Money. Mulla. Dollars. Benjamins.
Travelling isn’t just about flights and hotels, it’s about freedom. Freedom to choose where you go, how long you stay, and the kind of experiences you want. But let’s be real: the only way to travel the way you actually want is to maximise and increase your income, not shrink your life.
This guide breaks down practical, realistic ways to retain more money, gain more money, build financial breathing room, and finally take the trips you keep saving on Pinterest. Yes, there are many online articles on how to make money online or offline, but here’s a simple, effective way to make a bit of extra money that actually works.
Disclaimer: This blog contains affiliate links. If you purchase any cool products or experiences through these links, I may earn a little something as a thank you. There is no extra cost to you, promise!
Money Strategy Problem
You may be thinking you can’t travel because you don’t earn enough. But the truth is, income isn’t usually the problem; structure is. You can make £1,800 a month or £5,000 a month and still feel broke if your money has no direction. If you understand where your money is going and what it’s doing for you, you’ll be able to afford to travel a lot more than you think.
If you don’t know your numbers, like your income, your habits, your unnecessary spending triggers, your saving patterns, and the way your money flows, travelling will always feel out of reach. Not because it is, but because you’re blind to what you already have. Some people like to spend their money on going out, buying the latest gadgets and clothes, and I, well…I want to spend my money on travelling.
Once your money has direction, an actual strategy, a plan, a purpose, a system, everything else gets easier, including that long-dreamed-of trip. You’ll know what you can afford, what to cut, what to build, and what your timeline looks like, and booking that trip will start feeling like a calculated, well-deserved YES.
This isn’t about restriction. It’s about clarity. And clarity is what gives you the freedom to book that flight you’ve been dreaming about.
Know Your Travel Numbers
Before you can make more money or save money, you need to know what you’re actually working towards. Most people say they want to travel more, but they have no idea what that costs, which means there’s no real goal. Start with the basics, research and ask yourself:
Take into account you’ll need food, transport, travel insurance, spending money and flights on top. All of this will help you create your Travel Number – the realistic, estimated amount you’ll spend on travel in a year. Make sure it fits the lifestyle you actually want, not the one Instagram forces you to enjoy.
Here’s an example of a Travel Number to help you get the hang of it.
Let’s say for 2026, you want two trips. A 4-week trip to Southeast Asia, Bali, and a European 3-day weekend break to Montenegro as a mid-range traveller. Your Travel Number might look similar to this:
Bali Total (4 weeks): £4,3000
£800 for flight – £1700 for villas – £300 for tours – £800 for meals – £200 for transport – £500 travel insurance & visa, spending money & miscellenous in Bali.
Montenegro Total (3 days): £950
£125 for flights – £175 for a hotel – £150 for activities – £100 for meals – £100 for transport – £300 for travel insurance, spending money & miscellaneous in Montenegro.
Travel Number for 2026: £5,250
Once you know your travel number, everything gets easier. You can build a money plan around it, know exactly how much you need to save, give yourself a timeline for when you can afford to book the trip, and have a clear target instead of a vague dream.
Your Travel Number becomes your roadmap, travelling becomes ten times more achievable when you finally give your goals actual price tags – you’ll be surprised at how locked in your mind gets once you have this figured out.
Audit Your Current Income
You don’t need a spreadsheet for this (use notes on your phone). This part isn’t about restricting yourself; it’s about analysing what is already available to you. Here’s what to look at:
Your Job Salary. Is it growing or stuck? If your salary hasn’t changed in years, that’s a sign. Maybe it’s time to negotiate, upgrade your skills, or look at roles that pay what you actually deserve.
Your Side Income. Do you have a side income? If you answered yes, is it scalable or capped? If the answer is no, that’s already a golden opportunity. A second stream of income doesn’t have to be complicated; it just has to be intentional.
One of my favourite free, sort of side-income options is Vinted. I’ve already made back £3,000 on it from selling my pre-owned clothes. Plus, I have this website that generates income and a few other side hustles, so I don’t have to rely on just one job.
Your Skills. Are you undercharging? Most people massively underprice themselves simply because they doubt their value. If someone with half your ability is charging more, it’s time to level up your confidence and your rates. Remember, you go up with inflation, too!
Your Time. Where could you realistically earn more? You don’t need to work an extra 20 hours a week. Sometimes, you need 3-5 hours used wisely to create a new income stream. Work smarter, not harder.
The truth is, income is 80% opportunity and 20% saying YES before you feel ready. Most people never earn more because they lack confidence and self-belief, and they worry about what others will say. Confidence doesn’t come before action; it comes after you start.
This income audit isn’t about judging yourself; it’s about discovering the possibilities you’ve been sleeping on without even realising. There’s so much out there you can do for yourself!
Previous earnings on Vinted.Currently £2996 earnings to date
Multiple Incomes
Relying on just one income is never a good idea. Your focus is more on the one job than anything else, because you depend on it. One income stream is fragile. Two feels comfortable. Three? That’s where your freedom truly starts.
If you really want to travel more, earn more, and stress less, you can’t depend on just your salary. The moment you add even one small extra income stream, everything changes, like your confidence, your options, and your ability to say YES to the trips you want. And the best part? You don’t need a whole big business tomorrow. There are so many opportunities to earn extra in 2026:
Service-Based Income. This is the fastest to start with the highest profit. This is where most people make the most money the quickest, because they’re using skills they already have that others may lack. You can literally start this week. This includes services like social media management, content creation, copywriting, virtual assistant work, graphic design, photography, and video editing. You can find clients online on popular websites like Fiverr.
