“I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.”
–Susan Sontag
Does this quote define your current (or perpetual) mental state? Are you bitten by the travel bug? If all you want to do is travel and explore new places, that’s awesome! We’re pretty sure that you have a long list of dream vacation spots in mind. If the list is already in place, you need just one more thing. You need to get your finances in order to support all those beautiful travel dreams.
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What are your travel money essentials?
Ideally, if you really want to make your travel plans a reality, you need to plan your finances well in advance. Depending on whether you want to travel domestic or international, your money requirements are likely to differ. To help you figure out your travel money essentials, we have a checklist for you:
- Forex Cards: These are an essential part of your travel plans (if you plan on going abroad). Why? Because they are widely accepted, safe to carry, cheaper than any of your plastic cards, and even cheaper than buying currency.
- Traveller’s cheque: The biggest advantage of carrying traveller’s cheques with you is that they’re widely accepted all over the world. That minimises the chances of getting stranded in another country without any money.
- Debit Card: It might not make sense to withdraw cash using your Credit Card all the time. Why? Because of the high processing charges. Better to carry your other plastic mate along.
- Cash: Oh yes! Cash is your best friend. Now and forever. Whenever you decide to step out and get on that plane or bus, you must carry some cash along.
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Now that you have a list of all your travel money essentials in place, it should be easier for you to plan that trip. If you want to make the most of your trip, you need to have enough money handy. While exploring your favourite travel destinations online, we’re sure you must have made a couple of other lists as well. The list of places you ‘must visit’, the most exotic dishes ‘you must try’, and the most adventurous things ‘you must do’. All those plans might never materialise if you don’t plan well enough. By planning, we mean financially. Going all the way to your dream destination and still not being able to fully enjoy yourself can be quite disappointing. We’re quite sure you don’t want that to happen!
First things first! You need to plan ahead. If you have a long list of places to explore, you also need to have a long list of ways to save enough to take that grand vacation. Opening a Recurring Deposit and keeping some money aside for your dream plans might be a great option. If you’re well aware of the stock market, investing in SIPs could work well for you. Since it could turn out to be a risky step, you need to be well-calculated and well-aware about it.
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In case you’ve already tried your best to save enough to make that trip memorable, and you still need more money, don’t worry! To make all your travel fantasies come true, we have a list of ways that could help you make money while travelling. Yes! You can earn a few bucks while enjoying the best and most memorable time of your life. Here’s how:
- Online tutoring
No matter where you are, if you have a laptop and an internet connection, you can do pretty much everything. Nobody needs to know that you’re on a vacation. Online tutoring could work well for you if you plan on extending your trip. After chilling for a few days (or weeks), you could think of becoming an online teacher. But, teach what? This is something you don’t need to worry about. People across the world want to learn about anything and everything. The subject really doesn’t matter. If you’re good at core subjects like math, science, history or even other subjects like music or art, you could try teaching. What are you waiting for? Just find an online tutoring website, register, go through a few tests and start teaching. Yes, it’s as simple as that.
- Street art
Are you into art, dance or music? Or anything that people on a busy street might enjoy watching and wouldn’t mind paying for? Then you don’t need to look for other ways of making money! Your creative skills could be the answer to all your financial questions. They say that if you’re good at something, you should never do it for free. If you aren’t the shy type, then maybe you could think about performing on the streets of random towns and make money out of it. Now’s the time for you to break out of that shell and do something cool. If you’re an adventurous soul, you’ll love this idea. The best part? You might not even see these people again in your life. That’s should be pretty consoling, right? Come on! It’s show-off time!
- Guest lecture
Ever gave this a thought? You can thank us later! Apart from making a handsome amount out of it, you’ll also get to transfer some valuable knowledge. To exercise this option, however, you need to research a bit and make use of some of your LinkedIn contacts maybe. Getting the opportunity to deliver a guest lecture is obviously not a cakewalk. You need to earn it. Just because it’s slightly difficult doesn’t mean it reduces your chances of actually getting to do it. Exercise your contacts, build some connections and give it a shot. You could end up delivering a lecture at a prestigious university and make money out of it. Oh! And we almost forgot! It also shows as a great new addition on your resume. That could be quite beneficial, personally as well as career-wise.
