Serious savings

I'd composed this post a couple of days ago but it still says uploading and I can't access it - darn blogger app.

This week I had one of those moments of clarity when all of a sudden some switch clicks on, motivating you to do something. I added up in my head all the little holidays I've taken this year and how much they cost.  The total was $5000. That's this year alone. In the past 2.5 years I've done Samoa twice more,  Sydney and quite a bit of NZ. Basically it dawned on me that I've spend on a series of mini breaks what it would cost me to spend 6 months in South America.  Ouch!

I don't regret any of those holidays for a second, but all of a sudden I can't wait to get out of here and long term travelling so a serious savings plan is about to kick in.

My minimum savings goal is $32,000. I will fly out February 2015 as soon as the final Hobbit is done with and I feel like I'll be able to leave Embassy (again) tidily. I need another year there to make sure those knitting sessions are firmly established,  you know...!

Hopefully I'll be able to save a bit more than my goal (I haven't factored in a final holiday pay pay out, for one). I've chosen a fortnightly amount of $760 to save which allows for a comfortable amount to live on and not give up wine! My hours differ depending on the time of year so over the busy summer period I'll do 7 day weeks and give the savings an extra boost.

I want to have a spare 10K to have in the bank while I'm away so that I have it to fall back on if I decide to study or can't find a job right away.

It's not an easy thing to post about money on the Internet but I found last time I planned a trip there was too little info out there on what travelling costs and how much everyone saves to do it.

I've banned takeaways and taxiing to work when I'm feeling lazy. I just placed my last yarn order and will be working through my stash over the next year. I'm holding off buying new work dresses until I've worn the current ones out. I'm sure I'll make more cuts as time goes on.

I'm reading up and planning where I want to go - getting excited about it makes saving easier!

This time I want to start in Santiago, hitting the vineyards nearby and possibly a side trip to Easter Island. Then I want to trek Torres del Paine in Patagonia.  The Perito Moreno glacier is a must, then head up through Argentina visiting Barliloche and the Mendoza wine region (again). Buenos Aires will feature of course, along with Northern Argentina, a proper tour of Uruguay, Paraguay and up through Bolivia to Peru.

I want to spend a lot of time in Peru volunteering probably and backpacking through the less touristy central Andes to Pucallpa and catching a launch down a different Amazon tributary.

From there funds will decide whether to continue upwards. It'd be cool to go right through Central America and end with a working holiday in Canada.  Who knows?!