Like many, I used to think traveling internationally, esp. to some of my bucket list destinations, was an expensive dream only doable if you made a lot of money. Like what average person has thousands of dollars just laying around to hop on a plane and fly halfway across the world??? If I’m making hundreds of thousands of dollars in a year, yeah but a regular person with regular bills...probably not. And if I do try to go somewhere, it’ll only happen if I spend the next 5+ years saving for a special occasion trip. But it definitely wouldn’t be a regular thing.
As I’ve gotten more and more into international travel, I’ve realized it's actually accessible more often than many of us assume. Sometimes it simply requires you to follow through with planning and setting aside money for your trip, other times it means going to your destination during an off season or looking into ways to save while on vacation, and sometimes it requires you to reevaluate and change your at home spending habits to spend smarter and really prioritize your vacation over other things. Of course this is dependent on your current financial situation and may not be the easy answer for everybody but for those of us that do have some disposable income, even small amounts, travel does not have to remain a far off fantasy. So lets make a pact to spend this year saving for your dream trip!
Below I have included three different savings plans for the next 40 weeks to get you started. Based on each savings plan amount, I’ve also suggested some budget friendly destinations to inspire you. Pick whichever plan best suits your financial state and your travel goals! At the end of March, I’ll post a 1 month check-in blog to see how it's going and offer tips if you are struggling to save your ideal amount. The timeline for these savings plans were intentional - starting around tax return season (and year-end bonus payout time for some large corporations) and ending by December’s holiday shopping season. Hopefully this will help you have more disposable income available to save! Starting this savings challenge may slightly alter the lifestyle you are used to but if travel is a priority of yours (it should be!), it’s totally worth it. This is part of the reason I am able to fund my travels now (since I am far from rich lol).
Let’s get started!
Savings Challenge #1: Save $1000 in 40 Weeks!
This is the first savings option, best if you have a smaller budget or are looking to visit a fairly inexpensive country nearby. This plan ranges from saving $5 to $50 per week and includes 2 gap weeks just in case you have to take a break. Depending on your income changes week to week, feel free to adjust the order (i.e. save $5-$15 instead of $50 if you have to pay rent that week). Just make sure you don’t stop!
Destination suggestions (coming from major U.S. cities):
Caribbean Cruises: Cruises are #1, especially if you live near a cruise port. Cruises to various Caribbean destinations can be as low as $200 per person, are all inclusive, and often hit multiple dream destinations at once!
San Juan, Puerto Rico: Flights to San Juan are super inexpensive! A flight from Dallas, TX to San Juan can literally be as low as $103 roundtrip.
Toronto, Canada: Roundtrip flight and hotel from Atlanta, GA can cost about $600 per person, giving you some wiggle room with your spending money.
Tulum, Mexico: We paid less than $1000 for a flight + hotel for our vacation. A quick Expedia search for a roundtrip flight out of Tampa and stay at Biwa hotel came up to $600 per person.
Cartagena Colombia: Roundtrip flight and hotel packages for Cartagena (leaving from New York) average $500 per person.
Savings Challenge #2: Save $1500 in 40 Weeks!
I think $1500 is a good amount to take you to most Caribbean locations as well as many European destinations, especially during off seasons. This plan ranges from saving $10 to $60 per week and includes 2 gap weeks just in case you have to take a break. As a reminder, feel free to adjust the order at which you are saving. The most important thing is to save!
Destination suggestions (coming from major U.S. cities):
Bali, Indonesia: Flights to Bali are the most expensive part of the trip, with most roundtrip options costing about $1000. However, once you arrive, everything else is a breeze! I’ve seen really nice villas with private pools for as little as $15-$20 a day (and that’s not abnormal)!
Rio de Janeiro: Now this is not necessarily to be expected for Carnival, but during off seasons, average roundtrip flight and hotel packages for Rio are about $800 leaving from Los Angeles.
Marrakesh, Morocco: Similar to Bali, the flight is the most expensive part of the trip, ranging from about $600 to $1000. However, once in Morocco, many accommodations and activities are really affordable!
Barcelona, Spain: Roundtrip flights from Chicago to Barcelona can cost as low as $500, leaving plenty of room for other expenses within your budget.
Montego Bay, Jamaica: When I went to Jamaica in 2018, a little over $1000 covered my roundtrip flight and all inclusive stay at Grand Palladium Resort.
Savings Challenge #3: Save $2000 in 40 Weeks!
If you have enough disposable income to set aside $50 weekly ($100 biweekly), this plan could take you a lot of places! This is the plan I intend to follow. Are you ready to join me?
Destinations under $2000 are plentiful! Some of the places I’ve looked into that fit this budget include England, India, France, St. Lucia, Thailand, Dominican Republic, Japan, Italy, Egypt, and South Africa (esp. depending on your departure airport). Under this budget, you could also participate in a Teach Abroad Program like I did! And if you use my referral link, you can save an extra $200!
Comments