One thing I commonly hear from people is how they would like to travel more, but they don't know how to save the money to do so. When money is tight, finding ways to hold on to some of it can definitely be a challenge. Fortunately, “challenging” does not mean “impossible.” It just means that you might have to think creatively and be willing to make some changes in how you think about money.

I hope that the following ideas will inspire you to think about changes you can make in your own life. That trip you are dreaming about may be closer than you think!

Read through to the end where I break down how using these tips, you could save $1,500 for a week in Mexico!

Take a Good Look at Your Budget

If you have never worked out a budget, now is the time. The first thing to do is to get solid about the money you have coming in each month, and the expenses you are paying. Once you have everything written down so you can see it in black and white, you can start figuring out ways to save.

When you have an idea of your general home budget, then consider what budget you need to set for your travels. The amount you set as a target will vary depending on your destination and preferred travel style.

Set up a Travel Savings Account

Before you start setting aside money for travel, make sure you have the right systems in place. Having a designated travel savings account is critical. The easiest way is to create an additional account with your current financial institution. Many let you create the account online with just a few clicks. I highly recommend that you have the ability to transfer between your accounts and set up automatic transfers. This will make saving even easier.

Some banks even have services that help you save money. For example, you might find a service that rounds up all your purchases to the next dollar, automatically transferring those pennies into savings. This is the modern day version of the change jar! It may seem like a small thing, but those pennies add up.

Start Saving

With the right systems in place, it's now time to start making and moving money!

Save Money On Utilities

Turn the lights off when you leave a room. Turn appliances off when they are not in use. Even better, unplug them unless there is a very good reason to leave something plugged in. Turn the thermostat a little lower in the winter or a little higher in the summer and dress accordingly. Even a degree or two of difference can save you some money each month. Compare your last month's bill to the new month's bill. Subtract the difference and move that money into your travel account.

If you pay for cable TV and Internet, consider canceling the TV and watching your shows on the Internet. Many shows are available for free online on TV Network websites. Services like Hulu make it easy to watch most of your favorite shows for less than $10 a month. You might also consider if you can downgrade your current plan. Immediately move the difference into a travel savings account. Set up an automatic transfer of this amount monthly.

Look at all the regular bills you pay and try to find creative ways to lower your costs. Look for competitively priced cell phone plans, ways you can reduce your water usage, and things you can do to make your home more energy efficient.

Whenever you find a way to lower a bill, instead of spending that money elsewhere – SAVE IT. Even if you lower a bill by only $5, put the $5 you would have spent into savings. Those few dollars here and there add up. If you have 5 utility bills a month and you can save $10 each month, that's an additional $50 into your travel account.

Save Money On Groceries

One of the best ways to save money for travel is by cutting your grocery costs. Food costs can be drastically reduced by shopping sales, using coupons, buying less expensive cuts of meat, introducing more meatless meals, and shopping farmer's markets. Some tips to keep in mind:

• Keep your eyes open for “Manager's Specials” in the meat, dairy, and produce departments. You can find incredible discounts this way.
• If you go to a farmer's market, try to show up later in the day. The later you are there, the more willing vendors are to give you a price break on produce.
• Check supermarket fliers for “Loss Leaders” – sale prices so low the store is likely taking a loss on the product just to get you in the door. Stock up on those items whenever possible.

You also might try a different grocery store. The prices for the same or similar items can be drastically different just depending on the store. You'll need to compare your receipts with your new shopping plan to the old one to figure out an amount you're saving. Remember to then transfer the money you save into your Travel Savings Account!

Eat at Home Instead of Outside

If going out to eat is part of your regular routine, eliminate it or cut back. Take the money that you normally would spend going out for lunch or dinner and add it to the travel fund.

Pay Yourself First From Now On

When you earn money, pay yourself first. Send 10% of your income directly to your savings account. (5% if your budget won't allow 10%). It may seem like a scary thing to do, but try it. You might be surprised at how easy it is to adjust, and your Travel Savings will thank you.

Save Money Through Your Taxes

Sometimes, the easiest way to save money is through your taxes. You can even change your deductions so that your employer takes more money out of your pay, increasing your tax refund at the end of the year. If you have a difficult time saving much money in other ways, income tax might be your best bet. And just look at some of these great trips you can take with your income tax return!

Ideas to Make Money

You can save money and then you can make money. You'll probably want to do a combination of both to make the most money as quickly as possible. Today, there are more ways than ever to make extra money!

Clean Your House

One of the fastest ways to make money is to get rid of things you already own. Go through your house and sort out any items you're not using anymore. You might want to tackle one room at a time so that the project doesn't become too overwhelming. Have an old fashioned garage sale or sell directly through some of the following ways.  Once your items are sold add the money to your travel savings account.

• Pawnshops – electronics, larger items, and more expensive items
• Craigslist – large items that you want to sell locally
• Ebay – smaller items that can be shipped easily and may have a higher value
• Amazon.com Sellers – books, electronics, DVDs
• Gazelle – old cell phones

Sell Gold or Silver

Chances are you've seen the “buy gold” TV commercials but have you ever considered it? Even if you don't have a treasure trove of jewelry laying around, you may have a few things that could create some instant income. Broken jewelry has a value, as you're selling it for a scrap value. Gather up these items and take them to a reputable, local agency that buys gold or silver.

Make Those Returns

If you're like me it takes you forever to return unwanted items to the store. When you're cleaning out your house it's the perfect time to gather all those returns and bring them back. Instead of pocketing the money (that you've already spent) immediately put it into your travel savings. You won't miss the money and it will be like a little bonus in your account.

