I’d like to take you back to that period when I discovered that saving money for travel and sustainable living go hand in hand. It was 2012 when I first traveled solo to Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. When I returned, I knew one thing for certain: I wanted to do this more often. But how do you finance a life full of travel without making yourself poor?
The answer wasn’t in living less, but in living more consciously.
The Mindshift That Changed Everything
Picture this: you’re faced with the choice between an expensive coffee at Starbucks or making that coffee at home. I used to not think twice about it. Now I ask myself: “Do I want this 4-euro cup of coffee, or does 4 euros bring me closer to my next trip to, say, Arunachal Pradesh?”
That small mindshift made all the difference. Suddenly, saving money for travel was no longer a sacrifice, but a conscious choice for what I truly wanted.
Why am I telling you this? Because 2025 is the perfect year to start living consciously and saving money for travel. By consuming less in savings mode, you become much more conscious about your income and become excellent at saving money! It’s not about being stingy, but about setting priorities.
My Travel Reality: From 6-Day Trips to Month-Long Adventures
In 2013, I was still making strategic choices. Six days in Marrakech with my brother were unforgettable. Six days in Ibiza to discover what I really needed at the time. Each trip in the following years taught me to plan better and spend more consciously.
But the real breakthrough came when I adjusted my work style in 2020. Instead of traditional full-time work, I chose a part-time structure: seven months of intensive work, five months of travel. This way I spent three months in Namibia, traveled around Asia where I lived in Melaka for a month, took long walks on the Camí de Ronda and Lycian Way.
The question you probably have now: “How did you manage that?”
The secret lies in the preparation.
The Art of Conscious Spending: My Concrete Approach
Track Absolutely Everything You Buy
Saving money for travel started with a simple notebook. Every expense went in it: from that daily soup at work to that piece of gum at the gas station. Just by keeping track of this, I started saving.
Do you know why?
Some things I just didn’t want to write down because they were so pointless. That expensive cup-a-soup at the office while I could buy a whole box at home for the same price. Those half-liter water bottles I used to take everywhere, even at home.
In 2022, I went one step further. I now only drink tap water at home and have no packaging, no expenses, but also no clutter anymore. Plus coffee in the morning and my beloved chai every now and then.
The Refrigerator Challenge That Saves Money and Planet
“Eat what you have before you go grocery shopping.” Sounds simple, but this rule changed my life.
Previously, I would impulsively buy what seemed tasty to me at that moment. Result? Food that went past its expiration date because I had chosen something else again. Now I creatively mix what’s in my kitchen into surprisingly delicious meals. That leftover broccoli, some feta, dried tomatoes, and pasta? Perfect dinner. And you get good at it, trust me.
Plant-Based Eating: Conscious for Myself and My Travel Budget
After my first Vipassana meditation in India, I stopped eating meat. Not only because I could no longer support the bio-industry, but also because I discovered how much money it saved.
Meat is expensive, meat substitutes are pricey, but vegetables, legumes, and grains? They’re affordable and varied. I still eat eggs and cheese, but otherwise I’m plant-based. And you know what? Because I no longer had to compromise with my conscience, my food costs went down.
Smart Choices for Your Fixed Costs
Conscious Choices with Subscriptions
My phone? I had an overly expensive subscription for years for what I actually needed. I mainly use it for internet, not for calling. By making conscious choices, I saved monthly. And that gym? I set up my attic as a home gym. A yoga mat, a TRX band, free workout apps with motivating voices. Why pay for a gym where I couldn’t always go due to my services?
When I lived in my small house, I trained in the living room or went for walks. Now that I don’t even have my own house anymore, there’s always a spot for yoga. My body gets exercise, my wallet rests.
The Best Decision Ever
In 2008, I quit smoking. After 20 years of smoking! And to be honest, I smoked quite a lot. It was the best money-saving tip and the best health boost at the same time. Double advantage!
2025 Travel: New Trends, Smart Choices
This year I see new opportunities to travel smart and save money:
Sustainable travel becomes more affordable: Instead of checking off as many destinations as possible in a short time, more and more people are choosing slow travel. This involves traveling at a more relaxed pace, with attention to the environment and local culture. Staying longer in one place saves transportation costs and provides deeper experiences.
Cheap destinations remain popular: Inflation remains an important topic in 2025 as well. Cheaper destinations like countries in Asia remain popular and more expensive destinations like the US are decreasing in popularity. Perfect for those who want to travel consciously.
Self-booking becomes more normal: People are switching from expensive travel agencies to self-assembling (or having assembled) trips. More work, but significantly cheaper.
Practical Tips for Your 2025 Travel Budget
Start with a (Travel) Savings Jar
Open a separate savings account specifically for travel. Give it a fun name, like that of your dream destination. Every euro you save through conscious choices goes into the (travel) savings jar.
Eating While Traveling: Smart and Local
Breakfast is cheapest with fruit from the local market and some yogurt. Street food is your friend because: cheap, delicious, and authentic. Eat where the locals eat, not in the tourist restaurants.
Transport: Think Sustainable and More Affordable
Domestic flights? Forget it. Public transport may take longer, but you get to know the country and people better. Plus: it saves a lot of money.
The Wealth of Conscious Living
What I’ve learned over the past years? Conscious living makes you richer, not poorer. I don’t miss anything by living smaller, no longer buying sweet soft drinks, or training at home instead of in an expensive gym.
It’s not about having less, but about consciously choosing what you want to have.
Your New Travel Plan for 2025
Start This Week:
- Track every expense for one week
- Look at your subscriptions: what don’t you use?
- Create a separate (travel) savings jar
This Month:
- Eat only what you already have at home for one week
- Calculate how much you save by training at home
- Find out which destinations are most affordable in 2025
This Year:
- Plan one trip where you stay longer in the same place
- Experiment with plant-based eating
- Book yourself instead of through expensive travel agencies
Conscious living and saving money for travel is not a sacrifice – it’s an investment in experiences that enrich your life. Every euro you consciously don’t spend on things you don’t really need brings you closer to your next adventure.
The world is waiting for you. And with this approach, you don’t have to worry about whether you can afford it. Because by living consciously, you create space for everything you truly want.
The amounts in this infographic are different for everyone, but if you live more consciously and spend your money wisely, you’ll also see that suddenly more money can go to your (travel) savings jar!
Where are you going in 2025? And what conscious choice will you make this week to get closer to that dream?
Want more inspiration for conscious living and travel? Also read:
- Use the Power of Positive Thinking to Your Advantage
- Mindful Living – Searching for a Tiny Spot for my Tiny House
- Tips for Mindful Walking
- Enjoy the Moment – The Path to Happiness
- Airplane Safety Instructions: Are We Still Paying Attention?
Safe and Healthy Travel also has an Dutch-language site
Share them for others too!
If you save you money the whole year through you can pay for these travels!
- Enjoy this Moment – The Path to Happiness
- Use the Power of Poisitive Thinking to your Advantage
- Totall Workout & More Safety because of the Trekkingpoles
- The Life-Changing Benefits of Solo Female Travel