“I may be broke, but I am not powerless. I can build the life I dream of — one dollar, one choice, one step at a time.”

Let’s be honest: I’m not rich. I am barely comfortable. We’re lucky to take one big trip a year — and even that comes with some pain. Thankfully, my boyfriend and I split the costs for ourselves and our son, but with my barely-above-minimum-wage job, I still struggle to cover my part.

So I’m always looking for ways to stretch our money and keep our travel dreams alive. Here are five practical ways I save for a trip — even on a tight budget:

---

🏦 1. Put Money in a Separate Account

My boyfriend and I have two different approaches to saving. I use a separate savings account at a different bank — one that takes at least a business day to access. It’s harder to dip into it on impulse, and there are limits to how often I can withdraw.

He’s more old-school. He stashes cash in an envelope somewhere in our home. Either way, the key is this: separate your travel money from your everyday spending.

---

📊 2. Break Down the Budget

I love breaking down the numbers. The more I break them down, the more doable a trip feels.

For example:
Need to save $3,000 in 4 months?
→ That’s $187.50 a week.
→ Or just $26.79 a day.

When you think of it that way, it’s not impossible. That could be one extra shift a week, one side gig, or one less takeout meal. It makes travel feel less like a dream and more like a goal.

---

💻 3. Side Hustle (I Know, I Know…)

Yes, we’ve all heard this one a million times. But I can’t ignore it — it works.

I jumped on the bandwagon when I started to sell invitations on Etsy. It doesn’t bring in thousands, but it brings in enough to make a difference. Even an extra $50 a month can help you breathe a little easier when you’re trying to plan a family vacation.

---

🍔 4. Watch What We Eat

No, this isn’t a weight-loss post — but saving money definitely made me more aware of what I eat and what it costs.

Here’s a reality check:

• My favorite Starbucks drink? $8
  → 5 days a week = $40/week or $160/month
• One McDonald’s meal for my family of three? $30

So we started being more mindful:

• More meals at home – One batch of teriyaki chicken lasts us two nights.
• Coffee swaps – QuikTrip has an amazing iced caramel latte for just $4, and my boyfriend drinks coffee at home now.
• Use the apps – I use the McDonald’s app for deals and rewards. It helps on those nights when we’re too tired to cook.

Small savings add up fast.

---

🎮 5. Play Games (Yes, for Real Money)

I use an app called Freecash, and honestly, I love it. The idea is simple:
→ Play mobile games, complete goals, and earn cash.

You have to download the games through the app, and each one has a task (like reaching a level or playing for a certain amount of time). It’s not a full paycheck, but I made $35 in two weeks just from playing a puzzle game 30 minutes a day.

If I’m going to zone out on the couch anyway, I might as well earn a little toward our next trip.

Final Thoughts

You don’t have to be rich to travel — just intentional.

These small shifts helped me go from constantly saying “We can’t afford that” to actually seeing the path toward our next vacation. Do you have any good saving ideas?