3 Ways to Save & Earn Extra Money for Travel Now
I started this blog a while ago as a hobby to document places on the road when I worked as an architectural surveyor at the Community Design and Preservation at the University of Georgia. Back then my trips were paid for but now most of my trips are on my own personal dime because I love to do it. I've gotten a lot of questions lately about how I fund these trips so I thought I'd talk about it here. The truth is traveling, even in the US, is expensive. With hotels, restaurants/bars, museums and other entertainment, expenses add up fast so I try and earn as extra cash throughout the year to help offset the cost of my trips. These are three things you can start doing now to earn and save extra money for travel.
It's time to fill up the travel fund.
Sell Unwanted Clothes
They say if something has sat in your closet for a year without wearing it, then it's time to let it go. I go through my closet all the time to see if there are items I don't need or wear anymore. If there are, I try and sell them first before donating. I love consigning clothes because you get the most for your items but if you don't have a consignment shop in your town I recommend selling on Poshmark for the highest return. It is the most work but if you have a lot of like new items it is totally worth it in my book. Download the app, take a few photos, upload, and cash in.
If you have designer clothes check out TheRealReal. This is a consignment shop for high end items so you won't earn money until your items sell but you can make a lot more. What's even better is once you send it off, you don't have to do anything. They photograph, post it, and ship it for you.
Make Coffee at Home
This tip could've been eat/drink at home but I'm a fan of restaurants and bars so... I will say that leading up to a trip I will minimize how much I eat/drink out. Coffee though is a no brainer for me. Lattes are expensive AF. I love an almond milk latte with an extra shot as much as the next girl but that can run you around $6. Make a pot in the morning and bring some with you to work. Need stronger coffee? That's what cold brew is for! It's so easy and all you need is a french press. I have this one. You can make cold brew with any kind of coffee but I prefer a dark roast. This one from from my friends at King Bean Coffee in Charleston, South Carolina is a favorite. You can also get this french press kit if you need it all (good for hot and cold brew).
Get a Side Hustle
I drive a two door jeep that will reach classic status this year so Uber is out for me. I'm also not a very crafty person so an Etsy shop is out of the question. If you're like me don't fret, there are still options. I used to dog sit and house sit frequently in grad school that kept my restaurant/bar fund pretty flush. Get on a neighborhood listserve and send out a memo about your services. I did this in and it worked really well. If you don't know of any listserves check out care.com to list your services. These days I do freelance writing and social media management on the side to help fund many of my trips and it is awesome. Think about your skills and what you could offer people and go for it. If you need copywriting or social media help, shoot me an email at emily@emsontheroad.com
