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RV sites aren’t cheap and neither is fuel getting there! 

Unless you plan on moochdocking this season, checkout our compiled list of ways to save money plus ideas on how to make cold, hard cash to fill up your camp-fund jar. 

How to Save Money and MAKE Money for Your Next Vacation

Two ways to fill up that vacation jar are by cutting and creating. 

Cutting

Cutting involves cutting down on certain expenses that fill the bulk of your bank statements. These could be daily buys, monthly bills, purchasing habits, or impulsive choices. 

Review the types of expenditures below and compare it to your monthly bank statement. See any areas that can be cut?  

Unnecessary daily expenses

First off, these small purchases add up. Unnecessary daily expenses are often things like: fast food, coffee, soda, app purchases, lotto tickets, the goodies in the check-out line, or gas station snacks. Want to fill that vacation jar quicker? Weed some of these splurges out. Opt to pack your lunch, avoid daily fancy coffees, and don’t give into convenience items.  

Subscriptions, memberships and recurring expenses

Cancel unused subscriptions and services like magazines, extra TV channels and streaming services, memberships, and subscriptions. Keep in mind, many of these services have recurring charges and don’t stop unless manually canceled. Ask yourself, are you really using them or getting value out of the money spent each month. If not, it’s time to cancel and save.

Dining out

Dining out almost always costs more than cooking at home. Minimize restaurant spending to help save money for your next vacation.

Grocery shopping

Take advantage of weekly coupons and deals while meal prepping for the week. Create a detailed list and stick to it. Most importantly, never go grocery shopping hungry…

Online shopping

Boy, has online shopping gotten way too easy. With sites saving your shipping and billing information, your online cart is easily on its way with one click… Make fewer impulsive purchases by taking the time to really think about if it’s an item you really need or not. 

Utilities

Look for ways to cut the cost of utilities in your home. Some tips are to:

• Unplug electronics when not in use.
• Use energy-efficient light bulbs.
• Insulate and seal any air leaks causing your heating or cooling system to use more energy than it should.
• Adjust your thermostat to use a little less energy.
• Turn off the lights when you’re not in a room.
• Be mindful of water usage.
• Change air filters to improve efficiency.

Staycations

Rather than taking multiple, expensive trips throughout the year, consider a “staycation” or two instead, and put the money saved towards your ultimate vacation.

Low cost activities and entertainment

Swap the movie theater for an at home movie and popcorn night. Instead of a pricey dinner date, move it to a beautifully lit backyard dinner. Consider free activities like going to a park, going on a hike, or checking out your local library. 

Storage units

Self-storage units are costly facilities. Yet, it can be worth the price for peace of mind knowing our stuff is still ours but tucked away, safe. But, perhaps it’s time to start thinking about downsizing and putting that money elsewhere.

Opt for better plans and policies

If you’re not ready to completely cut out plans such as cable, phone services, and insurance plans, consider lower-cost alternatives. Check your monthly statements and see if there’s anywhere you can trade off services or products to save a chunk of money. Switch your cell phone plan, lower your cable bill by downsizing, or bundle cable and internet. Cut the cable completely and opt for streaming services. Likewise, consider adjusting your insurance policies to save money.

Foolish expenses 

ATM fees, late fees, overdraft fees– they are like ripping up money! Try to avoid these expenses by setting up automatic payments, watching your account closely, and setting up alerts and notifications. Try to plan ahead and have cash on-hand so that you don’t get charged an ATM fee. Also, make sure you are fully aware of your banking policies. Look into switching banks that offer free ATM use, reimbursements, or that don’t charge maintenance fees.

Hidden expenses 

Watch out for hidden expenses. Sometimes these expenses sneak into our monthly statements. Take the time to look over your statement and see if there are any purchases that look odd. Sneaky in-app purchases, subscriptions that auto-renew, new higher annual rates, and free trials that aren’t-so-free after an allotted time period– are things to lookout for.

Enough about cutting expenses! You can only cut so much! Let’s talk about making money!

Like self-made millionaire Ramit Sethi says, “There’s a limit to how much you can cut, but there is no limit to how much you can earn.”

Creating

Creating involves creating money aside from your daily job. By creating a little extra cash on the side, you don’t have to sacrifice or dip into household accounts to fund a vacation. 

Pick Up Extra Hours at Work

If possible, add to your paycheck and head in early or stay later to pick up some extra hours at work. 

