items on ebay or Craigslist for example. Several bookstores also buy used books. Another idea is to have a garage sale with your friends or sell your stuff at a flea market. There are plenty of ways to make money, but don’t forget to put it into your travel savings account!

4. Find another income generator

Another way to increase your income is to find a side activity. It can be just about anything, but we suggest to find something of interest to you. After all, it's work in addition to your regular work. Do you like animals? Why not try to be a dog sitter. You can find customers simply by talking to those around you or by putting out ads online. Are you good are crafting things? Etsy might be a good platform for you. If you're familiar with writing, graphics, web design, or virtual assistance, telecommuting is worth considering. Offer your services directly to businesses or use apps like UpWork to operate as a freelancer.

5. Stay motivated!

Last but not least, stay motivated by thinking about how well spent your travel money will be and the satisfaction it will yield. For example, a beer with friends might be fun, but that expense could also definitely count towards your lodging at an amazing spot in Rwanda! By looking at things that way, in a matter of months, you may find yourself with enough saved money to pay for your return flight from Djibouti. The more you relate your travel plans to your daily expenses, the more motivated you will be to save.

Need more motivation to save for a one-of-a-kind experience well worth all the spending restrictions? Check out our dreamy destinations and subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest travel updates about your new favorite destination.