I lived at home during college to avoid college debt and to save money for my true passion – traveling. I didn’t study abroad during college because it was too expensive and would have delayed graduation. Even though I made the more money conscious decision, this is one of my biggest regrets. Now I’m trying to earn more money and save it for a trip to Europe this summer. I’ve already got $2,000 stashed and I need to save an extra $850 per month.

How can I save extra money for my Europe trip?

While I wasn’t able to study abroad, I did manage to travel while in college. I went on three one-week mission trips: two to New Orleans and one to California. I also went on a 6-week mission trip to Costa Rica, which was by far my favorite. I paid for these trips by saving throughout the summer and acquiring donations. The three school trips only cost me $300 each! Much of the money was donated through my school’s Hillel which is who coordinated the trips. The Costa Rica Trip was much pricier around $3,000. I used all the savings I’d accumulated working throughout the summer as well as all I made at my part-time internships during the school donations. I also asked for cash donations from family and friends instead of birthday and Christmas presents.

What made Costa Rica so amazing (and completely worth the high cost) was that I was able to experience a new culture. This was my first experience outside of the United States and I loved being immersed in others’ traditions, language, and beliefs. I now have friends in Costa Ricca that I keep in contact with weekly! For this reason, I have been looking into other trips abroad. My next must-see destination is Europe.

It seems like I have been dreaming about Europe forever. As an English major I read poems and stories from writers all over Europe conveying the beauty of their home-towns and cities. When my classmates and I talked about studying abroad France was always a top choice. What really sealed the deal for me, is that one of my best friends has been living in Paris for the semester. I have been constantly awe-struck by her pictures and tales of living there. Her experiences are what prompted me to begin looking into Euro-trips. I stumbled onto the website EF College Break and fell in love with their 35 Day Ultimate Europe Trip.  If I go on this trip, not only will I be able to see Paris, but also Florence, Venice, Rome, and more! What has really hindered me from traveling to Europe in the past is that I haven’t found anyone willing to travel with me.

While seeing the sites would still be a wonderful experience I wasn’t comfortable traveling alone in another country. With EF College Tours you travel with a group of people between the ages of 18-25 and all of the traveling is set up for you in advance. This may not be the cheapest way to travel but in my opinion it’s the best option for me.

Now comes the real problem, how to save enough money.

I have currently saved $2,000 to put toward my month long European trip. The trip I am saving for costs around $5,400 with all transportation, hotels, and some meals included. While the trip wouldn’t occur until this summer, the sooner I pay the full amount, the higher the discount.

My goal is to save the remaining $3,400 within the next four months.

Even though I live at home, saving this amount of money is not easy. In order to pay for this trip in four months I’d need to earn an extra $850 a month. I’ve thought about doing surveys online for money or getting another job or  selling my clothes online, but besides these options I’m not sure what else I could do. I’ve been picking up extra shifts at work but this will only amount to an extra $100 a week, if I’m lucky. With my weekly income ranging from $200-$300 I rarely am able to save more than $150 a month. This makes earning extra income very important. Do you have any tips to make my dream vacation a reality?

How can I earn extra money? I need to save $3,400 in four months – or $850 extra per month.