10 Ways To Save Money For Your Next Vacation – I travel often (sometimes 1-2 times a month) and the number one question I get asked is how I can afford to travel as often as I do. I’m fortunate now that my income allows me to travel as often as I want however it hasn’t always been this way. When I first started on my travel journey, I had to come up with some creative ways to add to my travel fund without dipping into my day-to-day income.
With many people rolling into the new year with the goal of traveling more, now is a great time to share a few side hustles I have done over the years to help grow my travel fund.
If you’re looking for the perfect side hustle for you, check out these 10 Ways To Save Money For Your Next Vacation.
1) Drive For Rideshare Company
If you have access to a car that is 15 years old or newer and want to make some quick cash in your spare time, consider joining a rideshare company like Uber, Lyft, or HopSkipDrive (the Uber for Kids).
Rideshare services allow people to use their own cars as personal taxis. Signing up is easy. First, start by creating an account online, complete the necessary background checks, provide documentation about your vehicle, complete online training and you’re good to go.
What I love about driving for rideshare companies is you can work in any area whenever you want. Uber and Lyft put me through nursing school years ago because it was the only job that was flexible for my demanding schedule.
With rideshare companies, you will need access to a cell phone because it runs off of an app and you will need a phone to receive ride notifications.
2) Drive For A Delivery Company
With more and more people taking advantage of delivery services this is an awesome way to make some extra cash.
There are several companies to choose from if delivery is the route you want to go. People need all kinds of items delivered from food to clothes to packages that are sent via messenger service.
There are several different applications you can sign up for but a few of my favorites are DoorDash, Postmates, Uber Eats, GrubHub, and Instacart. Once you sign up with these services you can begin making deliveries whenever it’s convenient for you.
What I love about delivery vs rideshare is you are not responsible for driving people, while I loved meeting new people while working with rideshare companies, sometimes I would get burnt out on social interaction and found delivery much better for me.
Another great thing about delivery vs rideshare is you can use any car regardless of how to hold it is. Sometimes depending on your location, you can even deliver via scooter or bike.
Also, if you don’t want to work on the weekends, then these types of services probably won’t be for you since most people tend to order takeout during that time of the week. So if you tend to do this job then these are great ways to save money for a vacation
This is a great opportunity to make quick cash if you have a car and I love that you can opt for same-day payout with many of these.
3) Become A Creative
If you want to get your creative juices flowing there are several ways to make money online as a creative that requires very little experience. This can be anything from selling handmade items on Etsy, becoming a freelance writer or virtual assistant to a content creator, taking on freelance jobs on platforms like Fiverr, or even selling content in Facebook groups.
If you’re into cooking and can take great photos, consider becoming a ghost recipe developer for a food blogger. Great at writing, why not write an ebook on a topic you love and sell it on Amazon or Apple iBooks. Good at editing photos or videos, a YouTuber or photographer would love to have you.
The sky’s the limit when it comes to creative side hustles and you are limited only by your creativity. If your creative side hustle takes off, you can even turn it into a full-time gig over time.
4) Part-Time Job With the Airlines
Airline employees enjoy some amazing perks like free flights and even discount hotels. Many airline job openings are part-time and some even allow you to get hired with a friend and split your shift.
When it comes to working for the airlines you have a few different options. Customer Services involves working the ticket counter and gate. You’ll spend your time checking people in, tagging luggage, and helping book flights.
If you love the outdoors consider working as a baggage handler and spend your time loading and unloading luggage. This is a great way to shape up and you can cancel your gym membership.
Another awesome perk is your free travel is not limited to just you, your immediate family benefits as well. Most airlines allow you, your spouse, your children under 25, and your parents to travel for free (or just the taxes). Some airlines are even more generous and allow you to pick a travel companion if you are not married.
5) Credit Card Rewards
Although this hustle requires you to have good credit (you will be applying for credit cards), it is a fast way to earn airline miles that can be used for a free flight or even a hotel stay. Travel reward cards like Southwest and American (my two favorites) allow you to earn miles or cash back when you use it to pay for expenses you have paid anyway. Most also offer an introductory offer that gives you enough points for 1-2 free airline tickets just for signing up.
A quick way of racking up miles is by using credit cards for all your regular bills and purchases as well as high-priced items. I have seen people earn miles by using credit cards to pay for their kid’s college tuition and even medical bills. When using credit cards, always remember to charge responsibly, you don’t want to accidentally go into debt trying to rack up points.
6) Teach a Class Online
If you have a lot of knowledge of a topic, consider online teaching. This can be done by designing your own course on a platform like Teachable or offering a course on a platform like Outschool.
Although Outschool has been around a while, they became really popular over the past two years due to the move and more kids homeschooling due to COVID.
With Outschool you can teach anything from math and science to how to create videos for youtube to sewing and gardening. If you can teach it, chances are someone wants to learn it.
Outschool’s focus is on children (toddlers to high school) so keep that in mind when you are considering things to teach. This is another side hustle that if done right, can turn into a full-time business.
7) Make Payments on Airfare Using Apps Klarna or Airfordable
Although this won’t help you save money for a vacation, it will help you take your time making payments. Klarna is an app that works like a credit card but there is no credit check required and they don’t charge interest.
Klarna allows you to make purchases from almost any website and break those payments up into 4 payments by putting down only a deposit. I absolutely LOVE Klarna and they are my go-to when I want to book flights and not pay with my credit card and build up interest.
Klarna starts you off with a smaller charge limit (I started with $500) and will bump you up over time if you make payments on time. My charging power now is well over $3,000. Although Klarna usually approves everyone if you run into a situation where you are not approved, another option is Airfordable.
Airfordable is another website that allows you to make payments over time however they focus strictly on flights. Another thing that sets them apart from Klarna is they do charge a fee (up to 30%) but they offer longer payment options and they approve everyone no matter how bad your credit is.
If you don’t want to use a credit card but still want to make payments on airfare, these apps are your option.
8) Airbnb Out a Spare Room or Even Your Sofa.
Have a spare room or even a spare sofa or air mattress and want to meet people from all over the world? Consider signing up for Airbnb and renting out your space for extra money. Airbnb allows you to rent out your spare room or even a sofa to travelers looking for a place to stay. You can decide how long people stay, who stays with you (solo travelers, couples, families, etc.)
I know a few people who have taken Airbnb from side hustle to seven-figure business in a matter of a year.
9) Turo Your Car When You’re Not Using It.
If you have access to a car but rideshare is not your cup of tea, skip driving people around and just give them your car! Turo is an app that allows people to lend their cars to people like a rental car company. You provide the car (130k miles or less in excellent condition) and Turo provides insurance and customers. You can choose to rent your car as often or as little as you like.
10) Resale Items on Poshmark or Offer Up.
If you have a lot of clothes, shows, or pretty much anything else that you are not using and willing to part with, consider setting up a Poshmark or Offer Up. Both of these act as online marketplaces that connect sellers with buyers. By selling items you no longer use, not only will you declutter your home, but you can also earn money for your next vacation.
If you’ve been bitten by the travel bug but your wallet didn’t get the memo, these are several great options that can earn you money for your next vacation.
