{"id":41168,"date":"2015-08-22T09:02:03","date_gmt":"2015-08-21T23:02:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/?p=41168"},"modified":"2015-08-21T15:02:32","modified_gmt":"2015-08-21T05:02:32","slug":"cha-ching-how-to-save-so-you-can-spluuuurge-on-holiday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lastminute.com.au\/vc\/blog\/cha-ching-how-to-save-so-you-can-spluuuurge-on-holiday\/","title":{"rendered":"Cha-Ching: how to save so you can spluuuurge on holiday"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019m doing it up to eight times a day and lately I\u2019m not even thinking twice about it. On my way to work, at the petrol station, lunch time, on the weekends (tipsy or sober) and now even with my local barista\u2026<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It\u2019s so easy, but I know I need to stop or seriously tone it down. First it was fun, then it was convenient and now I just do it ALL THE TIME. I\u2019m just going to come clean with my current sitch: I\u2019m slave to the wave! I don\u2019t even need to hear the words \u2018you want to pay wave that?\u2019 I\u2019ve got my swipe down pat. I\u2019ve been avoiding eye contact with my bank balance, but I know I\u2019ve got hen\u2019s weekends, friends\u2019 birthday trips and a holiday to save for, you too? It\u2019s time to ease up on the swipe! Time for a financial intervention (insert scary face emoji).<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not hard to work out what costs money, but when you work out the savings that\u2019s a damn fine holiday or weekend away you\u2019re missing out on! Here\u2019s how much dosh you could be saving every day so you can treat yo self and make that trip happen:<\/p>\n

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  1. \n

    Ditch your latte for a sneaky weekend away <\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    It may be hard at first but breaking up with your barista for a few months can save the regular coffee goer a wad of cash (soz to all those non-caffeinated peeps out there, insert smoothie, prots shake or other bevvy of choice). This may be an obvious one, but I\u2019ve never crunched the numbers until now. I almost spilt my morning coffee when I figured out how much it costs getting the bean on the reg. Sure you\u2019ll probably miss the creative spelling of your name scrawled across the lid and the awkward red eye chit chat but this can all be replicated at the office to help with the transition. Bam, that\u2019s around $4 saved a day, five days a week… $20 (that\u2019s a an espresso martini you\u2019re missing out on once a week), now stretch that to three months ($240) and you\u2019ve got yourself a weekend away sunning yourself at Kingscliffe #hellsyeah<\/p>\n

    Wouldn\u2019t you rather be here at the\u00a0Mantra on Salt Beach<\/a>\u00a0?<\/p>\n\"beach\n\"mantra\n

    Extend your coffee hiatus for a whole year and (lemme get the calculator) that\u2019s just over $900\u2026 that\u2019s flights for you and your bestie to go to Melbs, plus two nights away (or two trips to Melbs<\/a>\u00a0if you\u2019re splitting the cost!<\/p>\n

    \"Melbourne

    Save your caffeine cravings for exploring Melbs<\/p><\/div>\n

      \n
    1. \n

      Double up in the shower to double up on trips away<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      So this may not work if you\u2019re share housing, but sharing your shower time with your plus one ticks so many boxes. You get to see each other so much more, it\u2019s totally enviro and if you can keep it up for a whole year, you could be enjoying a spa suite at a luxe hotel, like the five star Royal Pines Resort at the Gold Coast<\/a>. Getting steamy in the shower for 10 minutes costs around $1.50 per person, share the shower six days a week (that\u2019s still one a week solo where you won\u2019t need to hustle and share) and you could save around $432, that\u2019s a night away and maybe even a pampered spa treatment at the hotel #winning.<\/p>\n

      \"Royal

      Ooh now this is worth doubling up in the shower \ud83d\ude09<\/p><\/div>\n

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      1. \n

        Pre-pack so you can get packing <\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Staring at a Fijian beach<\/a> on my screensaver while chowing down on prawn baguettes, Thai curry and pulled pork salad during the work week made me realise two things. Firstly, daaamn I can\u2019t remember work lunching being this appetising a year ago. I can easily wave away $10 – $15 per day. Second realisation, I\u2019ve never actually been to Fiji but it\u2019s in my face every weekday. It\u2019s time to rein in the lunch time spending. If packing lunch isn\u2019t going to happen, grabbing supplies on your lunch break to make salads or wraps for the week only sets you back about $5 per day. That\u2019s half of what I could be spending each day. Say you\u2019re at work 48 weeks in a year, that\u2019s a pretty deece trip to Fiji ($1,200). I\u2019ll be updating that screensaver in a year\u2019s time \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

        \"Fiji

        Bliss! Take me from el desko lunches with my screensaver to here\u2026<\/p><\/div>\n

          \n
        1. \n

          Rug up for a getaway by the fire<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Let\u2019s face it, no one likes jumping out of a steamy shower on a cold winter morning. At the beginning of winter the portable heater becomes a regular night time companion but how much better is a log fire in a cosy hotel up in the mountains? Piling on the blankets, snuggling up with the cat and running a little faster out of the shower could mean saving around $550ish for the winter months (based on putting the heater on for 2 hours a night).<\/p>\n

          \"Cat

          This is our housemate Minty, he\u2019s rugging up this winter and saving us a bundle\u2026 cosy weekend away here I come!<\/p><\/div>\n

          That\u2019s a surprise romantic weekend away with Mr LML at the Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains<\/a>, with a toasty fire in the hotel bar and heating in the rooms.<\/p>\n

          \"Blue

          That view!<\/p><\/div>\n

           <\/p>\n

          \"Fairmount

          This is one table I want to be sitting at! Insert me sipping wine in front of the fire at Fairmont Resort Blue Mountains with Mr LML.<\/p><\/div>\n

          What won\u2019t save you much dosh (i.e. don\u2019t bother)<\/p>\n