I can't help but to feel that I should save more...

I want to save more for my future trips but I can't find anymore ways to do it. I have a 20$ challenge that I started last beginning of September and I have 200$ now, I have a piggy banks where I put my coin changes in there and I accumulate a good 25$ in there but that's for prom and other things such as a birthday gift for my cousin who's birthday is in January, I started a mutual fund for travel around 3 650$ in there and it's growing and I'm thinking of putting 50$ each month in there.

Now I don't know what else I can do and I want to put more money aside because the thought of going in a big trip is killing me and I feel like I don't have enought. I'm thinking of putting money aside for a trip each year, so it will calm me down but I don't know... Maybe I'm putting money aside too much but I never forgot to enjoy where I live here with my friends but I feel like there's other method for me to save. I felt it's not enought. >.<"

I feel that money is controlling me on my decisions too much. I'm a lot happy when I have money save but when it spend, I make sure is something I really want and that I feel good. People around me is forcing me to spend even my dad wants me to spend my money, but I keep saying to myself that I'll end up broke if I spend this amount of money and that my trip is way more important than this. Gaar... I don't know I am confused with my money, don't know what to do anymore but to save more and try to find a way to earn more.

Maybe it's because people around me that cause me think like this... I don't know

I don't know what kind of help I need though... Maybe your opinions on this ?

[tinapbeana]

ugh, so frustraing when you feel like the folks around you want you to spend all your cash, right?

well, do they know you're saving for a trip? maybe if you quantify it for them it'll help. say "i want to save $XXXX.XX for the trip i'm planning. to make that goal, i need to save $xxx.xx per month"

have you seen the commercial from Wendy's where they talk about money in terms of the value menu (i.e. instead of $10 it's 10 jr bacon cheese burgers). maybe you could try something like that. friends want you to spend $15 on dinner? "wow, that's 10% of my plan ticket! can we pick something else?"

i dunno, i think a lot of folks see money in terms of what you have, and phrasing it to them in terms of what you *want* to get with it (rather than what *they* want you to get with it) could help.

[Broken Arrow]

Hehe. I am constantly trying to find ways to scrounge up more money than before. Sometimes, I feel like if I can stare at my budget long enough, something will pop out from somewhere.

It's happened before!

[PRICEPLUS]

Saving is good and you are doing well. Don't let money run your life though and make you worry. Make a plan and carry it out. Find a comfortable balance between saving and spending. Don't get sick about it. As for finding ways to save more money....well...you do the best you can and leave it at that. Enjoy your life!

[msnln]

Broken Arrow,

I know exactly what you mean. I look at my budget constantly too and try to figure out ways to reduce each budgeted item. One way I have come up with minimizing interest payment is utilizing home equity line of credit (HELOC). My Chase HELOC has bill payment feature and it works great for me.

When I get paid, I put all my pay check into repaying HELOC, then schedule my bill payments from HELOC. By doing this, I save interest on the line, and the bank guarantees bills will be paid by the due date I specify. By using this methodology, I know exactly how much goes where just by looking at the transaction history of HELOC.

[tgavin71]

Where do you plan on going for your trip? And for how long? Have you considered a working holiday? THat way you don't need as much money before you go.