- Get a job that can take you abroad
If travel is your life and you don’t want to limit yourself to your current city, you could try this option. All you have to do is look for a job that could send you abroad. Getting a touring job that lets you explore new places and also pays you well is quite a deal. If you don’t want to stick to the same technical job space, you could also try something totally out-of-the-box. Like becoming a part of an international travel show maybe? We know it sounds random, but the secret adventurer hidden in you might think otherwise. Get in touch with your inner self and figure out if you really want to take that leap of faith. If yes, don’t let anything stop you.
- Table-waiting
We know what you’re thinking! It might not sound like a good option in India, but in case you’re planning to make an international trip, you could give it a try. If you’re travelling during peak tourist season, you could get a part-time job at a couple of good places. Apart from making some quick cash, it can also enhance your people skills. You could get the chance to interact with new people and absorb their culture. All in all, it could turn out to be quite an enriching experience. That reminds us, did you check our offers on Lifestyle Credit Cards yet?
- Tour guide
To actually become a tour guide, you might have to explore places and brush up on your history a bit. But, that won’t hurt if you love learning more and don’t mind exploring new places. A critical part of getting to explore a new place is diving into its history and getting lost in the vastness of things you can learn. Every bit of information that you need is probably available on the internet. If you love reading, books could be your best friends. The rest comes from experiencing things. There are a couple of agencies that keep looking for people with a flair for exploring everything about different places and taking up tour guide assignments. Just choose your favourite destination and get started! This way you could turn your vacation into something more meaningful; a trip that can help you grow.
- Beauty and hair
Do your friends keep telling you that you’re great at doing hair and makeup? Well, that’s it! Congratulations, because you’ve found a great way of making your strengths work in your favour. All you need to do is carry a bag of grooming essentials to your vacation spot. People love to look pretty. If you can make that happen for them, they’ll be more than happy to pay you decently in return. That special skill, that eye for beauty and making people look prettier can earn you a few bucks. It’s not all about giving people haircuts though. Beauty treatments could mean anything from a manicure to a head massage. You just need to keep an eye out and look for potential customers. Once you get your first customer, you’ll soon find yourself a group of other people waiting in a queue for your amazing services.
- Salesperson
If you think you have the capability to sell stuff, this is something you should definitely try your hand at. While this might be one of the most difficult jobs for some people, there are a few who are naturally good at it. Want to know which category you belong to? Well, there’s only one way of finding out. Give it a shot! Yes, really! What’s stopping you? What’s the worst that could happen? What if you realise that you’re a natural at selling things? Always look for a positive outcome. That increases the chances of actually getting it. But, where could you find a sales job? If it’s the peak tourist season, a lot of local shops around you might be hunting for sales executives. All you have to do is ask.
- Seasonal jobs
Depending on your travel location, you could choose from a variety of seasonal job options. For instance, if you’re in New York City around Christmas, you could easily find a snow clearing job. Now this is something you might not find there in the summer, right? Similarly, if you’re visiting a country known for its vineyards, you could easily find some vineyard-related jobs there. It’s all about looking in the right places. The only disadvantage is that these type of jobs are most likely a little labour intensive. But, hey! You get to stay in shape and also make a few bucks. That sounds like quite a deal, doesn’t it?
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Looking for ways to make money while travelling wasn’t that hard after all, was it? However, the right way to go about handling all your vacation expenses is by saving up ahead of time. If you start early, you get to plan better and save more. As a result, you get to do more than merely travelling. Adventure sports, street shopping, eating at the most exotic joints, you name it. If you go all the way to another country and spend so much on travel and lodging, you most certainly must enjoy yourself to the fullest.
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All set to make some memories for a lifetime? Did you get the right Travel Credit Card yet? No? What are you waiting for?