Traveling is one of the greatest sources of happiness in life and even when we say that the best things in life are free - travels aren’t part of that. It can be quite costly to go on vacations and spontaneous adventures but there are ways to save up for it without taking a long time before planning your next cultural experience.

1. Be financially responsible

Don’t be that person who lives paycheck to paycheck or the one who drops a ton of cash as soon as payday comes around. Money is easy to spend but hard to earn for the majority of us, and knowing your limits and being responsible with your hard earned cash is a skill that everyone has to develop. If you don’t plan well on how to allocate your money, then you’re a sitting duck for impulse shopping and temptations that lurk around every corner.

2. Track your expenses

Be more strict in keeping tabs on your expenses, keep a money manager app handy on your phone or jot it down on your planner. This will help you be more diligent in spending money on only the basic necessities, you’ll be sure to think twice before succumbing to sales or peer pressure. At the end of the day when you tally up your total spending, you’ll be able to determine where is the bulk of your money going- probably food.

3. Cut down on anything that isn’t a necessity

Sacrificing one thing for another is a key principle into achieving your goal. If you’re really determined to go on your dream vacation then saying goodbye to fancy restaurants, expensive products, and other money-draining purchases will be hard but worth it.

4. Develop cost-saving habits

The price of gas has you down? Try taking the bus or the train to save money and time on your way to work. Can’t stomach the expensive lunches at the local cafe? Then why not pack your own homemade lunch. Being wise in cutting costs is all about finding new and effective ways to save money.

5. Keep at it

Lastly, it’s never going to be easy to save money. You’ll be tempted every once in a while to spend money on an impulse buy or maybe it’s something that you really want but you know you don’t really need right now. What’s really important is keeping your eye on the prize, be motivated and keep reminding yourself that you’re doing a great job and every step is getting you closer to your dream vacation.