How did you save the money?

[Choweth]

We all know it costs money from planes, trains, cabs, food, accommodation, and the in between. Just curious to see how everyone saved up money for your adventure? Just saving from your job? Mowing lawns? Babysitting? Overtime? I can't work so I'm doing various things from washing laundry, babysitting, and selling things I no longer need.


{Candace, Texas, USA)
http://www.pilgrimontherun.com
-a blog about life, a bucket list, and a future pilgrimage-

 

[jeffnd]

Re: How did you save the money?

I wrote a rather lengthy and incoherent post about saving for the Camino here.

miscellaneous-topics/topic18527.html#p137005

If I had not found the job I have, I would not be able to afford to walk this winter. I've had to delay it once, and I really don't want to delay it anymore!

My basic advice is to cut out all the things you really don't need and live very frugally. You don't need cable TV. You don't need to buy name brand of food and clothes. You don't need to eat out. Just basic stuff like that.

But as I said in the end of the post, it's much easier to save money when up your income. Getting another job is one of the easiest ways to do that. Working a minimum wage job 10 hours a week for a year will get you $3,770. That's pre-tax of course, but it's still a good portion of your Camino.

And keep a positive attitude as well! When you're tired, just keep reminding yourself what you're saving for!

 

[november_moon]

Re: How did you save the money?

For me, saving for travel is part of my budget. Just like other savings (retirement, rainy day, etc.), money for travel comes off the top before I spend money on anything else. After putting money into savings, I pay my required bills, and then spend what is left over.

 

[Pieces]

Re: How did you save the money?

ha ha I usually pay my bills first THEN put money away for savings :lol:

 

[november_moon]

Re: How did you save the money?

Yeah, I don't have enough discipline to save money after I have paid bills - money just grows legs and wanders off. Maybe it takes its own pilgrimage, not sure :?
Anyway, I know this about myself, so I save money right off the top - get it settled into a savings account before it gets a case of the wanderlust. I know plenty of other people who's money actually stays put in their checking account. I think their money must be much more well-behaved than mine.

 

[Pieces]

Re: How did you save the money?

maybe you should talk to your boss about giving you such badly behaved money?

 

[Tumbleweed]

Re: How did you save the money?

I worked two jobs for almost 1 year, until my foot started acting up (I couldn't risk long term injury), so I had to quit. I earned a large protion from that second job. I will be having a garage sale, I have alot to get rid of.


As Choweth said, just keep going, no matter how tired you get. It doesn't take long to grow money.

Good Luck and Buen Camino,
Angela

 

[Choweth]

Anytime I think about spending my money I'm saving, I watch a camino video. Like the short, sum it up in 2 minutes kind of videos. Then I think, nope, can't spend any money. Every now and then I re-inspire myself and it keeps me saving!


{Candace, Texas, USA)
http://www.pilgrimontherun.com
-a blog about life, a bucket list, and a future pilgrimage-

 

[Choweth]

Me and my husband have also made a money earning agreement. He is trying to cut back on smoking and drinking because it costs so much, he even buys the cheap stuff. So, he said how ever much he spent that week, if any, on alcohol/smokes then he would give me that much money. So if he spends 40, I get 40
(2 points: 1. It makes him second guess spending money because he would have to pay double. 2. That's considered his splurging so I get just as much to splurge in which I save it instead. It works really well.)

{Candace, Texas, USA)
http://www.pilgrimontherun.com
-a blog about life, a bucket list, and a future pilgrimage-

 

[Kiwi-family]

Re: How did you save the money?

Candace, that's a great arrangement! May not be conducive to helping you encourage him to quite, but hopefully there will be enough intrinsic motivation for him to go it alone!!!
As for us, we set a minimum budget and stick to it. We feed our family based on NZ$25 per head per week, we purchase clothes secondhand, we love the outdoors, museums and books and so have no need to purchase entertainment (but still have a rich life)......we never spent money we didn't have as newlyweds, never got into debt (just a small mortgage that we paid off in seven years), got in the habit of not really spending, also believe in being generous with what we have....and saving then naturally happens.

We keep our food budget down by growing some of our own fruit and veges and eggs, accepting excess from others, cooking everything from scratch (bread made with sourdough starter, crackers, pasta, corn chips, jams, pickles, yoghurt, cheese, kefir, sauercraut etc), eating with teh seasons, running food co-operatives (I organise an organic food co-op and a raw milk co-op so we have very healthy food for a fraction of the cost of supermarket junk food). We rarely eat out and simply do not buy highly-processed super-packaged foods from the supermarket (I have one main rule of thumb - if it cannot be replicated at home, then it probably shouldn't be eaten - this rules out a lot of products) Yes, this all takes time, but I think living intentionally does. Plus I am time-rich and have a good number of slaves;-)

 

[gerardcarey]

Re: How did you save the money?

There is nothing more important than the expense of a Camino.
It is more important than any other bill.
Each week a regular automatic payment goes to my Camino account.
What is left must suffice to cover all other expenses.
No exceptions.

Regds
Gerard

ps. Whenever I'm invited to join a friend for a frothy coffee I think "That's another bottle of fine Spanish Vino Tinto". Consequently I don't drink a lot of coffee, but I'm never short of a euro for a tinto.

 

[k1ypp]

Re: How did you save the money?

I'm retired so I'm just spending my kids inheritance. Looks like it might be a short Camino!

 

[David243]

Re: How did you save the money?

For me and my wife the Camino is coming at an ideal time. We are moving to a different state when we come back from the Camino for her schooling, and will be moving out of our apartment and putting everything in storage before we leave (8 days!!). This way, we don't have to pay bills here in the U.S. while we are in Europe. In terms of saving for the trip, I work at a hotel and get commission for booking transportation for people to airports. Over the span of the last year, I put all of that commission in a sealed piggy bank, and it turned out to be around $3000. Wow! Had no idea that much would be in there. When we leave next week, I will have about 5 full weeks of paid time off that will be able to be used just for the Camino. Plus I got some money from friends and relatives because I just graduated. Originally I thought this trip would come from my savings, but now it looks like none of it will have to. It's amazing how things have worked out to make this trip happen!

 

[dduroy]

Re: How did you save the money?

A bonus from my job pays the airfare. The rest is all pocket change of a dollar or less into a water bottle for the year. I did hear someone on the Camino say they skipped meals and saved the money from that to pay for their own Camino.

 

[pattymo97206]

Re: How did you save the money?

I save money for my Camino by taking care of other people's homes and dogs/cats while they are off on some adventure or another. I just finished a 3 week gig while the people where in Paris for 3 weeks. I guess I'm kind of a nomad cause it takes me away from my home alot. Every dollar I make doing this goes into my travel account..and by next May, I'll have more than enough for my Camino. I am retired and on a fixed income..

 

[november_moon]

Re: How did you save the money?

Good idea Pieces - I think I will bring that up next time I talk to him