Grab Food or Groceries for Others

Earn money by making food deliveries with Doordash or grab groceries with a popular platform like Favor, Instacart, Shipt, and Care.com. One order everyday on your way home from work can put extra money in your pocket, while adding minimal miles and time to your commute. 

Help with Tasks

Some tasks just can’t be completed without the help from others. TaskRabbit is a same-day service platform with skilled Taskers to get the job done. Tasks range from cleaning, furniture assembly, home repairs, heavy lifting, running errands and more.

Use Your Skills for Extra Cash

We all have our certain niche or knack at something. Checkout Upwork, Fiverr or Freelancer and see what other people are doing. You may surprise yourself at what you can do!

List Your Handmade Items on Etsy

Have a creative side? Etsy can help you turn your hobby into some extra side-money. From unique handmade items, personalized gifts, jewelry, printable items, digital artwork, homemade bath and body products and more, sell your creations and make money!

Rent Out Your RV 

The RV rental business has gotten popular! Why? Because many people may not have the finances, storage space, truck capable of towing, or desire to own their own RV unit. Many newbies test the waters first, renting out a motorhome or travel trailer before making a big decision of ownership. Some gladly choose to rent, leaving the hard part (storage, payments, and upkeep) to someone else. 

List Your RV for Free on RVshare and make extra money where it would otherwise be sitting in your driveway. 

Rent Out Your Storage Space

Have a large pole barn or piece of property to store your RV at? If so, do you have room for one, two, or a few more? RV storage is very limited and expensive. Make money by renting out storage space to other RV, boat, and trailer owners. Make sure to have detailed contracts in place! Check out STOW IT to become a host and rent out your property.

Rent Out Your Cottage

Airbnb and Vrbo have exploded in popularity! Have a cottage or vacation home you only use a few times a summer? As a “host” you can rent out a home, apartment, cottage or cabin and make some extra cash on the side. 

Rent Out Your Pool

Apparently in this day and age, you can rent-out just about anything. An online platform called Swimply, has supported this trend and connects owners of pools with people looking for a swim session, pool party, or fun activity. It offers non-pool owners a great amenity they may not always get access to, while pool owners get a hunk of change in return. Hop on their website and see how some hosts are earning $5,000 – $12,000 a month. It’s worth a look! 

Rent Out Your Active Gear

Ever hit the slopes? Skis and snowboards are expensive equipment! Perhaps your bike has been collecting dust lately. If you find yourself only enjoying your gear a few times a year, rent it out to someone! Spinlister is a rental and sharing service that provides a platform where owners and active people look to rent or borrow equipment. Owners list their gear while renters search for their ideal equipment. Spinlister even offers protection options and delivery services. Share your bike, snowboard, skis, or surfboard through Spinlister!

Dog Sit

Pet sit, provide pet day care and walk dogs for extra cash! For you animal lovers out there, watching someone’s pet pays a nice chunk of change. Many pet owners try to avoid kenneling their pets at a loud boarding facility. An alternative is to look for a safe, trustworthy home that can keep their fur babies happy and comfortable while their owners are away. 

Rover is an American company where people buy and sell pet care services including pet sitting, dog or cat boarding, and dog walking. Sitters can work full or part-time, set their own rates, and choose their own schedules. According to Kirsten Forecki, director of operations at Rover.com, sitters who take two or three dogs for two weeks out of the month earn an average of $1000 a month! If you are a caring, animal lover, this could be a rewarding experience with generous payouts to help fund your next vacation! 

Drive People Around

This whole Uber era has taken off. Uber is one of the largest on demand, ride sharing operations that has grown popular over traditional taxis. If you have a reliable vehicle, driver’s license, and are a “people person”– Uber or Lyft may be a money making option for you. It can be a satisfying way to earn income as many drivers enjoy socializing with people while getting out of the house. 

Delivery Drivers 

So, driving random people around may not be for you… What about picking up a delivery driver shift? The holidays bring out a desperate need for extra delivery drivers in certain areas!

Sell Your Stuff

We all have that dress hanging in the closet, desk in the basement collecting dust, and countless items that go untouched. Having a yard sale is one option to make money. On the other hand, skip the hard work! Simply snap a picture and post to Facebook Marketplace, Let Go, Offer Up, Ebay, Mercari, or Craigslist. Ship items or have the buyers come to you! (Make sure to always meet at a safe, public location.)

Do you have other effective ways to fill your vacation jar?

RVING IS BEING resourceful