So, how can you earn some extra money to pay for your dream vacation?



One way is to cut out the little things. Stop buying that cup of Starbucks coffee every morning and that candy bar every afternoon.

Skip the movie theater and the DVD rentals. We all have about 200 channels on TV and missing an occasional movie won't kill you.

Bring lunch from home. Make a couple of sandwiches, and pack a power bar and some fruit. Lunch will be cheaper and healthier.

Have a yard sale. Clean out your closets and sell your unwanted treasures. If you have a lot of good items, sell them on eBay.

If your job allows it, work some overtime. I look for overtime all the time but I don't get extra money. But I do get extra time off called compensatory time. Time off is worth more than money to me.

If you have a web site, add some AdSense ads or join an affiliate program to make some money from your web visitors. I have more than one web site, and earn $500 - $1000 per month in advertising and affiliate sales.

Cut out the pizza deliveries, and the after work drinks. Frozen pizza and a few beers at home will save you some bucks.

Share a ride. Catch the bus. Ride your bike. Find some alternative means of transportation and save on your gasoline bill. You don't have to do it every day but the more you use as alternate method, the more you will save.

You can also save some money by doing some daily hunting for the lowest airfares online and with your local travel agent. It may require an extra stop or two, but you may be able to save some cash.

You can also save some money by planning your trip more economically. There are also ways to save money while you are in Thailand.

Book a cheaper hotel. You don't need to stay at a 5-star hotel to have a good vacation. By the same token, you don't need to eat at fancy restaurants every day. Thai restaurants and street vendors have great food for super low prices. There are many low cost, smaller boutique hotels at half the price of the "name" hotels.

Don't sign up for a package deal (air and hotel) ? it will cost you more in the long run. Book your own flight and hotel separately. If you plan to take any day trips, do it when you arrive. The prices are cheap and the street tour vendors are cheaper than the ones you see in your hotel lobby.

Don't book a hotel just because they give you a free breakfast. You may pay ten or twenty dollars more for this privilege and breakfast in Thailand is only a dollar or two.

Take advantage of the duty free store at the airport. You can get booze and cigarettes tax free going and coming.

There are many ways to add $50 - $100 extra every month to your vacation fund. And there are even more ways to save money once you arrive in Thailand. Combining the two will make it a lot easier to plan your dream vacation in Thailand.