I started travelling as an adult
with 2 of my friends; we took a pact to travel every year, with wine to toast
the pact we saluted to a new page in our lives. That was the first positive step we took to
making travelling our lifestyle, thereafter the important stuff like opening an
account to place our travel funds into, deciding on the finer details of where
and when. Finally, allowing ourselves the opportunity to take a real break from
our everyday lives.
Here are 7 short tips on how you can make travel happen in 2015:
1. Open up a Holiday Savings Account: There is no 2 ways about this, if you don’t
open an account life happens and before you know it you will no longer be
fulfilling that dream. I particularly
prefer a 5-32 day notice account. You
can save with the bank or prudential, look for the one that offer you the best
benefits. It’s important to request
that they place a stop-order on your account, so that the amount is out of your
account before you know it because if you have to rely on yourself to remember …Well.
2. Get a Voyager or Avios card: If you are lucky enough to be travelling for
work, put this travel to good use. If
you travel SAA or British Airways domestically and internationally there is no
way you shouldn’t have one of their loyalty cards. Besides the great benefits of having access
to business lounges (great networking spots) you can also use your miles to see
other places in the world. I recently saw a post by AKA on Instagram that for
all his gigs he only travels Business Class on SAA nothing else. That’s
brilliant and I’m really hoping he is maximizing this by having a voyager card.
The amount of points he is earning could
in no time have already earned him a flight to anywhere in the world.
3. Rewards Linked Credit Cards: If you are going to get a credit card, then
get one that rewards you for your shopping through travel miles I know Voyager has one…Just make sure you don’t
miss any payments.
4. Let your Fuel and Shopping pay for your
holiday: I love getting my monies
worth, no jokes. If I am putting in fuel
into my car, I want some sort of kickback and its impressive how some of the
banks/companies have been great with this.
It was a tough choice deciding which airline related card works best for
these benefits. Both Voyager and Avios
cards allow you to fuel up for points, all you have to do is fill up at Total
garage if you are Voyager and BP if you are Avios. Though I have to say that so far Avios is
leading the race, allowing you to convert your Pick ‘n Pay smart shopper points
to Avios points therefore allowing you to further your travel plans, this is
certainly a PLUS! Visit the websites and
compare what will work best for you but do not let money and travel
opportunities slip through your hands.
5. Decide where you want to go & Make No
excuses: Working towards a time and
place is always awesome. It gives you
something to look forward to and if you like smashing goals then you will love
seeing your money work for you. Leave
days should be used wisely. One of my favourite memories was a family road trip
we took in 1996 to Zambia. That was life
changing for me, it was my first into Africa trip and I fell in love. When I got back to school I knew that travel
was for me. I particularly love
travelling within the continent because it offers so much variety, beauty and
you get more Bang for your buck. So before you wax lyrical about going to the
Eiffel Tower explore your continent, with Music Festivals, Glorious waterfalls,
adventure activities and amazing wildlife there is no better place in world to
start exploring. Into Africa we go!
6. Use your talents: Most of us have been blessed with more than 1
talent, so for heaven’s sake put it to good use and get some money for it, any
extra money earned can be used for your trips.
7.
Save
don’t buy Crap: Now that you have
made that extra money, save it. Don’t buy crap or spend it socializing like a
rockstar, unless you are a Superstar's agent there is no need to be popping
bottles from Monday to Sunday week on week.
More Money = More Trips.