If you plan for an awesome vacation each year and it never comes to fruition, perhaps you need a better strategy on how to save for it. Here are six tips to help you reach this goal.

1. Become a Coupon Clipper

Six Ways to Save for Vacation
Image via Flickr by stockmonkeys.com

PC Magazine offers a review on the best coupon websites, a shopping saver you need now. Use coupons from direct mailers and your newspaper. Many stores also have in-house point of sale coupons you can use to lower your shopping budget.

Other coupon options include scanning coupons to smartphones or tablets using apps like The Coupons App—it’s free and available for iOS and Android systems. Apps like these are not just for groceries, but also dining, gas, clothing and more.

The key is to not buy things you don’t need just because of a coupon offer and instead cutting your shopping bills and putting away the money you save.

2. Use Credit Card Rewards for Gifts

If you have a card that offers reward points you can redeem and use as gift do so—for birthdays, anniversaries and the holidays.

Most offer a variety of gift cards—always a welcomed gift—and you won’t be taking money out of your pocket to purchase these gifts.

Build up points by shopping where the card offers the most reward points.

3. Brown Bag Your Lunch

If you skip buying those coffees in the morning, you could save approximately $1,000 annually. Brown bagging your lunch instead of eating out can save you a little over $2,000 per year. YourGFM offers a great Brown Bag Calculator which shows you how much your saving each month by taking your lunch to work and even includes how much interest you could earn if you saved the money.

4. Lower Utility Costs

If you commit to being energy conscious to lower all of your energy bills, you could save up to $200 per month.

Use recommended tips on how to lower utility bills and instead of spending those extra dollars on the desired, put the money in your vacation fund. Obtaining Cash for Your Michigan Property simplifies the sale, providing you with funds to use as needed.

5. Cook Meals at Home

Instead of dining out, prepare dinners at home. By eating at home, the average family of four could save up to $400 a month—that’s $4,800 annually.

If you eat out a lot, gradually cut back until almost all meals are prepared and eaten at home. The trick here is to reward you and your family once in a while by dining out in your favorite italian food restaurant or other eateries—or find early bird savings at diners and family restaurants.

Once again, however, the money you would have spent needs to be saved to help you realize that dream vacation.

6. Save Money Smarter

Now that you’re cutting down on lifestyle costs, you need to learn how to save smarter. Seek out market commentary by Fisher Investments to learn more about money market accounts, short-term CDs and high-yield interest savings accounts.

A basic savings account won’t offer an attractive interest rate and using the savings options listed above, it’s less likely you’ll spend the money due to withdrawal limits on these accounts.

You dream vacation will become a reality if you use these tips and commit to saving the money using venues that grow your vacation fund.

Guest Contributor Amanda Brown is a freelance writer whom enjoys playing and coaching volleyball. She loves her friends and family including her dog, Charlie; as well as traveling all around the world.