Product-Based Income. If you want something that builds over time and earns even when you sleep, having a product-based income is awesome. This includes products like: Digital guides, lightroom presets, e-books like my Solo Travel E-Book, online courses, Canva templates, or even small physical products or merch if you have a little following. This might take a minute to kick off, but when it does, you’ll reap the rewards.
Flexible Work. If you want quick money without committing to a long-term project, there are side jobs you could do. This includes jobs like: Events staffing, hospitality and bar shifts, weekend retail, deliveries, and local services like pet sitting, cleaning, and babysitting. These small shifts can add £200-£500 a month without affecting your primary job. That’s flights and hotel nights…that’s a whole mini holiday!
Building multiple income streams isn’t about being busy, but you do have to be productive. It’s about giving yourself options, because unfortunately, we don’t get paid just to be alive. You have to work to afford whatever makes you feel alive, like travelling.
Product-based income can make you money in your sleep, like my Solo Travel Ebook.
Have A Travel Fund
No one likes being broke, and no one likes seeing money come out of their account either. You need a system that works quietly in the background, helping you build your travel fund without you really noticing.
The simplest way? Create a separate travel bank account and automate tiny weekly deposits, or use a money pot like Monzo, which rounds up your spending by 1x, 2x, or 10x (whatever you choose) and puts that change into your pot. Every time you spend, a little something gets tucked away.
Imagine having a weekly deposit to that separate travel bank account. If it were automated at £20 a week, that would be £1,040 per year. If you can afford more each week, do it! £60 a week would be £3,120 by the end of the year!
This is how you make travel normal, not a once-in-a-while dream. Small amounts of money, consistently saved, are freedom. Your travel fund isn’t just savings, it’s the gateway to your next adventure.
Don’t Lose Money
Here’s the truth: you don’t need to give up on your coffee or little treats to travel more. You can have both. What you need to do is stop wasting money on things that don’t actually add value to your life. Think about:
Instead of cutting things that give you joy, cut things that you don’t need, and be intentional about it. It’s not about deprivation, it’s about being smart with it. You don’t need to suffer; think about the bigger picture and whether things in your life are temporary and need to go, or permanent and need to stay—minor tweaks, considerable freedom, more adventures.
Multiply Your Money Safely
Making more money is only half the journey; the real power comes when that money starts growing on its own. And the good news? You don’t need to be a finance expert or spend hours learning complicated investing jargon. There are simple, trusted, beginner-friendly ways to grow your travel fund in the background while you live your life.
Index Funds: These are one of the easiest, safest long-term investing options for beginners. Instead of picking individual stocks, an index fund spreads your money across hundreds of companies. It’s low-effort, low-stress, and typically delivers steady growth over time. Think of it as ‘set it and forget it’ investing.
High-Yield Savings Accounts: If you want something safe and completely hands-off, a high-yield savings account is perfect. It works just like your regular bank account, but the interest rate is much higher, meaning your money earns more without you doing anything. It’s excellent for travel funds you plan to use within the next 1–2 years.
Government Bonds: These are one of the most secure places you can put your money. You lend money to the government, and they pay you back with interest. It’s predictable, reliable, and ideal if you prefer low-risk growth for future trips or long-term planning.
Think of all this as your future travel engine. You plant the seed once, automate small deposits, and let time do the heavy lifting. The sooner you start, the sooner your money begins multiplying quietly in the background. A few pounds today can turn into flights, hotels, and unforgettable adventures later, all without any extra effort.
Make This Lifestyle Normal
When you finally get your money strategy right, everything shifts. Travel stops feeling like a distant fantasy and suddenly becomes doable. The numbers make sense. The stress disappears. And for the first time, you feel like you’re actually in control of your life, not just reacting to it.
Your goal is simple: keep your income growing, not sitting still. When money is flowing in from different directions, your main job, a side stream, a digital product, or a small service, you create financial breathing room. That extra cash becomes opportunity money: flights booked, trips planned, dreams funded.
Your spending becomes intentional instead of emotional. No more random purchases, late-night hauls, or impulse treats ‘just because.’ You know what you want: travel, freedom, experiences, and you direct your money toward it confidently—and saving? It becomes automatic, not painful.
And yes, you deserve to earn while you sleep. Whether it’s passive income, semi-passive income, or evergreen digital products, you want your money to keep moving, even when you’re not. Your paycheck should match your skills, your value, and the work you bring to the table, not whatever number your job decided years ago.
When all these pieces click into place, travel stops being a once-in-a-lifetime moment. It becomes your yearly reality, flights booked without hesitation, hotels reserved because, why not? Experiences lined up, sunsets, street food, adventures, memories, again and again.
More Money – More Freedom
Having more money isn’t just about the numbers in your bank account. It’s the tool to freedom, to saying YES to life. Live a little more, travel a little more, without the stress.
What’s even better? Relaxing on your vacay knowing your money strategy got you there, that side-hustle, that little extra work paying off so you can have a moment living your best yes. That’s what intentional money does for you.
So, start building more income. Start spending with purpose. Start travelling more and living bigger – there’s so much out there. Your future adventures aren’t just a distant dream; they’re waiting, and it’s your turn to fund them!
