You don’t have to be rich to travel! You just have to be smart and maybe a little disciplined. Becoming financially responsible just involves creating good habits and having the right mindset. It doesn’t have to be stressful or complicated, but it will take motivation and maybe sacrifice.

Here are the steps to save money fast:

1. Start by Tracking Your Spending

Set aside an hour one night or weekend and carefully go through all of your accounts.

Write It Down

Find out exactly what you spend, and write it ALL down. What gets me is the miscellaneous stuff or unexpected expenses that I forgot about. The little things add up. At my school there is a drink machine in the teacher’s lounge, but the drinks cost about 4 times what they do in the store. So I usually bring my own from home. When we buy little things like snacks, coffee, bottled water, and impulse-buy splurges most people don’t write this stuff down.

Before you can really save enough for a nice vacation you have to be aware of exactly what you have, what you spend, what you owe, and what you need to save. That may sound like a lot of work, but it will eventually become second nature. It is actually more stressful not knowing how much money you have. Be in control of your money or it will control you.

Little Things Add Up!

Be aware of all your spending. The little things can creep up and become a big deal when added together. It may take a while to build a new habit, but you will get so excited about your upcoming trip that it will be worth it! Put a picture of your vacation destination on your refrigerator to remind you of your goal.

Tracking your spending lets you see where you are today and where you need to be. If you are digitally inclined, get one of the many free tracking apps such as Mint  https://www.mint.com. But do something. Find a way that works for you, and stay disciplined with knowing where your money goes.

2. Work Out a Strict Budget

How much will your trip cost? Decide upfront exactly how much you will spend on your vacation. Be realistic and specific. Think about plane tickets, checked baggage fees, gas, rental car, hotel, meals, tips, parking fees, tickets or admission fees to attractions, souvenirs, everything. Total it all up. Now pick yourself up off the floor. Naw, just kidding! If you need to cut expenses a little, do that. But be realistic. You want to have fun on your trip, so plan for it.

Now that you know how much your trip will cost, decide how much you will need to save each month to get you to your goal. Then keep a running budget. What are your fixed expenses like mortgage or rent? What are your flexible expenses like going out to eat? When shopping use the calculator on your phone to keep track of what you are spending. Keep a ledger in your purse or wallet.

Budgeting effectively and living within your means gives you power and control over your life. Not having enough money to pay the bills is very stressful, and no one likes a vacation where a lack of money is always on your mind. Budgeting well and ruthlessly sticking to your budget gives you peace of mind when you travel and helps you to truly relax and unwind.

3. Reduce Unnecessary Spending

OK people, it’s time to get real. I’m saying this as a friend because I know how much you need that vacation. Stop buying stuff you don’t need! There, I said it. And I’m talking to myself too. I mean I can feel the money just drop out of my purse as I merely drive into the parking lot of Target. I might go there for one thing, but I come out with ten. Can you relate?

This is where you have to ask yourself the hard questions. Is this something I need? Is this something I can afford? Will it add value to my life? Do I want this thing more than a paid for vacation? Ouch! That last question hurt, didn’t it? It all comes down to needs versus wants. To me travel is worth spending money on, because I am creating an experience, having adventures, making a memory, and growing as a person and in my relationship with my husband. What is it worth to you?

Think about how much money you could save by cooking at home instead of going out to eat. I bring my lunch to work everyday, and most days I pack my husband a lunch as well. This saves us a lot of money and makes going out to eat much more special since we don’t do it all the time.

Other ways to save money that you might consider: cut the cable and just watch your shows online, have a garage sale or sell things on resale sites online, get rid of your landline and just use your cell phone, skip your normal grocery run one week and just eat what’s in your pantry, turn the heat or air back when you are gone for the day, use a credit card that gives you rewards or points that you can use to purchase air fare or hotel rooms, get a part-time job or start an online business. If you want to know how to make money online at home by starting your own blog shoot me an e-mail and I’ll connect you with the free 5 day course that got me started.

The point is you may have to sacrifice now to save for fun and adventure later. I teach middle school, and delayed gratification is definitely not their thing. But hey, we are adults! We can do this! You might even want to have a special savings account just for your vacation fund.

If you love to travel as much as I do take these steps and start saving now. Remember you don’t have to be rich to travel. You just have to be smart and disciplined. You can do this! Now go live your adventure!