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Should I Travel or Save Money?

should i travel or save money

Should I Travel or Save Money?

ways to save on travel

        Should I travel or save money?!  Your daydreams of sinking your toes into warm sand,  feeling a warm breeze on your face, watching your kids jump in the water, leaving life behind for a few days . . . it can seem irresponsible and selfish to want to travel when you are working hard to be frugal with your money. 

But guess what, traveling has a lasting impact on everybody in the family from adults to kids. There is even research that shows vacationing can support happiness and well-being! (Like we needed research to prove that?! 😉

If you are dreaming of vacation but asking yourself “Should I travel or save money . . . ”

then make sure you take advantage of this crazy money saving tip! 

ways to save money on travel

~ This article may contain affiliate links. I only suggest product or services I believe will benefit my readers. All opinions are 100% mine! ~

Is Traveling Worth the Cost?

Travel gives you an experience that rejuvenates your mind, body, and spirit. Even if you are traveling with your crazy kids. Making memories with your family is time that you will never be able to get back.

When I was growing up, I had the privilege of going on vacation with my extended family. It is the source of many happy memories with all my aunts, uncles, grandparents, and 14 grandkids! When our extended family gets together even to this day, our conversation usually ends up reminiscing about those vacations we took together as kids.

We still laugh about the family photos, cousin fights, and adventures we took together each year.

Now my little family and I take a trip to the beach each year, and we are planning a big vacation to the happiest place on earth (YES! I’m talking about Disney World!). The extra cash it takes to go on vacation with my family is worth every penny.

I’ll never forget the squeals of my little boys the first time they stood at the edge of the ocean and let the waves crash on their tiny feet.

We take time to play games, take naps, build sand castles, and visit a lighthouse. Life slows down and we soak up our time together. Getting away from our routines gives us a chance to reconnect as a family and it’s precious time spent together.

Travel is valuable and worth creating a plan to save money for a vacation! There is something special about taking time away from life to create memories, relax, and reconnect.

Leaving your home can give you a fresh perspective when you return. Maybe your travels will be a day trip, a road trip, or an international adventure; either way taking time to travel will benefit you and your family.

Saving money is important because . . .

living life costs money.

You need to pay your bills, plan for your financial future, give to those in need, and steward your money well.

You can save money, be responsible, AND travel!

Travel vs. Saving Money

Why not do both?!

You probably already use Ebates to save on all kinds of online shopping at stores like Amazon, Walmart, Khol’s, Nike . . . just to name a few!

But if you’re like me, then you have never thought about using Ebates to save money on travel expenses. If you aren’t already a member of Ebates you can sign up with my referral link and get $10 just for signing up!

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When you sign up for Ebates you can check out their site for any cash back opportunities related to travel.

Just go to “All Stores” located on the left side of the menu. Scroll down to Travel & Vacations.

travel vs. saving money

You will find deals on hotels, rental cars, flights, and even vacation packages!

should i travel or save money

PRO TIP: Check out the travel packages available through Groupon. You can earn 3 – 9% cash back on Groupon Getaways! Groupon Getaways are already priced at a great value. You can save even more with Ebates!

Don’t Worry about Money Just Travel

While I would love to say that I don’t “worry” about money, I just can’t because I live in the real world with bills, mouths to feed, and a future to plan for! 

So instead of worrying about money, you should make a plan to save money for travel.

Create a Budget

If you aren’t already on a budget (aka – telling every penny where to go at the beginning of each month), then now is the perfect time to get started. You might even find some cash hiding in your budget!

Create a budget for your travels too! Your travel budget can include housing, how you will get there (flight, drive, bus), food, souvenirs, and some emergency money.

Cut Out Over Spending

Once you create a budget, then you can see where you are spending too much money. You might find that you can cut out 1 Starbucks run or McDonald’s breakfast run (I’m so guilty of this!) and save $20 a month towards your vacation!

I’m sure you can find other ways to cut your spending so you can save towards vacation and travel!

Make Extra Cash

There are tons of ways to make extra cash on the side. You can find flexible jobs online, pick up a part-time job, deliver pizzas, babysit, or even take online surveys.

A few of my favorite online surveys:

Save Travel Points from Credit Cards

You can sign up for a travel credit card to earn points towards travel. Just make sure you pay off your credit card each month. This can be a great way to cover the cost of a hotel or flights.

Spend Money on Travel not Things

Ask family members to give towards your vacation instead of giving gifts. My kids usually play with toys for about a week, and then they are back to playing with cardboard boxes and using their imagination.

Let your family members and friends give $10 or a gift card (ex: Disney Gift Card if that’s where your planning your vacation!) Those little gifts could add up to spending cash on vacation.

Final Thoughts

Should I travel or save money? My answer is YES! Do both. You should make wise choices with your money, but you shouldn’t be afraid to spend money on travel.

Time is more valuable than money.

You can never get these moments back with your kids, so whether you plan a vacation or a stay-cation traveling is meaningful way to spend your money.

Even though I stress over every penny we spend, I think that using our money wisely for vacation and travel is valuable for our family. When a vacation doesn’t go as planned, I know we are creating memories we will never forget . . . and eventually we will be able to laugh about it 🙂

Spending money on vacation isn’t irresponsible. Your intent and purpose behind your spending choices should determine if you are being wise with your money.

Spending money isn’t irresponsible . . .

Vacations aren’t a waste of money . . .

Make a plan, stick to a budget, and create memories with your family. Your money life is all about balance!


What do you think should you travel or save money?