Seven Ways To Make Traveling A Priority

I want to travel and I don't want to stop. I've just come back from the world's best trip and I am desperate to do it all over again. In theory, it's easy enough for me to say "I'm going to travel here next" but you actually have to take steps to make it happen. Here are seven steps to take if you want to make Traveling a Priority

1. Motivation: Once you nail down your motivation for something it becomes much easier to stick to and sacrifice for. If there is no real motivation then how can you be expected to make Traveling a priority? You can't so make a Pinterest broad, come up with concepts and make a goal. For me - come this time next year I want to be in the USA, why? because it's the one place on earth that feels like home for me.
2. Savings: It is kinda hard to travel without money. What my last trip taught me was to aim for "Moments and not things" This has stopped me buying those little things and made me start to think how better my money can be spent. If you can make it automatic by setting up a direct deposit every month into a traveling savings account.
3. Everyday weigh up the costs of everything: I got a $10 haircut last week and I've stopped getting my nails done. Why? Well, I would rather put that $50 for my manicure aside a month because that's a night out in the states, or a ride up to the Hollywood sign horseback. I know what's more important to me I just need to keep it a priority.
4.  Change Your Social Habits: This go's for any goals, not just travel. For me, I have a few goals in play at the moment and to reach these goals I need to change up my social habits.  I have limited my dinners out to once a week, I swap coffee dates for walking dates. Just because I am on a budget it doesn't mean I cannot go out with the girls. Travel blogger Kate McCulley from travel blog Adventurous Kate offered, "Instead of going out for dinner with friends, we’d go out for coffee or just hang out and watch movies at home." She saved $13k in 7 months.
5. Do whatever it takes for extra cash: If Travel is your priority then do whatever it takes. It might mean taking on extra work, whether it's freelancing or working at a coffee shop during the weekends, the extra cash coming in will make it so much easier to budget for your travels and possibly get you there faster. So next time you see me spending my Saturday night working at a local gig - that's my part time casual gig for travel funds.
6. Never pay full price: Research, Research, research. Did I mention I got a $10 haircut last week? Yeah, I did because I am committed to travel, I was creative and I found ways to save. I walked home today from the gym. Why? because I had the time to and I saved $1.70 sure - not the world's biggest saving but it all adds up right.
7. Make a date and stick to it: My date is March next year. This means when winter is over I won't need these winter drags anymore. I have items on TradeMe already and more as the seasons change. See to travel means to live in a suitcase and well I have far too many items I don't need or wants so I am cleaning out the clutter because...Travel.

Photo by Ian Schneider