One Mans Odyssey

If you don't have the money to just drop everything and go then This is for You. If you need to help funding your gap year or saving for a gap year, This is for You. I've contained a few ideas to make saving for your trip that little bit easier!

Find somebody that works a commission based job and get them leads for a percentage of their cut if that's possible. One that many don't think of but has helped me a bit.

Working full time is where most of money came from but also minimize outgoings. I'm living with my mother at the moment and got her to drop the rent charges whilst saving as a birthday present instead of more stuff I don't need. If you have moved out maybe moving back in or to a cheaper location could be an option just whilst you save.

Ebay and setting up mini-businesses can also get you some extra cash. This blog has even brought me in some contributions before I've even left the country!

My number one piece of advice though is to write everything down and allow yourself a certain amount to blow otherwise you will blow the lot. I have been saving for 3 or 4 months and knew what area every penny incoming would be coming from and going to. I also re-wrote this monthly to account for any changes and keep things fresh in my mind.

OPTIONAL: To assist your willpower, open a bank account with somebody out of the way or at least just different to your current bank. This way transfers are not instant and you have to make extra effort to take out your savings giving you more of a chance to think about if it's really worth it.

If you wanted to know how to pay for a gap year then hopefully this has given you a few ideas.

Best of Luck,

Daniel McClure

So I was answering a question on a message board and I figured I may as well let you in a few secrets I've found for arranging your money whilst travelling:

 Secret #1

Whilst travelling abroad you may not be aware that many of your cards will have excess fees placed on them simply as you using them in a different country. The average fee at the moment I've seen for both current accounts and credit cards is 2.75%. This means that for every £100 you are spending you will be charged an extra £2.75 before you even consider your normal banking charges and commision.

Secret #2

There is one bank I know of that do not charge you on foriegn transactions. If you are planning on using your UK account a lot then this could save you a ton. Nationwide currently offer this service on their flex current account. They also offer this deal on their credit cards so if you can, get one now, if not…

Secret #3

If you have bad credit or have just been refused a credit card there is a sure-fire way to get one! The solution is prepaid credit cards. These are just like normal credit cards in almost every way. The major difference is that you charge your card up with money before use. Just as you might buy a top-up on a mobile pay as you go phone you would buy a top up on your prepaid card. This is great as it allows even those with a low credit rating to take a card for payment whilst abroad.

Now I may add more to this as I think of it but I thought you'd rather get this hot little article sooner rather than later. Some ideas to get started in planning your money management whilst abroad…

Best of Luck,

Daniel McClure