Side Jobs

Everyone has a skill that they can make extra money on. If you do one extra side job, even one time a week you'll see a quick increase in your savings. Some ideas include;

• taking a part-time seasonal job
• cutting grass or doing yard work
• cleaning homes of friends, family or neighbors
• babysitting or animal-sitting
• running errands for people in your community
• driving with a service like Uber or Lyft
• offering consulting services

Overtime

If you're already working in a traditional job, why not see what options exist for overtime work. You won't have the free time but you will be making extra cash to add to your travel fund. If you work shiftwork pay attention and start taking added work. Let your colleagues know you're looking for extra hours and you might be surprised how many come to you first when they're looking to offload work.

Selling blood or donating plasma

It's long been one of the ways to make fast cash; selling blood and plasma. If you're approved you can donate a few times a month and make cash on the spot. Deposit it right away so you're not tempted to spend it!

Rent out a Room

In the sharing economy one way to save money is to rent an apartment when traveling. But, did you know you can make pretty good money renting out extra space you have? You'll want to check with local ordinances before listing your property. Airbnb is an easy to use platform for anyone just starting out, check it out by visiting the Airbnb website. You can have your payments for stays direct deposited to your travel account.

The Mexico Vacation Travel Fund

Can using these strategies really save you enough for a vacation? In 6 months you can save enough money for your trip by doing the following.

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I made this as easy as possible, and in many cases you won't need to earn additional money at all. You can of course shift some things; maybe you don't go out to eat, instead you could focus on selling more items to make up that difference or reduce your at home food costs. For overtime, I calculated working 1 extra overtime shift a month at $15 an hour, you could work more or take on a side gig instead if overtime isn't an option.

If you have aspirations to travel, don't let budget constraints stand in your way. You can save and earn extra money with a little creative thinking. You can also come up with some great ways to save money for travel not on this list; Don't be afraid to think outside the box!

You've met this great guy online and feel like it's time to meet. It's exciting and exhilarating but slow down! It's time to proceed with caution. Meeting someone overseas is a big step. Online dating is one of the most popular ways to meet a partner and it's opened up the world in a way that nothing else ever has. This also means being exposed to a lot more danger than ever before. Bad things can happen anywhere but it's important to take steps to protect yourself physically and financially. 

I get countless emails from women who have met Moroccan (and sometimes from other Arab countries) men and want me to weigh in on the validity of their relationships. I refuse to do this because I don't personally know either of them. But, 99% of the time my brain is screaming RUN! There are so many bad scenarios and situations that people find themselves in, hoping that it's simply cultural differences that will later be resolved. This is most often not the case and both people are left having had a bad experience and judging all men by the same yardstick. The reality is THERE ARE men who simply want to scam women for money, residency, or a way out of the country. There are also men who are insanely genuine; unfortunately the bad often outweigh the good.

So, if you find yourself in a situation where you've met someone overseas, what should you do? Consider these six things.

Your Heart is Great But… Use Your Head

I did my share of crazy. Many people would say that what I did after I met MarocBaba was insane, and maybe it was. I know personally of a lot of women meeting men online in other countries and then uprooting their entire lives to move to said country and start a life together. Sometimes it works, but a lot of times it ends up leading to big problems. Things aren't always what they seem. When considering a relationship it's fine to let your heart lead you but use your head too. If something seems off, trust your instinct. Listen to your gut. Do not allow yourself to get so wrapped up in romance or the idea of something that you ignore everything else. Use the same yardstick you would with a man from your own culture, don't play off things simply because “he's from a different culture.” If you really can't stand a certain trait don't assume it will ever change. 

Leave a Record

Like, a really clear record – this is not the time to evasive or elusive. This should include copies of your passport, travel documents, addresses where you will be staying and who you will be with. If this changes while you are traveling, update someone at home with the information. If you will be meeting someone new, get as much of their information as possible. Where they live (address), their full name, birthday, parents names, as much information as you can. Ask them for a copy of their national ID card. If they don't want to share this information it should be considered a big red flag. Protect yourself first and foremost. 

Set Check-In Times

Talk with your friends and family before you travel to give them a rough timeline of your plans. Let them know how often you will try to check in. Create a plan with them on what they should do if they don't hear from you within a determined time period. 

Protect Yourself

Do NOT trust someone at face value. You should do some research to know not only who the person you are meeting us but learn about the place you are going. Make sure you have the numbers for your embassy or foreign mission. You also should research ahead of time so that you know how to reach them, not only by phone but physically. Is there a bus route? Do you need a taxi? Make sure that you have money available to do this. Likewise, if you are meeting someone new it is advisable that you book a hotel room or private accommodation. If you do decide to stay with the person you are meeting have enough money and resources available to leave if you need to. 

Register with Your Embassy and Foreign Affairs Department

Most all countries have a program in place for their citizens to register when they are traveling abroad. Do it and keep the information updated. If your family is unsure where you are or if you are in need of assistance, your government needs to have as much information about you as possible to help find you. This is also important if there is a natural disaster or other emergency in the country you are visiting. Embassies work to identify where there citizens are and if they have been affected. If you don't let them know where you are, they won't know where to look for you. If you're a US Citizen this is where you would register – STEP Enrollment. 

Sound Too Good To Be True? It Probably Is…

If I had a penny for all of the stories I have heard men tell women about how they're going to wine and dine and sweep them off their feet I could own an island by now. The bottom line is, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Don't let your emotions or your desire for it to be true, overcome the reality of what it is. 

I truly believe that most people in the world are good but I also know that they are not. This post isn't meant to scare people out of visiting other countries (because bad things happen everywhere) but are some practical tips that should be kept in mind to stay safe when traveling.