When we head off on our travels, the last thing we often want to think about is what is happening back home. Why drain yourself of money from little things back home when you want to focus on what is happening right here and now? Here are some of the things you can do to save money back home while you are away travelling.
Airbnb
If you are going to be travelling for an indefinite period, why not put your room or your house up on Airbnb? While this is not ideal if you do not actually own the property you live in, it could be a great option for families who want to take their kids travelling for a year but are worried about what to do with the house back home.
Rent it out! Thanks to Airbnb, you can make your home nice and presentable for someone to come either for a holiday or for a slightly longer rent. Find someone who lives nearby who is willing to act as a custodian for the property while you are away. They will be able to take care of everything your guests might need as well as clean it in between.
Make sure it is someone you trust as they may need to make repair decisions without your immediate consent if you are somewhere off-grid. You might not always be contactable and they will need the legal authority to organise repairs; particularly if that burst pipe in the bathroom is compromising the kitchen underneath. Consider opening a joint bank account between the pair of you so that they can easily pay for repairs and you can pop more money in to help keep them afloat.
Cancel Subscriptions
Another one for those who are planning on being away for quite a while. If you have a bunch of subscriptions tying you down at home, make sure you sever yourself from them before you head off. Things like gym memberships and TV subscriptions might seem like things we cannot live without but they will just be eating into a budget which could otherwise be used while we are away. If you can’t do that, look into a service that pays your bills for you automatically.
If you are only going away for a month or so, it might be possible for you to freeze some of your accounts. Lots of gyms and other places offer you the chance to just simply pause your memberships for a little while. Click this option and you can rest safe in the knowledge that no money is going to be taken out of your account while you travel!
Sell Up
Sure, you could rent a storage unit to hold your treasures while you are away, but do you truly need everything? Minimising your life down into a hold-bag and a carry-on might seem extreme but they are absolutely necessary for an ardent traveller. You want to be light, flexible, and capable of moving anywhere in a flash. Learning to embrace a life of minimalism is going to be your best bet here.
If you are searching for a way to beef up your budget before you head off, selling your car and your other possessions might be the right choice. You aren’t going to need them when you are away so why not give them a chance to go to a better home? if you are planning on becoming a modern nomad, you want to get rid of as many possessions as possible. A box of things you really don’t want to shed can be left with a friend or relative until you want to put down roots again. Strip yourself of your belongings and head out into the world fresh!
Park the Car Safely
Only heading off for a week or two? If you live far from an airport, you might not want to pay for a taxi there or attempt to make public transport match your needs. Have you thought about parking at Birmingham airport? It is much easier than you might have initially thought.
Thanks to birminghamparking.com, Birmingham airport parking is easier than ever before. You simply pre-book a guaranteed parking spot online, drive to the airport, and get ready to go!
They even offer a service wherein you hand over the keys to your car right outside the terminal doors! A certified driver will hop into your car and take it to a secure compound, delivering it right back to you when you fly back. It is one of the simplest ways to take your car to the airport and can save you massive amounts of money when compared to long-stay airport carparks.
Go Freelance
Away for a while and worried about how your finances are going to hold up while you are away? All you need is a laptop and a WiFi connection and then you can work no matter where you end up! There are so many professions which allow you to go free-lance; from graphic design to web engineer and more.
You can also pick up extra skills while you are at it to ensure that you are able to offer as much as possible. Companies love to use freelancers since their rates can be a lot more competitive than agency fees. The more work you are able to attract, the more you will be able to earn on the road.
Think of a goal back home you want to achieve. Let’s say, for example, that you want to earn enough to afford the deposit on a house. You could travel while working freelance to build up the money for a deposit. If you are staying in one country, it might be worth opening a bank account for that specific country, i.e. opening an account with the Bank of China if you intend to spend a significant amount of time there either travelling or working. Meanwhile, you should maintain a savings account with your choice of the bank back home. Use your local account for everyday living expenses and send money home to the savings account to beef up your supplies.
Start a Blog
Blogging about your travel experiences is one of the best ways to get a trickle of cash coming in. Not only can you share everything you have been through with an audience, but it is also a handy way to keep your loved ones back home informed about what you are doing. From vlogging on YouTube to the humble WordPress, there are so many ways you can share your adventures with the world.
Again, put this money towards your goal back home. Despite what some people claim, not everyone can travel forever. You need to think about the steps ten years in the future as much as the ones ten days away.
There are plenty of ways you can make money before you leave and while you travel so you always have something in the pot back home. Whether you want to become a modern nomad and stay travelling forever or whether you want to just nip away for a few weeks to a month, there are plenty of ways to ensure that you are not wasting money while you are gone. Take on board some of the tips here and start planning how you are going to get there.
