We live in a time when consumerism is at an all-time high. There is always something new for us to buy, a new tech product that we need, some subscription that is supposed to help us revitalize our well-being, or some other trendy consumer good. Although it’s nice to live in a world where you can arguably buy a solution to anything, odds are, you won’t find the fulfillment you desire in what you purchase. Experiences, though, are what you will remember, what will make you laugh, create memories, and reboot your mind. Although these opportunities may not appear as often as the next ad on your feed, I highly doubt you will regret spending money in this area of your life.

Experiences

In our 20s, we arguably have more time than we will ever have to live, explore, grow, learn, and make memories with our friends and family. This can look as simple as attending a concert that comes to your city or as exciting as going on an international adventure with your closest friends from college. I LOVE spending on experiences, and I’ve never once regretted it. Half of the fun is coming together with a group of people, or even just your best friend, and brainstorming where to travel. I’m super grateful to have a group of friends who are always down for an adventure no matter where it takes us. My friends and I come up with an idea, plan out the trip, set a date, save for it, and make it happen. More often than not, it is the highlight of my year. I never want these trips to end.

When you look at the total cost of an experience surrounded around travel, for example, the number can be daunting, but you can always scale this up or down! It’s totally customizable. Some people see a number and instantly think, “I can’t afford this.” But if you plan far enough ahead, save for it, and sacrifice in other areas, the odds are that you can make it happen. Sometimes I think we forget, or genuinely don’t know, how much money we spend on going out, drinks with friends, random Amazon purchases, or the biggest culprit of them all…food delivery. If you cut back in some of these areas or all the areas you deem unnecessary, you will likely find you do have the funds to go on such a trip. Just re-allocate those funds to something that is more fulfilling to you.

How to Make It Happen

When it comes to big trips, like a long ski trip or an international adventure, my friends and I try to plan about six months out. This may seem really far away, but the reality is, it’ll be here before you know it. Once we come up with a place and a plan, we start running basic numbers on how much it is going to cost us. Travel tip:the farther out you book flights and hotels, the better the deal you will get!

Once we have the lump sum individual cost, we increase that number by 20%, because chances are there are some things we haven’t accounted for. We would much rather over-save than under-save. For this example, let’s say the all-in cost is $2,500 per person. This would include airfare, the housing accommodation split, an average cost of food/groceries (determined by local market research), and any other ground transportation or big excursions we plan to take.  Now remember, we are trying to make this trip happen in six months, and we want to pay for airfare and housing sooner rather than later, as this is often the biggest expense. By paying early, we will save as much as possible here. Take that $2,500 (which includes the 20% buffer) and divide it by the six-month window. That comes to $416.67, which is the amount you need to save per month to make this trip happen on time.

$416.67 might seem like a lot of money, and I won’t scoff at its value, but if you break it down, it actually isn’t that daunting. $416.67 per month is just $104.17 per week, or $14.89 per day. Before you say you don’t have enough money to put away – ask yourself how many times in the last week you went out to Chipotle or CAVA, how many lattes you bought, or how much you spent on drinks, dinner, and Ubers/Lyfts with friends. I’m going to bet the $104.17 per week is somewhere in there. This is what I mean by making sacrifices and spending on experiences instead of things. I doubt that $12 Chipotle brought you more joy and fulfillment than sitting on a European beach with your closest friends would. If it does, I commend you for finding such joy in the little things in life.

Now I know what you might be thinking: by the time I save all the money, the flights and housing accommodations will cost a lot more. This is true. But that’s where you have to change your thinking. Instead of waiting till month six to make all of these bookings, you make these bookings during months one to three. Typically, the prices won’t change much three months out from the trip, along with your housing accommodations. Honestly, those are often prime times to book! So, when you have enough money to book the flight (usually possible after month one or halfway into month two), book those flights! Follow the same rule with making housing accommodations, too. Not only will this save you money, but it will also lock everyone in on the trip, including yourself, and ensure that you continue to save for the trip. Now, in only a handful of months, you’ll be on a plane somewhere with your name attached to a reservation. Something tells me booking early will actually only incentivize you to follow through on your plan.

“But what if I don’t have a full six months to plan a trip?” Easy, save more aggressively, or scale back on the trip! Even if you only
had four months with the same trip example in mind, $2,500 divided by four months is $625 per month, $156.25 per week, or $22.32 per day. That’s a difference of an extra $7.43 savings per day on a two-month shorter timeline. You can probably still make that work, too! Don’t hesitate to get creative with it!

Only You Will Know

I 100% acknowledge that everyone is different! Some people love to travel abroad, some people love to camp, and some people just love to find all the coolest speakeasies and restaurants in their city. There’s no right or wrong way to go about finding what experiences fulfill you. I just want you to take the time to figure out what you actually value and find a way to support that vision. I think we often get so caught up in consumerism, trying to gain a glimpse of enjoyment, when the reality is material goods do almost nothing for us. Save and prepare for the things you do value, then make invaluable memories along the way. I’m certain you won’t regret it, and you and your friends will have a laundry list of places to go next!